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Summary: Rotylenchus bunae n. sp. was discovered in the coffee rhizosphere in Gera district of Jimma, Ethiopia, and has been morphologically and molecularly characterised. The new species is identified by a female body length of 725-876 μ m, hemispherical lip region with 4-5 lip annuli, stylet length of 28-30 μ m, lateral field areolation only in the pharyngeal region, no cuticular striations, pharyngeal gland overlapping intestine dorsally by 15-26 μ m, double epiptygma, no clear spermathecae, vulva position at 54-58% of body length from anterior end, prominent fasciculi in mid and posterior body, rounded or sometimes slightly truncated, coarsely crenated tail with 11-13 annuli, and phasmids located at 7-16 annuli anterior to anus. No males were detected. This species was found closely related to other African Rotylenchus species, such as R. unisexus and R. wimbii ; however, it could be well separated from them by both morphology and molecular data (D2-D3 of 28S and partial 18S of rDNA). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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]

Summary: A new species of the genus Talanema , T. maculatum sp. n., collected in a natural enclave of Iran, is characterised on the basis of morphological and molecular data. It is distinguishable by its 1.82-2.20 mm long body, lip region offset by constriction and 20-23 μ m wide with perioral liplets, odontostyle 21.5-28 μ m long, guiding ring double, neck 394-525 μ m long, pharyngeal expansion occupying 44-49% of the total neck length, uterus tripartite and 308-441 μ m long or 5.1-6.8 body diam., vulva transverse (V = 54-58), presence of abundant cuticle irregularities at the perivulval area, tail similar in both sexes, conical with a dorsal concavity (31-45 μ m, c = 46-71, c′ = 0.9-1.1), spicules 70-75 μ m long, and 14-18 shortly spaced ventromedian supplements ending at level of the anterior end of spicules, with hiatus. Molecular analysis of 28S-rDNA gene confirms the monophyly of Talanema and the difficulties in elucidating its external evolutionary relationships. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: A new species of the genus Talanema , T. ibericum sp. n., collected in natural areas of southeastern Iberian Peninsula, is characterised, including morphological description, line, LM and SEM illustrations, and molecular (18S, D2-D3 28S rDNA sequences) study. The new species is distinguished by its 1.27-1.59 mm long body, lip region offset by constriction and 14-16.5 μ m wide with perioral liplets, odontostyle 16.5-19.5 μ m long, neck 285-359 μ m long, pharyngeal expansion occupying 42-48% of the total neck length, uterus tripartite and 147-228 μ m long or 2.6-4.0 body diam., vulva transverse (V = 53-59), presence of cuticular irregularities at both sides of vulva, female tail conical with a dorsal concavity (27-40 μ m, c = 36-54, c′ = 1.0-1.3), male tail short and rounded conoid (24 μ m, c = 66, c′ = 0.8), spicules 58 μ m long, and 17 almost contiguous ventromedian supplements with hiatus. Morphological and molecular data reveal that the new species is similar to (but easily separable from) T. baqrii , with which it is compared. Present results support the monophyly of the genus Talanema. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: A new species of Xiphinema americanum group was recovered in the rhizosphere of holly (Ilex purpurea) imported from Japan. It is described and illustrated in the present study as X. purpureum n. sp. The new species is characterised by moderately long females 2267 (2115-2550) μ m, round lip region slightly offset from the rest of the body, 103.5 (98.5-109.0) μ m long odontostyle, genital branches without discernible endosymbiotic bacteria, vulva located at 54.1 (51.6-57.1)% of the body, tail 30 (24.3-33.4) μ m long with a broadly rounded terminus, male absent and four juvenile developmental stages. The polytomous codes of the new species are as follows: A4/5, B2/3, C1/2, D2/3, E3, F1, G1, H2, I1/2/3. The new species was molecularly characterised using near full length 18S, ITS1, and 28S D2-D3 regions of rRNA, and mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I gene sequences. The phylogenetic analyses placed X. purpureum n. sp. with X. americanum group species, particularly with X. brevicolle complex species. This is the third X. americanum group species described from