Crustorhabditis chitwoodi sp. nov. (Nematoda: Rhabditidae): An intertidal species from the coast of New South Wales, Australia, with observations on its ecology and life history

Abstract

A new species, Crustorhabditis chitwoodi, was discovered in nutrient agar plates inoculated with beach sand collected from an ocean beach in New South Wales, Australia. The three other known species of the genus have all been found as commensal inhabitants of ocypodid shore crabs. It is suggested that the sand inoculum was seeded with dauer larvae of the nematode that had been dispersed by scavenging crabs. The new species is distinguished from the three previously described species by possessing a smaller number of differently arranged bursal papillae, eight rather than 10. The species is amphimictic, oviparous, and produces abundant dauer larvae in culture, which can be sustained indefinitely on sea water nutrient agar in which it feeds on associated bacteria.

Keywords:

• Crustorhabditis
• Brachyura
• intertidal beach
• marine
• nematode