Tripylina safricana Shokoohi, Masoko & Rensburg, 2025, sp. nov.

Tripylina safricana sp. nov. Description (Figures 2–6; Table 1) Female (number of specimens studied = 10): Body C–shaped after heat relaxation. Cuticle 0.8–3.0 μm thick, smooth under the SEM photographs, fine annulus visible under SEM, 0.2–0.3 µm width; body pores absent but one somatic setae visible at posterior level under the SEM (Fig. 6A; arrows), about 4 µm posterior to anus level. Lip region dome–shaped, symmetric, conoid, continuous with body contour, 12–16 (14.3 ± 1.7) μm wide at the base of the outer labial setae; oral aperture surrounded by three lips; two conical inner labial papillae at the base of each lip, 0.9–1.2 µm long; outer labial setae 6–13 (9 ± 2.6) μm long or 44–93 (75 ± 23)% of lip region width at their base; cephalic setae conical, 2–4 (3.2 ± 1.0) μm long, 1.4 μm behind the outer labial setae. Amphid apertures small, oval (Figs 2B,C; 3D; arrows), posterior to dorsal tooth, 10–14 (12 ± 2.0) μm from the anterior end. One ventromedian cervical setae (Fig. 3B), at 78–92 μm posterior to the lip region. Dorsal wall of stoma not well cuticularized; dorsal tooth small, located at 10–13 μm (11.8 ± 1.5) from the anterior end and 2–3 μm anterior to the subventral teeth. Two subventral tooth visible in a chamber. Cardia the same width or 1–2 µm wider than pharynx, relatively small, 4–6 (4.8 ± 1.0) μm long and 16–21 (17.8 ± 2.2) μm wide, with two pericardiac cells. Nerve ring at 60–71 (64.8 ± 5.2) μm from the anterior end. Excretory pore indiscernible. Genital system monodelphic–prodelphic, 144–180 (158.7 ± 18.9) μm long or 19–26% of body length. Ovary reflexed, vagina lacking sclerotized pieces, and vulval lips sunken, not protruding. Tail curved ventrad, ending in a small spinneret, 2–3 µm long; latero–dorsal setae one pair (Fig. 6A), 4–5 µm posterior to anus level. Male: not found. Diagnosis: Tripylina safricana sp. nov., is characterized by its moderate body length (500–770 µm; a = 23.1– 26.6, b = 5.0–6.4, c = 17.3–24.1; c’ = 1.8–2.1, V = 57–69), and lacking pores; one cervical setae (Fig. 3B, arrow), 78–92 µm from anterior end; solid outer labial setae (6–13 µm); subventral denticles posterior to dorsal tooth; oval amphids (Fig. 3D, arrow); vagina lacking cuticularized pieces; and ventrally bent tail (25–44 µm) with spinneret. Relationships: According to Zhao (2009) and Cid del Prado–Vera et al. (2012; 2016), Tripylina species are divided based on the position of the dorsal tooth and subventral denticles in the stoma. Therefore, T. safricana sp. nov., similar with T. arenicola (De Man, 1880) Brzeski, 1963; T. iandrassyi Cid Del Prado –Vera, Ferris, & Nadler, 2016; T. ixayocensis Cid del Prado-Vera, Ferris, Nadler & Lamothe–Argumedo, 2012; T. puxianensis Xu, Zhao, Wang & Zheng, 2013; T. rorkabanarum Cid Del Prado-Vera, Ferris, & Nadler, 2016; T. ursulae (Argo & Heyns, 1973) Tsalolikhin, 1983; and T. zhejiangensis Pham, Wang, Zhao & Zheng, 2013. Tripylina safricana sp. nov., compared with T. arenicola (according to Cid Del Prado-Vera et al., 2010), differ in body length (500-770 vs 900-1500 µm), a (23.1-26.6 vs 19.7-37.3), c’ (1.8-2.1 vs 2.3-3.5), neck length (120-141 vs 163-287 µm), and tail length (25-44 vs 51-91 µm). It should be noted that body length for T. arenicola has been mentioned 810–1250 µm by Brzeski & Winiszewska-Ślipińska (1993), and Zhao (2009). In comparison with T. iandrassyi, they differ in body length (500–770 vs 940–1450 µm), a (23.1–26.6 vs 34.5–53), c (17.3–24.1 vs 24–45), V (57–69 vs 76–84), and neck length (120–141 vs 164–226 µm). The new species compared with T. ixayocensis, they differ in body length (500–770 vs 1100–1600 µm), a (23.1–26.6 vs 25–38), c’ (1.8–2.1 vs 1.8–3.5), neck length (120–141 vs 198–264 µm), and tail length (25–44 vs 42–94 µm). The new species, in comparison with T. puxianensis, differ in body length (500–770 vs 1048–1331 µm), a (23.1–26.6 vs 25.5–33.8), c’ (1.8–2.1 vs 2.1–3.5), neck length (120–141 vs 179–228 µm), and tail length (25–44 vs 53–85 µm). The new species, compared with T. rorkabanarum, differ in body length (500–770 vs 820–1220 µm), c (17.3– 24.1 vs 12.9–14.7), c’ (1.8–2.1 vs 1.9–3.4), neck length (120–141 vs 123–183 µm), and tail length (25–44 vs 51–99 µm). The new species, compared with T. ursulae, they differ in body length (500–770 vs 780–1170 µm), a (23.1–26.6 vs 22–36), neck length (120–141 vs 163–205 µm), and tail length (25–44 vs 43–57 µm). In addition, in the original description provided by Argo and Heyns (1973), the amphid aperture diameter indicated 3.0–4.2 µm, while in the T. safricana sp. nov., was 1.3–2 µm. Besides, the rectum in the new species was longer than T. ursulae. New species also had a less lip region width (12–16 vs 19.8–23.4 µm) compared with T. ursulae. The new species, compared with T. zhejiangensis, differ in body length (500–770 vs 11152–1631 µm), a (23.1– 26.6 vs 23.3–36.4), c’ (1.8–2.1 vs 2.6–3.6), neck length (120–141 vs 190–286 µm), and tail length (25–44 vs 73–103 µm). Discriminant analysis (DA): A comparative analysis of variation based on nine morphometric characters was conducted. The discriminant function analysis identified five groups (Figure 7A): 1) T. iandrassyi; 2) T. safricana sp. nov. and T. rorkabanarum; 3) T. ursulae, T. arenicola, and T. puxianensis; 4) T. zhejiangensis; and 5) T. ixayocensis. The first two functions explained 76.41% of the total variation in the data, which is sufficient for the analysis. The results of the discriminant analysis indicated that T. safricana sp. nov. and T. rorkabanarum were placed close to each other. However, they differ in morphometric characteristics, as explained in the Relationship section. The centroid plot of the discriminant analysis (Figure 7B) clearly separated the two mentioned. In addition, T. safricana sp. nov. was clearly distinguished from T. ursulae and T. zhejiangensis, which had been previously reported from South Africa (Figure 7A, B). Type locality and habitat: South Africa, Limpopo Province, Sovenga Hills (23°53'31.9"S; 29°44'32.3"E), in association with Weeping wattle (Peltophorum africanum) tree rhizosphere soil. *extracted from the original paper **the range was not indicated properly in the original paper ***the scale for tail drawing was not correct Type specimens: Female holotype on slide UL-EST2024-1, and paratypes females on slide UL-EST2024-2 were deposited in the Nematology collection of the Aquaculture Research Unit of the University of Limpopo. Etymology: The name of the species refers to the location where it was found, which is South Africa.