Japan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Criconemoides neoinformis n. sp., a cryptic species of C. informis group, and C. persicus n. sp. were recovered from the rhizosphere of pear and grass, in Zanjan and West Azerbaijan provinces, northwestern Iran, respectively. Criconemoides neoinformis n. sp. is characterised by 522-585 μ m long females, having four separated pseudolips, anteriorly flattened lip region comprised of two annuli, 57-63 retrorse body annuli with smooth to slightly crenate margins, without anastomoses, 86.9-90.4 μ m long stylet, having 6-10 annuli from vulva to posterior end and tail conical rounded with two, three or multilobed terminus and presence of males. Criconemoides persicus n. sp. could be characterised by flatly rounded lip region, having fused rectangular pseudolips, 515-615 μ m body length, stylet 60-65 μ m, body annuli 120-132 with smooth to slightly crenate margins, without anastomoses, 9-12 annuli from vulva to posterior end and tail conical rounded with two trilobed terminus. In inferred phylogenies, these two new species clustered with known Criconemoides species in 18S, 28S, ITS and COI trees. These species are clearly separated molecularly by all the studied markers. The use of molecular markers, mainly D2-D3 expansion segments of 28S rRNA, ITS region and COI , are very promising in the case of cryptic species found in this group of nematodes. We provided molecular markers (two sequences per marker) for these new species with morphological/morphometrical data using an integrative taxonomy approach for the unequivocal identification of these species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: During a survey, three populations of a new stem nematode were isolated from galls on the shoots of tumble thistle (Gundelia tournefortii) plants in Fars province, Iran, and identified. Ditylenchus paraoncogenus n. sp. is described based on morphometric and morphological characters. It is characterised by having long-sized females, 1252 (943-1628) μ m long, narrow lateral fields with six incisures, rather developed stylet 9.9 (9.0-11.3) μ m long with round knobs, usually elongate and offset from intestine basal pharyngeal bulb, oocytes in two rows in distal part of ovary, V = 83.3 (80.3-86.2), post-vulval uterine sac 68.1 (46.9-86.1)% of vulva to anus distance long, bursa covering 63.2 (33.3-74.4)% of tail length, spicules 24.7 (21.0-27.9) μ m long with minute processes at the base of its manubrium and anteriorly pointed cuticle parts within the lamina, and thick conical tail, usually with a pointed terminus. In addition, the ITS and 18S rDNA sequences of 17 populations of D. destructor , D. dipsaci , D. medicaginis , D. myceliophagus , D. paraoncogenus n. sp., Ditylenchus sp. and Nothotylenchus geraerti plus one population of Anguinidae sp. were analysed. The results showed a close relationship between D. paraoncogenus n. sp. and the stem nematodes D. oncogenus , D. gigas , D. weischeri and D. dipsaci. Ditylenchus species were divided into two clades, one clade comprising stem nematodes and gall-forming nematodes of the family Anguinidae, and the other clade containing fungivorous species. Observations showed that the second-stage juvenile is the dormant stage of D. paraoncogenus n. sp. and can survive in anhydrobiotic condition for at least 4 years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: One new species of the genus Crustorhabditis , C. dunicola n. sp., found in sand coastal dunes from Spain, is described. The new species is characterised by having body 0.60-0.88 mm long, lips separated and more acute toward oral opening, labial sensilla seta-like and cephalic sensilla papilliform, amphid openings oval, stoma tubular with glottoid apparatus bearing two long acute teeth per glottis, pharynx with metacorpus swollen, nerve ring surrounding the isthmus, excretory pore at level of the basal bulb, female reproductive system monodelphic-prodelphic with post-vulval uterine sac absent, vulva very posterior, rectum 1.2-1.9 times anal body width long, female tail elongate with short conoid proximal part and almost filiform distal part with thinner hyaline terminus, female phasmids located at level of the anus, bursa peloderan with velum anteriorly open and ten pairs of bursal papillae (GP1-GP2/GP3-GP6+ph+GP7-GP9), spicules 34-43 μ m long and fused at two-thirds of their length, and gubernaculum 19-31 μ m long. The genus Crustorhabditis is recorded for the first time from the Iberian Peninsula, with the first SEM study of a representative of the genus. Finally, keys to species identification of this genus are also included. