Trichostrongylina (Nematoda) from Malagasy Muridae. II - Description of two new species of Heligmonina (Heligmonellidae) in Nesomys rufus and Eliurus tanala

Abstract

Two new species of Heligmonellidae from Madagascar are described, Heligmonina madagascariensis n. sp. in Nesomys rufus and Heligmonina tanala n. sp. in Eliurus tanala. Both species belong to the Heligmonina species with a pattern of type 1-3-1 for the right lobe of the caudal bursa and 1-4 for the left lobe. In H. madagascariensis, H. dupuisi (Desset, 1964) and H. praomyos Baylis, 1928, left ray 6 arises before ray 3 from the common trunk to rays 3 to 6 while in H. tanala and the other species, it arises at the same level. H. madagascariensis is differentiated from H. dupuisi and H. praomyos by the symmetry of the branches of the dorsal ray. H. tanala is differentiated from H. malacomys Sakka & Durette-Desset, 1988, the closely related species by a different pattern of the cuticular ridges at mid-body, by the sharpness of the tips of the spicules and by the ratio of the length of the spicules on the length of the body (6.9, 8.8 % versus 25-27.8 %). Heligmonina chippauxi (Desset, 1964) a parasite of Oenomys hypoxanthus from the Republic of Central Africa is considered a valid species.

Keywords

• Heligmonina madagascariensis n. sp.
• Heligmonina tanala n. sp.
• Trichostrongylina
• Heligmonellidae
• Nippostrongylinae
• Nesomys rufus
• Eliurus tanala
• Muridae
• Madagascar