Hemicaloosia vagisclera n. sp (Nematoda: Caloosiidae) from Bermuda grass in Florida and its phylogenetic relationships with other criconematids

Hemicaloosia vagisclera n. sp. is described from Bermuda grass (Cynodon dactylon) in Florida. This new species is characterised by females with body slightly ventrally arcuate in death, face with a prominent elliptical oral disc, large amphids, slender stylet with mean length 64 mu m, lateral field consisting of a single longitudinal line marked by continuous and discontinuous transverse striae, oval and full spermatheca, sclerotised vagina vera and tail annuli width greater than that of remaining body annuli. Diagnostic characters for the males are a C-shaped. body, head with 4-5 faint lip annuli and pronounced oval oral disc, lateral field with two longitudinal lines intersected by transverse striae, tail digitate in the distal portion posterior to bursa, distinctly annulated and with a round terminus. Molecular characterisation of H. vagisclera n. sp. using the D2-D3 domain of 28S rRNA, partial 18S rRNA and ITS rRNA gene sequences is also provided. The phylogenetic relationships of this species with other representatives of the suborder Criconematina are presented and indicate that H. vagisclera n. sp. has sister relationships with Caloosia longicaudata supporting the classification of Caloosia together with Hemicaloosia as separate genera in the family Caloosiidae. A diagnostic PCR-ITS-RFLP profile for H. vagisclera n. sp. is also given together with an identification key for seven known species of Hemicaloosia.