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: This contribution deals with the record and description of one new species and record of one known species of the genus Laimaphelenchus from Shanxi province, north China. The type population of L. piceae sp. n. is characterised by having females 642-807 μ m long, the cephalic region with six labial sectors divided by ribs, stylet 12-14 μ m long, lateral field with four incisures, postvulval uterine sac (PUS) 114-161 μ m long, vulva with a well-developed anterior flap, tail with a single stalk at tip, bearing four pedunculate tubercles, each tubercle including 5-7 finger-like protrusions; males spicules 18-24 μ m long and three pairs of caudal papillae present. The new species looks closely similar to L. persicus , representing its cryptic species, being separated by differences in some morphological indices and partial large subunit (LSU) rDNA sequences. Its morphological differences from other relevant species were discussed. L. sinensis was also recorded from Shanxi province for the first time. The phylogenetic relationships of the recovered populations were reconstructed using sequences of the near full length small subunit (SSU) and D2-D3 segments of LSU rDNA, and the relationships of both species were discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: A new Devibursaphelenchus species isolated from the bark of a dead Quercus aliena , which had been infected and killed by Japanese oak wilt, was collected in Shiga, Japan. The new species is characterised by the relatively large body in males (661-768 μ m) and females (893-1071 μ m), conspicuous male bursal flap, male spicule with long condylus and wide blade, female post-vulval uterine sac (PUS) 39-54 μ m or 1.6-2.3 times the vulval body diam. long, vestigial female anus, and female tail forming a strongly ventrally recurved elongate conoid with bluntly pointed or narrowly rounded terminus. The new species is typologically similar to D. lini , sharing a large body, conspicuous bursal flap, long PUS, and spicule shape, but can be distinguished from it by the absence of variation in the female tail shape, i.e. , the tail of the new species is always long and strongly ventrally curved, while the tail shape varies more in D. lini. A previous molecular phylogenetic analysis suggested that the new species is fairly close to D. lini , but can be distinguished from it by the 1.0% (16 bp) difference within 1.6 kb of the 18S and 3.7% (26 bps) difference within 0.7 kb of the D2-D3 LSU ribosomal RNA genes. The newly found nematode is described and illustrated herein as D. alienae n. sp. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The only previously published nematode parasites of dolichopodids are extant records of putative mermithid nematodes in Finland (Kahanpää, 2008) and Norway (Hedström, 1976). Very little is known about the nematode parasites of dolichopodids, although putative mermithid nematodes have been reported from these hosts in Scandinavia (Hedström, 1976; Kahanpää, 2008). Keywords: Eocene; fossil nematode; Gheynia; new species; Russian Federation; taxonomy EN Eocene fossil nematode Gheynia new species Russian Federation taxonomy 1211 1214 4 11/23/21 20211001 NES 211001 Tylenchid nematode parasites of insects are widespread, especially in members of the Coleoptera and Diptera (Wachek, 1955; Siddiqi, 2000; Poinar, 2011). [Extracted from the article]

Summary: A new species belonging to the genus Aporcella , collected in cultivated soils of East Azarbaijan province, Iran, is described and illustrated. The new species is characterised by its 1.08 (1.05-1.15) mm long body, two-layered cuticle, lip region offset by constriction and 12 (11-13) μ m broad, odontostyle 13.0 (12.5-14.0) μ m long or nearly equal to lip region diam., neck 310 (293-325) μ m long, pharyngeal expansion 137 (128-144) μ m long, occupying 43-45% of the total neck length, female genital system didelphic-amphidelphic, uterus simple, 34-48 μ m long, vulva transverse (V = 59 (58-61)), tail conical with finely rounded terminus (30 (29-33) μ m long, c = 34 (33-36), c′ = 1.5 (1.4-1.6)), and male absent. Molecular analyses, using Bayesian inference based on partial LSU sequences, confirm the monophyly of Aporcella as well as its clustering with other dorylaimid taxa characterised by the absence of pars refringens vaginae. The taxonomy of the genus is updated, with an emended diagnosis, list of species, key to their identification, and a compendium of the main morphometrics of species/populations described since the last available revision. