A new species of Aspiculuris Schulz, 1924 (Nematoda, Heteroxynematidae) from the gray-sided vole, Clethrionomys rufocanus (Rodentia, Cricetidae), from Tianjin, China

Abstract

Aspiculuris tianjinensis sp. nov. recovered from the intestine of Clethrionomys rufocanus from Tianjin, China is described and illustrated using light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. The new species differs from congeners in the shape of the cervical alae, and the number and arrangement of caudal papillae.

Bank voles (Myodes glareolus) and house mice (Mus musculus musculus; M. m. domesticus) in Europe are each parasitized by their own distinct species ofAspiculuris(Nematoda, Oxyurida)

“…Furthermore, it may be difficult to see the median papillae and to decide whether these are single or double as described by Hugot (1980). Our specimens from bank voles also had 12 papillae, with the two median papillae not doubled, matching exactly the description given by Liu et al (2012). As redescribed by Hugot (1980), A. tetraptera has 5 pairs of single papillae and 2 double papillae and we were able to confirm this with our specimens.…”

“…have been described from voles; two, A. dinniki, from the snow vole C. nivalis (see Schulz, 1927), and A. tianjinensis, recently reported as parasitizing M. rufocanus in China (Liu et al 2012), and recorded here as widespread in M. glareolus in Central Europe, are fairly well documented. However, it does appear that A. tianjinensis and A. dinniki are more closely related, and that these are part of a wider radiation of Aspiculuris within the recently evolved Arvicolinae.…”

“…In particular, not all caudal papillae are readily detectable when the ventral caudal area has become curled or creased during fixation. A. tianjinensis has 12 papillae, made up of 5 pairs and 2 single median papillae which do not appear to be double (Liu et al 2012). Consequently we believe that some authors have miscounted the number of caudal papillae for these species.…”

“…tianjinensis Liu et al (2012) A. tianjinensis Liu et al (2012) A. tetraptera Hugot (1980) A. tetraptera Hugot (1980) A. tetraptera Current study from the bank vole, M. glareolus, are distinct from both A. dinniki from the snow vole, C. nivalis, and from A. tetraptera from the house mouse. tianjinensis Liu et al (2012) A. tianjinensis Liu et al (2012) A. tetraptera Hugot (1980) A. tetraptera Hugot (1980) A. tetraptera Current study from the bank vole, M. glareolus, are distinct from both A. dinniki from the snow vole, C. nivalis, and from A. tetraptera from the house mouse.…”

“…These are larger and more robust in A. tianjinensis than A. tetraptera. The males of both species have 12 caudal papillae, 5 pairs and 2 median; however, the median papillae are double in A. tetraptera and single in A. tianjinensis, the post-cloacal papilla being relatively larger in A. tetraptera (see Hugot, 1980;Liu et al 2012). The cervical alae of A. tianjinensis appear to begin more posteriorly to the cephalic cap than those of A. tetraptera although this small difference may be due to the specimens examined having not been processed using identical protocols.…”