Five new
records of nematodes from East Antarctica
P. Bohra 1,
A.K. Sanyal 2, A. Hussain3 & B. Mitra 4
1Zoological Survey of India,
Desert Regional Centre, Jhalamand, PaliRoad, Jodhpur, Rajasthan 342005, India.
2&4 Prani Vigyan Bhawan, Zoological Survey
of India, M-Block, 535 New Alipore, Kolkata, West Bengal 700053, India.
3Zoological Survey of India,
Northern Regional Centre, 218, Kaulagarh Road, Dehra
Dun, Uttarakhand 248195, India.
Email: 1 bohrapadma@gmail.com
Date of publication (online): 26 June 2010
Date of publication (print): 26 June 2010
ISSN 0974-7907 (online) | 0974-7893 (print)
Editor: Anwar L. Bilgrami
Manuscript details:
Ms
# o2342
Received
09 November 2009
Final
received 11 May 2010
Finally
accepted 15 May 2010
Citation: Bohra, P., A.K. Sanyal,
A. Hussain & B. Mitra(2010). Five new records of nematodes from East Antarctica. Journal of
Threatened Taxa 2(6): 974-977.
Copyright: © P. Bohra, A.K. Sanyal,A. Hussain & B. Mitra 2010. Creative Commons Attribution
3.0 Unported License. JoTTallows unrestricted use of this article in any medium for non-profit purposes,
reproduction and distribution by providing adequate credit to the authors and
the source of publication.
Acknowledgement: The authors are highly thankful to
Dr. Ramakrishna, Director, Zoological Survey of India, Kolkata for providing necessary facilities to carry
out the research work.
The terrestrial invertebrate fauna
of Antarctica comprise of Protozoa, Rotifera, Tardigrada, Nematoda and Arthropoda. A
handful of soil contains thousands of the microscopic nematode worms, many of
them parasites of insects, plants or animals. Free-living species are abundant, including nematodes that
feed on bacteria, fungi, and other nematodes.
The Antarctic region has been
subdivided into three main ecological zones viz., the Continental Antarctic,
the Maritime Antarctic and the Sub-Antarctic with distinctive climatic and
biotic characteristics (Holdgate 1970). The free-living soil, freshwater and moss inhabiting nematodes of
these regions have been studied by de Man (1904), Krijanova(1958), Timm (1971), Gray (1975), Loof(1975), Heyns (1993), Kitoet al. (1996), and others. Andrassy (1998) has reported nematodes as the most abundant group in the
Antarctic region. He listed 43
species comprising 29 species from the maritime region and 14 from Antarctica
proper. Besides, he has also
discussed survival strategies and geographic distribution of nematodes. He has also provided a key to the
species of Plectidae and Qudsianematidae. Bostrom(2005) added three species of nematodes from Maudland,
East Antarctica and Ghosh et al. (2005) reported one
new species Antarctenchus motililius from East Antarctica. Andrassy (2008) described six new
species of the genus Eudorylaimus from
continental Antarctica.
The moss and soil samples were
collected from different sites at the periphery of PriyadarshiniLake (PDL) located at Schirmacher Oasis, East
Antarctica. The nematodes were
killed and fixed in hot 4% formalin and mounted in anhydrous glycerin. The specimens are deposited in the
National Zoological Collection of Desert Regional Centre, Zoological Survey of
India, Jodhpur.
Results
The analysis of samples yielded
five species belonging to three genera and three families of the Orders Tylenchida, Dorylaimida and Araeolaimida. Helicotylenchus dihystera, H. diagonicus, H. exallus, Eudorylaimus sabulophilus and Plectus telekii are being reported for the first time from East Antarctica.
Systematic account
Order: TylenchidaThorne, 1949
Superfamily: Hoplolaimoidea Filipjev, 1934 (Paramonov,
1967)
Family: Hoplolaimidae,Filipjev, 1934 (Wieser,
1953)
Genus: Helicotylenchus Steiner, 1945
Helicotylenchus diagonicus Perry in Perry, Darling &
Thorne, 1959
(Fig. 1)
Material examined: 3 females, 14.i.1999, coll. A.K. Sanyal, Reg.No. IV/1923.