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Severianoia pachyiuli n. sp. is described from the hind gut of Pachyiulus krivolutskyi (Diplopoda: Julidae) from the Republic of Adygea, Russian Federation. Females of the new species can be distinguished from those of S. magna by a smaller body and egg size; S. glomericola by smaller eggs and S. dubia by the organisation of the genital tract. Females of S. pachyiuli n. sp. are morphologically close to females of S. severianoi , but in described species males have significantly smaller body and spicule size. Severianoia pachyiuli n. sp. mostly resembles S. glomeridis by the general morphology in both sexes but differs in the position of the vulva, which is in a more posterior position to mid-body level in the described species. The description is supplemented with SEM and/or light microscope images of adults, juveniles and mature eggs. The phylogeny of the species is inferred from 18S and 28S rDNA. The taxonomic position of other representatives of Severianoia is discussed and Cephalobellus tipulae linstowi is regarded as a junior synonym of S. glomeridis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: During surveys for stubby root nematodes in the natural vegetation of California, Oregon and Washington, USA, three known species, viz., Trichodorus californicus , T. intermedius and T. obscurus were recovered together with ten unidentified Trichodorus species. The three known and one new species were studied using an integrated approach. Trichodorus pseudoaequalis n. sp. is characterised by a medium-sized body about 800 μ m long on average, male with two ventromedian cervical papillae anterior to secretory-excretory pore and three precloacal supplements all located anterior to the retracted spicules; spicules 39 μ m long (average), slightly ventrally curved, more so in head region and blade with slight indentation mid-way and striation more pronounced in posterior half. Females possess a rather short (average 33% of corresponding body diam.) pear-shaped vagina with small vaginal sclerotised pieces (ca 1.5 μ m long), rounded triangular in shape, obliquely orientated and close together; one pair of sublateral body pores anterior (about four vulval body diam.) to vulva and one pair of post-advulvar sublateral body pores. Trichodorus pseudoaequalis n. sp. differs from the most similar species, T. aequalis , in male characters like general spicule shape and ornamentation and in the position of the dorsal pharyngeal gland nucleus in both sexes (at same level of posterior ventrosublateral pair vs clearly separated). The phylogenetic relationships of the recovered species were reconstructed using the ITS2 rRNA and the D2-D3 expansion segments of 28S rRNA gene sequences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Members of the family Leptolaimidae are reported for the first time from Iran with description of two new species of Leptolaimus from the Persian Gulf in the south of the country. Leptolaimus hormozganensis sp. n. is described based upon three populations. It differs from other Leptolaimus species in the position of the pharyngeal supplement and the number of precloacal tubular supplements and has a single sickle-shaped tubular pharyngeal supplement at mid-pharynx level in both sexes, 9-12 male precloacal supplements and one female preanal supplement. Leptolaimus dimorphus sp. n. is characterised by the presence of a pharyngeal tubular supplement only in some adults, one female preanal supplement and four male precloacal supplements. It differs from other species in that the pharyngeal supplement is only present in some specimens, presence of four male precloacal supplements, tail 50-59 μ m long and ventrosublateral position of vulva on either the right or left side of the body. Near full length SSU rDNA sequences are provided for L. hormozganensis sp. n. and two different males (one with, and one without, a pharyngeal supplement) of L. dimorphus sp. n. COI sequences for three populations of L. hormozganensis sp. n. from different regions of the Persian Gulf are also obtained. New sequences of two Leptolaimus species formed a clade with other sequenced Leptolaimus spp. and representatives of two genera of Leptolaimidae, i.e. , Aphanolaimus and Paraplectonema in a phylogeny based on SSU rDNA gene with 1.00/81 Bayesian posterior probability/maximum likelihood bootstrap (BPP/BS) values. Molecular phylogeny confirmed the synonymy of Leptolaimus and Halaphanolaimus that was formerly proposed based only on morphology. Based on SSU sequences and morphological characters, the presence of a pharyngeal supplement may not be a species-specific character and should not be used to differentiate genera. