The Thelastomatoidea (Nematoda : Oxyurida) of two sympatric Panesthiinae (Insecta : Blattodea) from southeastern Queensland, Australia: taxonomy, species richness and host specificity

The thelastomatoid fauna of two species of wood-burrowing cockroach (Blattodea, Blaberidae), Panesthia cribrata and Panesthia tryoni tryoni, from Lamington National Park, Australia, is described. The following eight new species and three new genera of thelastomatid are proposed: Bilobostoma exerovulva n. g., n. sp.; Cordonicola gibsoni n. sp.; Coronostoma australiae n. sp.; Desmicola ornata n. sp.; Hammerschmidtiella hochi n. sp.; Malaspinanema goateri n. g., n. sp.; Travassosinema jaidenae n. sp.; and Tsuganema cribratum n. g., n. sp. Additional data are given for Blattophila sphaerolaima and Leidynemella fusiformis. Of the 11 species reported, nine were found in P. cribrata and ten in P. tryoni tryoni. Such levels of thelastomatoid species richnessness in single host species are exceptional. Only the mole cricket, Gryllotalpa africana (23), and the domestic cockroach, Periplaneta americana (20), have higher reported richness. Three species, T jaidenae, C. australiae and D. ornata, were found either exclusively or significantly more prevalently in P tryoni tryoni than in R cribrata. Species of Travassosinema, Coronostoma and Desmicola have been found previously only in millipedes (Diplopoda), a fact that suggests that there is a greater degree of niche overlap between R tryoni tryoni and millipedes than for R cribrata.

Molecular characterization of Thelastomatoidea (Nematoda : Oxyurida) from cockroaches in Australia

A molecular approach was used to genetically characterize 5 species (Aoruroides queenslandensis. Blattophila sphaerolaima, Cordonicola gibsoni, Desmicola ornato and Leidynemella fusiformis) belonging to the superfamily. Thelastomatoidea fi (Nematoda: Oxyurida), a group of pinworms that parasitizes terrestrial arthropods. The D3 domain of the large subunit Of nuclear ribosomal RNA (LSU) was sequenced for individual specimens, and the analysis of the sequence data allowed the genetic relationships of the 5 species to be studied dagger. The sequence variation in the D3 domain within individual species (0-1-8%) was significantly less than the differences among species (4(.)3-12(.)4%). Phylogenetic analyses, Using maximum parsimony, maximum likelihood, and neighbour-joining, tree-building methods, established relationships among the 5 species of Thelastomatoidea and Oxyuris equi (a species of the order Oxyurida). The molecular approach employed provides the prospect for developing DNA tools for the specific identification of the Thelastomatoidea, irrespective of developmental stage and sex, as a basis for systematic, ecological and/or population genetic investigations of members within this superfamily.

New Thelastomatoidea (Nematoda : Oxyurida) from Australian burrowing cockroaches (Blaberidae : Geoscapheinae, Panesthiinae)

Four new species and two new genera of thelastomatoid are described from several species of Australian burrowing cockroaches (Blattodea: Panesthiinae; Geoscapheinae). Corpicracens munozae n. g., n. sp., Pseudodesmicola botti n. g., n. sp. and Cephalobellus nolani n. sp. are described from Geoscapheus dilatatus (Blattodea: Geoscapheinae) from Mendooran, New South Wales; one new thelastomatid, Blattophila praelongicauda n. sp., is described from Panesthia cribrata from Lamington National Park, Queensland. Corpicracens munozae n. g., n. sp. is long and slender, with a monodelphic female reproductive system, a clavate corpus with a slight posterior pseudobulb, oval eggs flattened at the poles, and a relatively robust, subulate tail. Pseudodesmicola botti n. g., n. sp. is slightly more robust in body, also has a monodelphic reproductive system, a cylindrical corpus with a posterior pseudobulb, ovoid eggs and a very long, subulate tail. Cephalobellus nolani n. sp. is distinguished from other members of the genus by its relatively short and broad body and egg shape. Lastly, Blattophila praelongicauda n. sp. is distinguished from other members of the genus by having eggs with a single, polar operculum, tail length, and position of the vulva, nerve ring and excretory pore. An additional species, known by a single specimen from Panesthia tryoni tryoni from the same locality is characterised but not named. The species found are all relatively rare parasites of Australian burrowing cockroaches, each having a prevalence of less than 10%.

The importance of host ecology in thelastomatoid (Nematoda : Oxyurida) host specificity

An experimental investigation of host specificity within the Thelastomatoidea is presented by means of a comparison of the thelastomatoids of two panesthiine cockroaches, Panesthia cribrata and R tryoni tryoni, with those of other log-dwelling arthropods and those of leaf litter dwelling arthropods found near by. 145 log-dwelling and leaf-litter dwelling arthropods, representing adjacent ecological niches, were collected from Lamington National Park, Queensland, Australia. A high degree of thelastomatoid species sharing (19 incidences from 26 specimens) occurs between log-dwelling arthropods and the two cockroach species. No overlap in thelastomatoid fauna was observed between the log dwelling and leaf-litter dwelling groups. Our results suggest that host specificity of thelastomatoids is largely dictated by host ecology. (c) 2006 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Thelastomatoidea (Nematoda : Oxyurida) of the Australian giant burrowing cockroach, Macropanesthia rhinoceros (Blaberidae : Geoscapheinae)

The thelastomatoid fauna of Macropanesthia rhinoceros was examined from 13 localities across its range in Queensland, Australia. Nine species of thelastomatoids, including two representing new genera, Geoscaphenema megaovum n. g., n. sp. and Jaidenema rhinoceratum n. g., n. sp., were found. Macropanesthia rhinoceros is reported as a new host for seven species previously recorded from Panesthia cribrata (Blaberidae: Panesthiinae) and P. tryoni tryoni, viz, Blattophila sphaerolaima, Leidynemella fusiformis, Cordonicola gibsoni, Travassosinema jaidenae, Coronostoma australiae, Hammerschmidtiella hochi and Desmicola ornata. Overall estimated richness for the system ranged from 10.1-13.5 species. The high degree of parasite faunal overlap between M. rhinoceros and the two Panesthia species is surprising given the disparate ecological niches that they occupy; P. cribrata and P. tryoni tryoni burrow in, and feed upon, moist decaying wood and require a climate that is moist all year round, whereas M. rhinoceros burrows in loose soil, feeds on fallen leaf litter and is tolerant of much drier environments.

Moravecia australiensis n. g., n. sp (Dracunculoidea : Guyanemidae) from the gills of the green porcupine fish Tragulichthys jaculiferus (Cuvier) in Australia

A new dracunculoid genus and species, Moravecia australiensis, is described from gill-filaments of the green porcupine fish Tragulichthys jaculiferus (Cuvier) (Tetraodontiformes: Diodontidae) from Moreton Bay, Queensland, Australia. Abundant mobile larvae and a few adult males with females occurred in the gill-filament between the epithelial basement membrane and efferent artery. Gills of all 69 fish examined contained larvae. Eleven harboured adult nematodes of a previously undescribed species belonging to the family Guyanemidae. The new species is placed within a newly proposed genus because it differs from the four existing genera in the family in possessing fine cuticular transverse striations, two forward protruding cephalic elevations, a circumoral elevation, a small triangular mouth surrounded by six cephalic papillae arranged in two lateral clusters of three each and a pair of large lateral amphids. Males have two pairs of pedunculate caudal papillae supporting the caudal alae. A key to the genera of the Guyanemidae is presented.