Description of Anaplectus deconincki n. sp. from South Africa

During a survey of soil nematodes in Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden in Cape Town, a population of plectid nematodes belonging to the genus Anaplectus was recovered and proved to be a species new to science. Anaplectus deconincki n. sp. is characterized by female body length (612-932 & mu;m), b = 4.6-5.2, c = 12.8-18.0, c' = 2.6-3.1, V = 51-54, and tail length (43-63 & mu;m). Males are characterized by body length (779-956 & mu;m), b = 4.8-5.6, c = 13.9-16.7, c' = 2.2-2.5, spicule length 33-39 & mu;m, gubernaculum length 10-12 & mu;m, and tail length (56-65 & mu;m). Discriminant analysis clearly separated A. deconincki n. sp. from the other related species of Aanaplectus. The phylogenetic analysis placed Anaplectus deconincki n. sp. in a clade with 1.00 posterior probability values with other Anaplectus. Partial sequences of the 18S and 28S regions of the ribosomal DNA gene were amplified for Anaplectus deconincki n. sp., and 18S rDNA showed 99% similarity with an unidentified Anaplectus (AJ966473) and A. porosus (MF622934) from Belgium. In addition, 28S rDNA showed a 93% similarity with A. porosus from Belgium (MF622938) and a 98% similarity with A. granulosus from Germany (MF325171). Measurements, illustrations, and light microscopy pictures for Anaplectus deconincki n. sp. are given.