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Summary: During a survey of soil nematodes in 2022, a free-living bacterivorous nematode, described here as Mesorhabditis sudafricana n. sp., was discovered in association with kikuyu grass in Limpopo Province, South Africa. The new species was distinguished by a relatively long body (716-815 μ m in females and 605-689 μ m in males), long spicules (61-66 μ m), and gubernaculum (22-24 μ m) and a short tail (15-20 μ m in females and 18-21 μ m in males). The vulva is positioned posteriad (93-95% of body length), and the distance from vulva to anus is long (1.5-1.9 times tail length). Additionally, the new species bears seven lateral field incisures and a peloderan bursa with the genital papillae in arrangement 2/3+ph+1+3, being two precloacal and eight postcloacal. The 28S rDNA BlastN showed 94% similarity with an unidentified Mesorhabditis (deposited as Bursilla (EF990722). By contrast, the ITS rDNA BlastN showed 82% similarity with Mesorhabditis paucipapillata (MT710243). The phylogenetic analysis of 28S and ITS rDNA placed the new species separately from the other Mesorhabditis. Description, measurements, illustrations and SEM micrographs for M. sudafricana n. sp. are provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article talks about the morphology of Meloidogyne kikuyensis, a parasite of kikuyu grass, which is characterized by atypical cytogenetics, and discusses offset gall on plant roots caused by Meloidogyne (M.) kikuyensis. Topics discussed include gall morphology of M. kikuyensis, giant cells caused by Meloidogyne by inducing repeated cell mitosis without cytokinesis, and secretory products of M. kikuyensis that causes cell wall dissolution.