Host: Moss at the bank of PDL.
Measurements: Female (3): L = 0.49-0.90 mm; a = 24-26; b
= 5.5-6.0; c = 50-55; V = 10-1156-629-10
Description:
Female: Body spiral shaped. Lip region truncated with 3-4 annules. Stylet 20-22 µm long, basal knobs flattened slightly indented anteriorly. Spermatheca offset without sperms. Phasmids at the level of anus. Tail more curved dorsally with slight ventral projection.
Male: Not found.
Distribution: Canada, Greece, India, Poland, USA.
Remarks: First report from Antarctica.
Helicotylenchus exallus Sher,
1966
(Fig. 2)
Material examined: 5 females,
30.xii.1999, coll. A.K. Sanyal, Reg.No.
IV/1924.
Host: Moss at the bank of PDL.
Measurements: Females (5): L = 0.61-0.65 mm; a = 26-28; b
= 6.0-6.2; c = 40-45; c´ = 0.7-1.2; V = 10-1160-628-10
Description
Female: Body spiral shaped. Lip region hemispherical marked by fourannules. Stylet 24-26 µm
long, basal knobs with flattened anterior surface. Spermathecalarge, offset with sperms. Phasmid 2-3 annules anterior to anus. Tail more curved dorsally with slight ventral projection.
Male: Not found.
Distribution: India, USA.
Remarks: First report from Antarctica.
Helicotylenchus dihystera (Cobb, 1893) Sher, 1961
(Fig. 3)
Material examined: 5 females, 03.i.1999, coll. B. Mitra, Reg.No. IV/1921.
Host: Wet Moss along with soil at the
bank of Priyadarshini Lake (PDL).
Measurements: Females (5): L = 0.54-0.83 mm; a =
20-32; b = 4.5-6.4; c = 44-46; c´ = 1.0-1.3; V = 12-1560-6611-13
Description
Female: Body spiral. Cuticle with distinct
transverse striae. Lip region continuous with
body, hemispherical bearing four annules. Cephalic framework
conspicuous. Lateral fields marked by four incisures. Stylet 24-26 µm
long, basal knobs concave. Oesophagus with
gland overlapping ventrally. Spermatheca rounded offset, without
sperms. Tail dorsally convex-conoid usually with slight ventral projection.
Male: Not found.
Distribution: This is a cosmopolitan and widely
distributed species.
Remarks: First time reported from
Antarctica.
Order: Dorylaimida Pearse, 1942
Superfamily: DorylaimoideaDe Man, 1876
Family: Qudsianematidae Jairajpuri, 1965
Eudorylaimus sabulophilus Tijepkema,
Ferris & Ferris, 1971
(Fig. 4)
Material examined: 3 females, 23.ii.1999, coll. A. Hussain, Reg.No. IV/2240
Host: Moss and algae at the bank of PDL.
Measurement: Females (3): L = 0.87-0.98mm; a =
17-22; b = 3.47-3.92; c = 17.3-21.7; V = 56-59.
Description:
Female: Body slightly curved ventrally
upon fixation. Lips well separated
and set off from body by constriction. Odontostyle 17-18 µm long; its aperture 30% of odontostylelength. Odontophore rod-like 22-24 µm long. Oesophageal expansion gradual. Basal expanded part of oesophagus occupies
45-47% of oesophageal length. Reproductive system amphidelphic. Tail dorsally-convex with subacuteor narrow rounded tip. Tail tip
slightly bent ventrally.
Male: Not found.
Distribution: USA.
Remarks: First time reported from
Antarctica.
Order: AraeolaimidaDe Coninck & Schuurmans Stekhoven, 1933
Superfamily: Plectoidea Örley, 1880
Family: Plectidae Örley, 1880
Plectus telekii Mulk & Coomans,
1978
(Fig. 5)
Material
examined: 6
females, 23.ii.1999, coll. A. Hussain, Reg.No. IV/1925-26.
