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The World of Protozoa, Rotifera, Nematoda and Oligochaeta

Aphelenchoides

Aphelenchoides Fischer, 1894

Suborder Aphelenchina: Family Aphelenchioididae (ref. ID; 3547)

Family Aphelenchoididae (ref. ID; 5927, 6168, 6182, 6740)

Family Cylindrocorporidae (ref. ID; 880)

ref. ID; 1663

Posterior end conical, not filiform; esophagus overlapping intestine, and median bulb of esophagus prominent and spherical. Spear slender, with or without modified basal knobs. Very large genus. (ref. ID; 1663)

ref. ID; 1923

Female tail conoid. (This is a very large genus including plant pathogens, algivorous, and fungivorous species). (ref. ID; 1923)

ref. ID; 5927

Femalelike intersexes of four species of Aphelenchoides have been described by Krall (1959), Slepetiene (1962), Edward and Misra (1969), and Khera and Chaturvedi (1971). Each differs from the Canadian A. composticola-like intersex in the character and complement of male structures. They have in common a normal and apparently functional female reproductive system. The underdeveloped reproductive system in the intersex from Canada possibly is due to a genetic factor expressed late in development of the germinal primordium. If associated with factors responsible for proliferation of male tissue. This intersex would represent another grade of intersexuality in nematodes. The arrested maturation of germ cells in the Aphelenchoides intersex from Canada also may be charateristic of other intersexes in the Tylenchida and Dorylaimida. With the exception of the Aphelenchoides intersex of Krall (1959), no mature oocytes or eggs have been found in any of the intersexes in these taxa. In at least one intersex, a didelphic species of Telotylenchus, Dalmasso (1966) reported that the gonads were reduced and contained no advanced oocytes and concluded that the germ cells present pobably would not mature. Lack of offspring from a sterile intersex could explain the rarity of intersexes in these species. (ref. ID; 5927)

ref. ID; 6153, 6155, 6691

Fungivore. (ref. ID; 6153, 6155, 6691)

ref. ID; 6859

Hyphal feeder. (ref. ID; 6859)
  1. Aphelenchoides besseyi (ref. ID; 3547)
  2. Aphelenchoides composticola (ref. ID; 5927)
  3. Aphelenchoides fragariae (ref. ID; 3547)
  4. Aphelenchoides mali Fuchs, 1931 (ref. ID; 2588)
  5. Aphelenchoides microlaimus (ref. ID; 1923)
  6. Aphelenchoides parietinus (Bastian, 1865) Steiner, 1932 (ref. ID; 880, 2588)
  7. Aphelenchoides ritsemabosa (ref. ID; 3547)
  8. Aphelenchoides ritzemabosi (Schwartz) Steiner & Buhrer (ref. ID; 6692)
  9. Aphelenchoides tenuicaudatus (De Man, 1895) (ref. ID; 2588)

Aphelenchoides composticola (ref. ID; 5927)

Descriptions

  • Female: Body uniformly arcuate when relaxed. Incisures three, usually obscure. Stylet 10 and 11 µm long, basal knobs reduced to swellings. Esophagus 159 and 150 µm long to end of glands, esophagointestial junction obscure. Excretory pore 77 and 81 µm from head end. Reproductive system 182 and 253 µm long, gonad (ovary) 114 and 149 µm long. Germ cells in growth zone of gonad arranged in single row, progressively increasing in size proximally. Spermatozoa absent in spermatheca and postuterine sac. Postuterine sac 63 and 75 µm long, without cytoplasm. Tail conoid, 40 and 41 µm long, constricted at terminus to a single mucron. (ref. ID; 5927)
  • Female intersex: Body shape similar to female, with slightly more curvature in posterior half. Incisures three, more pronounced than in female. Stylet 11 µm long, basal knobs as in females. Esophagus 143 µm long to end of gland lobes. Excretory pore 72 µm posterior to head end. Female reproductive system 107 µm long; gonad 68 µm long, posterior half greatly expanded, containing 20 germ cells of equal cell and nucleus size arranged in double rows. Gonoduct compressed, structure obscure, appearing to have traces of undifferentiated tissue. Postuterine sac 24 µm long, containing cytoplasm. Tail shape as in female, 38 µm long, lacking male caudal papillae. Spicules paired, equal in size, dorsal arm 23 µm long, hooked distally (hamate), ventral arm extends nearly full length of dorsal arm. Spicular or copulatory muscles not observed in caudal region. (ref. ID; 5927)

    Type deposition

    Female intersex: Collection No.6927; slide No.225, deposited in the Canadian National Collection of Nematodes, Ottawa. (ref. ID; 5927)

    Measurements

  • Female: L=599, 672 µm; a=35; b'=3.8, 4.6; c=15, 14; c'=3.9, 4.3; V=73, 68 (n=2). (ref. ID; 5927)
  • Female intersex: L=570; a=32; b'=4.0; c=16; V=70 (n=1). (ref. ID; 5927)

    Aphelenchoides ritzemabosi (Schwartz) Steiner & Buhrer (ref. ID; 6692)

    Descriptions

    Plant-parasite. (ref. ID; 6692)