Studies on Mononchida of India. II. The genera Mononchus, Clarkus N. gen. and Prionchulus (family Mononchidae chitwood, 1937)

Abstract

This second paper of the series on mononchs of India concerns the family Mononchidae Chitwood, 1937. The genus Mononchus Bastian, 1865 has been split into two genera, Mononchus (type species M. truncatus Bastian, 1865) and Clarkus n. gen. (type species C. papillatus (Bastian, 1865) n. comb.). Clarkus is close to Prionchulus and differs in the absence of a denticulate ventral ridge in the buccal cavity. Mononchus aquaticus Coetzee, 1968; Clurkus papillatus (Bastian, 1865) n. comb.; C. parvus (de Man, 1880) n. comb.; and Prionchulus muscorum are reported from India. Mononchus monhystera Cobb, 1917 is recorded from three localities in India and transferred to the genus Iotonchus because of the shape of the buccal capsule and the presence of a tuberculate valve at the esophago-intestinal junction.