title: Description of Goffartia phalacra n. sp. (Diplogastridae: Nematoda) from India.
abstract: A new species, Goffartia phalacra n. sp. is described and illustrated. The body is thin and slender with L = 511 to 646 μm; a = 37.1 to 47.4; b = 4.8 to 6; c = 2.6 to 4.8; c' = 13.6 to 32.8; V = 40% to 49% in females. Males are smaller but similar to females and the posterior region is strongly curved. The species is characterized by a tubular stoma, a smooth round lip region, anterior pharynx much smaller than posterior pharynx, two pairs of unicellular glands associated with the vagina, and males with a broad keel-shaped gubernaculum. G. phalacra n. sp. can be differentiated from all other species of the genus by its lip region and the structure of the gubernaculum. This is the first instance of a species of Goffartia occurring in a terrestrial habitat and the first report of a species from India.
authors.affiliation: Department of Zoology, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh 202002, India.
authors.forename: Gaurav K
authors.initials: GK
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.affiliation: Department of Zoology, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh 202002, India.
authors.forename: Gazala
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Yousuf
authors.affiliation: Department of Zoology, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh 202002, India.
authors.forename: Puneet
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kumar
authors.affiliation: Department of Zoology, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh 202002, India.
authors.forename: Irfan
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Ahmad
keywords: Goffartia; description; ecology; gubernaculum; morphology; sensilla; species; spicules; stoma; taxonomy