Protopoikilolaimus formosanus n. gen., n. sp. (Rhabditidae) isolated from Stylotermes halumicus from Taiwan

Summary An undescribed rhabditid species was isolated from the termite Stylotermes halumicus collected in Taiwan. The nematode was cultured using nematode growth medium seeded with Escherichia coli , and the cultured material was examined morphologically and molecularly. The nematode shares several typological characters with some Poikilolaimus spp.: namely, presence of stomatal flaps, posteriorly shifted amphid, hexagonal basal bulb, antidromously reflexed ovaries, pore-like female vulva, and lack of bursa or bursal flap. However, the species is distinguished from Poikilolaimus by its very short vs moderately-long pharyngeal sleeve, presence vs absence of deirid and post-deirid, filiform vs conical tail of both sexes, nine vs less than eight pairs of male genital papillae, and wide vs narrow lateral field. Phylogenetically, the species is located at a basal or a sister position to the clade represented by Poikilolaimus but is clearly separated from the genus by genetic distance. Therefore, the species is described herein as Protopoikilolaimus formosanus n. gen., n. sp.