Molecular identification of a new species of Rhigonema (Nematoda: Rhigonematidae) and phylogenetic relationships within the infraorder Rhigonematomorpha

BACKGROUND: The infraorder Rhigonematomorpha comprises a group of obligate parasitic nematodes of millipedes (Arthropoda: Diplopoda). The current species identification of Rhigonematomorpha nematodes remains mainly based on morphological features, with molecular-based identification still in its infancy. Also, current knowledge of the phylogeny of Rhigonematomorpha is far from comprehensive. METHODS: The morphology of Rhigonematomorpha nematodes belonging to the genus Rhigonema, collected from the millipede Spirobolus bungii Brandt (Diplopoda: Spirobolida) in China, was studied in detail using light and scanning electron microscopy. Five different genetic markers, including the nuclear small ribosomal subunit (18S), internal transcribed spacer (ITS) and large ribosomal subunit (28S) regions and the mitochondrial cox1 and cox2 genes of these Rhigonematomorpha nematodes collected from China and Rhigonema naylae collected from Japan were sequenced and analyzed using Bayesian inference (BI) and Assemble Species by Automatic Partitioning (ASAP) methods. Phylogenetic analyses that included the most comprehensive taxa sampling of Rhigonematomorpha to date were also performed based on the 18S + 28S genes using maximum likelihood (ML) and BI methods. RESULTS: The specimens of Rhigonema collected from S. bungii in China were identified as a new species, Rhigonema sinense n. sp. Striking variability in tail morphology was observed among individuals of R. sinense n. sp. ASAP analyses based on the 28S, ITS, cox1 and cox2 sequences supported the species partition of R. sinense n. sp. and R. naylae, but showed no evidence that the different morphotypes of R. sinense n. sp. represent distinct genetic lineages. BI analyses also indicated that R. sinense n. sp. represents a separated species from R. naylae based on the cox1 and cox2 genes, but showed that R. naylae nested in samples of R. sinense n. sp. based on the ITS and 28S data. Phylogenetic results showed that the representatives of Rhigonematomorpha formed two large clades. The monophyly of the families Carnoyidae and Ichthyocephalidae and the genus Rhigonema was rejected. The representatives of the family Ransomnematidae clustered together with the family Hethidae with strong support. CONCLUSIONS: A new species of Rhigonematomorpha, R. sinense n. sp. is described based on morphological and molecular evidence. ASAP analyses using 28S, ITS, cox1 and cox2 data indicate the striking variability in tail morphology of R. sinense n. sp. as intraspecific variation, and also suggest that partial 28S, ITS, cox1 and cox2 markers are effective for molecular identification of Rhigonematomorpha nematodes. The phylogenetic results support the traditional classification of Rhigonematomorpha into the two superfamilies Rhigonematoidea and Ransomnematoidea, and indicate that the families Carnoyidae and Ichthyocephalidae and the genus Rhigonema are non-monophyletic. The present phylogeny strongly supports resurrection of the family Brumptaemiliidae, and also indicates that the family Ransomnematidae is sister to the family Hethidae. GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT: [Image: see text]