Host: Moss at the bank of PDL.
Female (5): L = 669µm -794µm a =
18.0-19.0, b = 4.0-4.5, c = 8.0-8.8, c’ = 3.7-5.0, V = 45.2-49.7, Pharynx =
165-186 µm, Anal body diameter =18-22 µm, Tail length = 79-97 μm
Description:
Female: Body medium-sized, arcuate, open C shape upon fixation. Lip region continuous with body
contour. Lips elevated 2.5-3.0 μm long. Lip region 7-11 μmwide. Cephalic sensilla setose, 2.0-2.5 μm long. Amphids located 11-14 μmfrom anterior end. Stoma 19-30 μm long, cheilostom cuticularised. Nerve ring encircles isthmus. Excretory pore inconspicuous. Intestine granular. Female reproductive
system amphidelphic. Ovary reflexed. Vulva slit like. Uterus without egg. Vulva-anus distance three times tail
length. Tail cylindrical, arcuate. Spinneret about 2μm long.
Male: Not found.
Distribution: Rajasthan, India
Remarks: First report from Antarctica.
REFERENCES
Andrassy, I. (1998). Nematodes in
Sixth continent. Journal of Nematode Morphology and Systematics 1: 107-186.
Andrassy, I. (2008). Eudorylaimus species (Nematoda:Dorylaimida) of continental Antarctica. Journal of Nematode
Morphology & Systematic 11(1): 49-66.
Bostrom, S. (2005). Nematodes from SirmacherOasis, Dronning, Maud Land,
East Antarctica. Russian Journal of Nematology 13: 43-54.
Christy,
J.R. & V.G. Perry (1951). Removing nematodes from soil. Proceedings Helminthological Society, Washington 18: 106-108.
Cobb, N.A. (1918). Estimating the NemaPopulation of the Soil. Agricultural Technology Circular I.
Bureau of Plant Industry, United States, Department of Agriculture, 48pp.
De Man, J.G. (1904). Nematodes libres.
Result. Voyage S.Y. Belegica, Zoologie 55pp.
Ghosh, S.C, A.C. Bulgarin & J. De (2005). Antarctenchus motililus sp. n. (Nematoda:Tylenchida) from SchirmacherOasis, East Antarctica. Journal of Interacademicia 9(3): 367-371.
Gray, N.F. (1975). A preliminary
survey of Antarctic nematophagous fungi with
reference to temperature tolerance. BSc. Degree Project Report No. 745/1138. The
Polytechnic of Central London, 92pp (unpublished).
Heyns, J. (1993). Eudorylaimus nudicaudatus sp. n. from Antarctica (Nematoda: Dorylaimoidea). South African Journal of Antarctic Research 23: 33-36.
Holdgate, M.W. (ed.) (1970). Antarctic Ecology. London and New
York; Academic Press, 998pp (2 volumes). [Proceedings of 2ndSCAR Symposium on Antarctic Biology]
Kito, K., Y. Shishida& Y. Ohyama (1996). A new species of
the genus Eudorylaimus Andrassy, 1959 (Nematoda: Qudsianematidae) from
East Antarctica. Polar Biology 16: 163-169.
Krijanova, E.S. (1958). Antarkticheskie predsataviteli predstaviteli presnovodnykh nematodroela Plectus Bastian (Nematodes, Plectidae)
(Antarctic specimens of freshwater nematodes of the genus Plectus Bastian (Nematoda, plectida).Inf. Byull. Sov. Antarkt.Eksped. No. 3 : 101-03 [English translation
Vol. 1, 1964]
Loof, P.A.A. (1975). Dorylaimoidea from some subantarctic islands. Nematologica 21: 219-255.
Seinhorst, J.W. (1959). A rapid method
for the transfer of nematodesfrom fixative to
anhydrous glycerine. Nematologica 4: 67-69.
Timm, R.W. (1971). Antarctic soil
and freshwater nematodes from the Mc Murdo Sound
Region. Proceedings of the Helminthological Society of Washington 38: 42-52.