Comparative Morphology of Atalodera spp. and Thecavermiculatus spp. (Heteroderidae) with Scanning Electron Microscopy
Othman, A.A.; Baldwin, J.G.; Bell, A.H.
Journal of Nematology 18(3): 275-287
1986
ISSN/ISBN: 0022-300X PMID: 19294179 Document Number: 284848
SEM examination of 2nd stage juveniles (J2) and adults of A. ucri, A. lonicerae, Thecavermiculatus sp., T. andinus and T. crassicrustatus revealed new characters. A primitive en face pattern with 6 separate lips occurs in J2 of Thecavermiculatus spp. and in about half the polymorphic A. longicerae. A derived en face pattern with fused adjacent submedial lips occurs in the other half of A. lonicerae and all A. ucri. Posteriorly the J2 head of all species is annulated. The primitive en face pattern also occurs in males of A. lonicerae and Thecavermiculatus spp. and posteriorly the head of these species consists of plates. Fusion of lips occurs rarely in males of A. lonicerae. Females of all species have similar derived en face patterns. The perineal region of females indicates the closeness of the vulval-anal distance as a derived character which is shared by Atalodera and most Thecavermiculatus spp. suggesting possible monophyly. T. andinus, while having a similar en face pattern to J2 of other Thecavermiculatus spp., lacks the derived character of the perineal region. Phasmid openings were not observed in adults of any of the species examined.