Figure 1:
Light- and scanning electron microscopy images of females of Hoplolaimus tuberosus n. sp. A, B, E: Anterior body in lateral view showing the position of the SE pore opening and the hemizonid, stylet and stylet knobs, and median bulb, (arrows indicate tulip-shaped stylet knobs); C, D, F: Head region showing lip annuli, oral disc and longitudinal striations on the basal lip annule, (arrows indicate the four lip annuli, horizontal arrow the basal lip annule); G, H, I, N: Vulva region in ventral and lateral views and the out stretched anterior and posterior gonads; J: Body habitus; K, L, M: Scutella (appointed with arrow), lateral view; O: Mid body lateral field, arrow showing zigzag longitudinal line formed by anastomoses; P, S: Lateral field in the posterior region; Q, R: Tail region showing anal opening and tail annuli.
Figure 2:
Light- and scanning electron microscopy images of Hoplolaimus tuberous n. sp. males. A, B, C, D and F: Anterior body in lateral view showing head region, lip annuli (arrows; horizontal arrow indicates the basal lip annule), stylet, medium bulb and the lateral field (arrow indicate zigzag longitudinal line formed by anastomoses); E: body habitus; H: Mid body lateral field; G, I, J, K: Lateral and ventral view of the tail region showing spicules and bursa.
Figure 3:
Illustrations of Hoplolaimus tuberosus n. sp.: A: Female whole body; B: Female anterior region; C: Male anterior region; D: Male whole body; E, F: Female tail region; G: Female reproductive system; H: Male reproductive system; I: Male spicule, tail, and bursa.
Table 1:
Morphometrics of Hoplolaimus tuberosus n. sp. specimens from Budwale subcounty Eastern Uganda (GPS location: 1° 3′ 36.5394″N; 34° 14′ 55.0674″E).
| Character | Holotype | Female paratypes | Male paratypes |
|---|---|---|---|
| n | 1 | 18 | 11 |
| L | 1273 | 1439 ± 146 (1211–1629) | 1216 ± 92 (1048–1343) |
| a | 22 | 22 ± 1.2 (20.7–23.8) | 23.6 ± 1.5 (22–27.3) |
| b | 10 | 10.2 ± 1.1 (8.6–12.3) | 9 ± 0.8 (8.2–8.4) |
| b′ | 7 | 8 ± 0.61 (6.2–9) | 7 ± 0.6 (6.1–8) |
| c | 93.5 | 99.8 ± 10 (85–122) | 30 ± 2.3 (25–33) |
| c′ | 0.42 | 0.44 ± 0.04 (0.36–0.6) | 1.6 ± 0.1 (1.4–1.8) |
| V | 724 | 823 ± 82 (697–1013) | |
| V(%) | 57 | 57 ± 1.06 (55–59.5) | |
| Max. body diam | 58 | 64 ± 4 (58–70) | 51.5 ± 4 (45–60) |
| Diameter at mid body | 56 | 60 ± 5 (50–66) | 50 ± 4 (43.5–58) |
| Lip annuli | 4–5 | 4–5 | 4 |
| Lip height | 8.3 | 7.5 ± 0.7 (6.7–9) | 8 ± 0.5 (7–8.3) |
| Lip diam. | 15.7 | 16.5 ± 1.1 (15–18) | 15 ± 0.6 (14.2–16.4) |
| Conus | 25.5 | 25 ± 1 (24–26) | 23.6 ± 0.6 (22.3–24.2) |
| Stylet length | 49 | 48 ± 1.6 (45.4–51) | 45.6 ± 1.3 (43–47.3) |
| Knob diam. | 7.7 | 8.6 ± 0.86 (6.8–10) | 7.5 ± 1 (6.7–9) |
| Knob height | 7 | 6.6 ± 0.8 (5–7.5) | 6 ± 0.2 (5.6–6.2) |
| Stylet knobs to end of pharyngeal gland | 131 | 147 ± 10 (130–163) | 137 ± 10 (126–154) |
| Pharynx & glands (anterior to pharyngeal gland tip) | 184 | 184 ± 17 (153–221) | 178 ± 17.7 (142–203) |
| Tail length | 13.6 | 14 ± 1.07 (11.3–16) | 41 ± 3.5 (45.6–46) |
| Anal body diam. | 32 | 32 ± 1.3 (30–36) | 26 ± 2 (22.5–29) |
| Excretory pore (from anterior end) | 93 | 113 ± 10 (93–125) | 104 ± 12 (94–121) |
| DGO | 6.3 | 7 ± 0.5 (5.9–8) | 6 ± 0.4 (5.6–6.6) |
| Spicule length | 52 ± 3.6 (46–58) | ||
| Gubernaculum | 22.6 ± 2 (21.5–27) | ||
| Annulus diam. | 2.5 | 2.7 ± 0.3 (2.1–3) | 2.5 ± 0.2 (2.2–3) |
Table 2:
Comparison of Hoplolaimus tuberosus n. sp. with seven Hoplolaimus species reported from Africa, focusing on some key female characteristics and the presence of males.
| Species | Body length (mm) | Longitudinal striae on basal lip annuli | Lip Annuli Number | Lateral incisures | Stylet length | Oesophageal gland nuclei | Excretory pore in relation to hemizonid | Phasmid in relation to Vulva | Tail annuli | Males | Spicule length |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hoplolaimus tuberos n. sp. | 1.2–1.8 | 10–12 | 4 (rarely 3or 5) | 1 (2–3 incomplete) | 45–51 | 6 | Anterior | One anterior and one posterior | 8–10 | Present | 46–58 |
| H. pararobustus | 0.95 –1.7 | 18–35 | 4–5 | 1 (2–3) | 38–49 | 3 | Anterior | One anterior and one posterior | 7–15 | Present | 40–57 |
| H. galeatus | 1.2–1.9 | 32–36 | 5 | 4 | 43–52 | 3 | Posterior | One anterior and one posterior | 10–16 | Present | 40–52 |
| H. seinhorsti | 1–1.6 | 8–12 | 4 | 1 | 40–49 | 6 | Anterior | One anterior and one posterior | 10–15 | Unknown | |
| H. aegypti | 1.3–1.9 | 13–22 | 4 | 1 | 45–50 | 5 (6th obscure) | Anterior | One anterior and one posterior | 17–27 | Present | 54–65 |
| H. columbus | 1.3–1.8 | 10–15 | 3 | 1 | 40–48 | 6 | Anterior | One anterior and one posterior | 16–22 | Rarely present | 36.6–52.5 |
| H. clarissimus | 1.4–1.8 | 18–31 | 4 (rarely 3or 5) | 4 | 46–52.5 | 6 | Posterior | One anterior and one posterior | 20–26 | Present | 58.5 (55.5–61.5) |
| H. indicus | 1.1–1.6 | 6–20 | 3–4 | 1 or (2–3 incomplete) | 33–47 | 6 | Anterior | One anterior and one posterior | 14 (8–22) | Present | 34–42 |
Figure 4:
BI phylogenetic tree generated from the analysis of D2–D3 of 28S rRNA (A) and COI of mt DNA (B) sequences using GTR + G + I nucleotide substitution model. Bayesian posterior probabilities are given next to each node and sequences of Hoplolaimus tuberosus n. sp. are in bold. Clade numbers are taken from Olajide et al. (2023).
Figure 5:
BI phylogenetic tree generated from the analysis of 18S-rRNA (A) and ITS-rRNA (B) sequences using GTR + G + I nucleotide substitution model. Bayesian posterior probabilities are given next to each node and sequences of Hoplolaimus tuberosus n. sp. are in bold. Clade numbers are taken from Olajide et al. (2023).