Free-living nematodes from Albania, including the description of three new species

Abstract

Very little was known about the free-living nematode fauna of Albania but, thanks to collections made by the Hungarian Natural History Museum, 58 nematode species have now been identified in the country. Among them, three species proved to be new to science. Eudorylaimus illyricus sp. n. is a relatively small representative of the genus with slightly offset head, short odontostyle, longitudinally directed and hardly sclerotized vulva, moderate number of male supplements, and with a short tail, curved at the tip. Eudorylaimus par sp. n. is characterized by the shape and size of the body, thin cuticle, strongly offset head, length of the odontostyle, the number of supplements, and by the shape and structure of the tail. Aporcelaimellus crassus sp. n. is characterized by the long and plump body, strongly offset head, short odontostyle and especially by the shape of the tail. The relationships of the new species are discussed. Apart from them, some rare species are also presented: Prionchulus oxycercus, Eudorylaimus maritus, Enchodelus groenlandicus, Heterodorus brevidentatus and Pungentus clavatus.