ABSTRACT
Mesocriconema abolafiai n. sp. is described by morphological, morphometric, and molecular approaches. The new species is characterized by a body slightly curved with 402 to 612 µm length, 90 to 113 cuticular body annuli with smooth to irregular margins lacking of crenation with not more than one anastomoses, lip region not offset, small flattened submedian lobes, stylet robust (52.8-60.0 µm) with well-developed knobs, open vulva with simple anterior lip, straight vagina, filled spermatheca with globular sperms, presence of males, and conical-acute tail with last annulus bilobed or rounded. Discussions are made on the characterization of M. abolafiai n. sp. from the most closely related species, M. ozarkiense, and several other species having similar tail shape. Furthermore, results of phylogenetic analyses inferred from D2 to D3 expansion fragments of 28S rRNA, 18S rRNA, and ITS rRNA gene sequences revealed the phylogenetic position of the new species within representatives of Criconematidae and supported morphological justifications for considering this population from Iran as a new species in the genus Mesocriconema.Mesocriconema abolafiai n. sp. is described by morphological, morphometric, and molecular approaches. The new species is characterized by a body slightly curved with 402 to 612 µm length, 90 to 113 cuticular body annuli with smooth to irregular margins lacking of crenation with not more than one anastomoses, lip region not offset, small flattened submedian lobes, stylet robust (52.8-60.0 µm) with well-developed knobs, open vulva with simple anterior lip, straight vagina, filled spermatheca with globular sperms, presence of males, and conical-acute tail with last annulus bilobed or rounded. Discussions are made on the characterization of M. abolafiai n. sp. from the most closely related species, M. ozarkiense, and several other species having similar tail shape. Furthermore, results of phylogenetic analyses inferred from D2 to D3 expansion fragments of 28S rRNA, 18S rRNA, and ITS rRNA gene sequences revealed the phylogenetic position of the new species within representatives of Criconematidae and supported morphological justifications for considering this population from Iran as a new species in the genus Mesocriconema.
ABSTRACT
Ditylenchus sturhani sp. n. from the rhizosphere of grasses in East Azarbaijan province, Northwestern Iran, is described and illustrated. The new species is characterised by a straight to slightly arcuate body 656-865 µm in length, presence of four incisures in each lateral field, slender stylet 10-12 µm in length, pharyngeal basal bulb offset or slightly overlapping the intestine, post-uterine sac 1.0-1.9 vulval body diameter long and conical tail with finely rounded terminus. Differences with closely related species including D. solani, D. ausafi, D. angustus, D. dipsaci, D. drepanocercus, D. obesus and D. gallaeformans are discussed. In addition, Iranian populations of two known species, D. valveus and D. virtudesae, are morphologically characterised.
Subject(s)
Tylenchoidea/anatomy & histology , Tylenchoidea/classification , Animal Distribution , Animal Structures/anatomy & histology , Animal Structures/growth & development , Animals , Body Size , Female , Iran , Male , Organ Size , Soil/parasitology , Tylenchoidea/growth & developmentABSTRACT
A new and four known species of the genus Diphtherophora-D. geraerti sp. n., D. caudata, D. obesa, D. perplexans and D. tenera-were collected and identified from different plants and localities in Iran. Morphological and morphometric characters of Diphtherophora geraerti sp. n. are compared with those of closely-related species, including D. siddiqii, D. brevicollis, D. lata, D. obesa, D. citri, D. vasilevi and D. vitoshae. Females of the new species have a head continuous with the body contour, spear 11-14 µm in length, rod-shaped spermatozoa and conical tail with bluntly rounded to hemispherical terminus. Males have two ventromedian neck papillae located 22-25 and 52-60 µm from the anterior end, and two ventromedian supplements at 11-13 and 75-80 µm anterior from cloacal aperture, respectively. All Diphtherophora species recovered as part of the present study are new records for the Iranian nematode fauna. Finally, a diagnostic compendium is given, to assist with species identification in the genus.
