Laishram Shanjoy* & R.K. Gambhir
Life Sciences Department, Manipur University, Imphal, Manipur, India
Received : 13th November, 2022 ; Revised : 14th December, 2022
Abstract– During a taxonomic study of parasitic insect nematode, five mature medium-sized gravid female nematodes were recovered from the intestine of a host insect Gryllotalpa africana which was found inhabited on the floating phumdi (a thick mass of floating vegetation) of Loktak Lake (24° 32′ 24” N and 93° 47′ 37” E), Manipur, India. On microscopic examination the specimen exhibited many features which were not encountered in other species of the family. The present specimen possesses only two annules at the cephalic end unlike other species. Body is covered with thick, transparent and smooth cuticle. Oesophagus long consisting three parts-corpus, isthmus and rounded valvular bulb. Numerous oval eggs are present in the body. Tail conoidal with short caudal appendage. Basing on these unique characteristics, the present specimen is proposed as a new genus of the family Thelatomatidae Travassos, 1929.
Key words: Insect, Gryllotalpa sp., Nematode, Gryllotum n.gen., Loktak, Manipur
