Abstract

Three different types of insect parasitic nematodes namely - Leidynema, Thelastoma and Hammerschmidtiella, were collected from hind gut of host Periplaneta americana. The new species - Leidynema meerutensis sp. nov., is characterized with its females having a typical corpus broader at posterior and an enlarged blind intestinal diverticulum, females with unequally disposed lateral alae with posteriorly directed terminal spine, much enlarged excretory sac/bulb and a short attenuated tail. The male Leidynema meerutensis sp. nov. have four pairs of caudal papillae and a truncated tail with a short spine projection.

Key words: New species - Leidynema meerutensis, Thelastomatidae, Periplaneta americana, unequal lateral alae, Blind Gut diverticulum, four pairs of caudal papillae in males, truncated tail, Meerut region -India.