A new species of Hastospiculum Skrjabin (Spirurida: Diplotriaenidae) parasite of Xenodon merremii (Walger in Spix) (Serpentes: Dipsadidae) from Northeastern Brazil Author Ferreira-Silva, Cristiana 0000-0002-3087-2614 Author Alcantara, Edna P. 0000-0003-3641-8321 https: // orcid. org / 0000 - 0002 - 7814 - 531 X Author Ávila, Robson W. 0000-0002-7814-531X Author Silva, Reinaldo J. 0000-0002-3426-6873 https: // orcid. org / 0000 - 0002 - 3426 - 6873 text Zootaxa 2020 2020-11-13 4878 2 362 374 journal article 8044 10.11646/zootaxa.4878.2.9 6383736e-fbf6-4f36-857b-445076991b8b 1175-5326 4562566 3385A518-3988-4F4A-9F39-9E569FB32F33 Genus Hastospiculum Skrjabin Type species: H. varani Skrjabin. Diagnosis. Large nematodes with specific ornamentation of the cephalic end. Two markedly protruding, chitinized tooth-like formations with a wide base present on the sides of the oval mouth. Mouth surrounded by a cuticular rim often forming epaulette-like formations. One pair of lateral amphids and four or eight submedian papillae. Esophagus cylindrical, divided in a shorter, anterior, muscular portion, and a longer, wide, glandular posterior portion. Caudal end of male with large wings connected or not behind the tail end. Wings supported by pedunculate papillae. Spicules of markedly different lengths. Vulva situated in region of esophagus. Oviparous. Eggs with thick shell, containing developed larvae at deposition. Parasites of reptiles ( Chitwood 1932 ; Sonin 1975 ).