Description of Deleyia gen.n. with a discussion of its phylogenetic relationships to the genera Duabaylia Chitwood & Chitwood, 1934 and Myolaimus Cobb, 1920 (Nematoda: Rhabditida)

The new genus Deleyia gen. n., including two new species, D. poinari gen. n., sp. n. and D. aspiculata gen. n., sp. n., is described from terrestrial material (rotting wood and moss) in Ukraine. The new genus is inter alia characterised by the outer cuticular layer being defoliated along most of the body, except for labial region and tail posterior to phasmid, forming a cuticular sheath around the body and a vulval cuticular sac in females, and reduced stoma and basal bulb. Deleyia poinari gen. n., sp. n. is separated from D. aspiculata gen. n., sp. n. by a shorter body (L = 600-831 vs 756-945 ¿m), a shorter PUS (7-18 vs 44-69 ¿m), longer tail in both females and males (40-50 vs 32-38 ¿m and 37-48 vs 35 ¿m, respectively), and presence vs absence of spicules and gubernaculum. The phylogenetic position of Deleyia gen. n. and its relationships to the genera Daubaylia and Myolaimus are discussed.