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Two new and one known species of Atetylenchus recovered from Dezful, Khuzestan Province, south-western Iran, are illustrated and described using morphological, morphometric and molecular data. Atetylenchus dezfuliensis n. sp. is characterised by medium-sized body 700-998 μ m long, stylet 10.0-11.5 μ m long, characteristic tail shape, first tapering regularly but then cylindrical to slightly clavate and 90-136 μ m long, phasmids located at one-third anterior part of tail and short spicules 18.7 μ m long. Atetylenchus longilabiatus n. sp. is characterised by small-sized body 593-720 μ m long, prominent lip region, stylet 9.5-12.5 μ m long, conical tail with hook-shaped terminus and 42-63 μ m long, phasmids located near mid-tail and short spicules 17.5 μ m long. Atetylenchus cf. graminus is characterised by small-sized body 643-787 μ m long, stylet 10.7-11.7 μ m long, vulva located at 51.7-55.1% of the body length, and conical tail with finely rounded end and 63-69 μ m long. Molecular data are provided for the characterisation of this genus from these two new and one known species using ribosomal genes (18S and 28S rRNA). This genus is molecularly separated from Psilenchus , but closely related in both genes. These molecular markers showed different phylogenies for both genera; partial 18S showed their relationship with Tylenchidae, while 28S rRNA showed their relationship with Merliniidae. A key to the genus is provided for species identification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: An undescribed species from the rhizosphere of tamarisk, Tamarix passerinoides , Telotylenchus tamariscus n. sp., is illustrated and described based on morphological, morphometric and molecular approaches. The new species is characterised by female characters including body size of ca 1 mm, areolated lateral fields, cephalic region rounded, distinctly set off from the body contour, stylet 19.5 (18.5-20.5) μ m long with posteriorly directed basal knobs, pharyngeal glands overlapping intestine dorso-laterally, subcylindrical tail bearing 32 (25-37) cuticular annuli and ending in an annulated terminus, and male spicules and gubernaculum 27 (25-29) and 13 (12.5-14.5) μ m long, respectively. Morphologically, our population comes close to several known species of the genus, including T. avaricus , T. aerolatus , T. indicus , T. ventralis , T. paaloofi and T. namibiensis. In the 18S rRNA phylogenetic tree, it occupied a phylogenetic position in close affinity with two sequences of T. ventralis. In the 28S rRNA tree, the genus Telotylenchus did not form a monophyletic group, our isolate clustering with an unknown population of Histotylenchus and four isolates of Tylenchorhynchus mediterraneus in a clade well separated from another clade that included three other isolates tentatively named as Telotylenchus sp. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Calcaridorylaimus heynsi n. sp. is the second species of the genus to be described by both morphological and molecular techniques. Morphologically, it can be distinguished from all known species of Calcaridorylaimus by a combination of the following characters: presence of advulval ornamentations, short body (0.90-1.33 mm), slightly anteriorly positioned vulva (V = 47.6 (45.8-49.8)), short odontostyle in females and males (13.1 (11.5-14.5) μ m and 13.5 (12.0-18.0) μ m, respectively), number of supplements (2 + 9-11), short spicules when measured along the median line (40.4 (38-42) μ m) and pore-like vulval opening. It is closest to C. sirgeli , especially in the presence of advulval ornamentations and the pore-like vulva. Phylogenetic analysis based on partial D2-D3 segment of 28S rDNA sequences showed that C. heynsi n. sp. is in a well-supported sister relation with Mesodorylaimus sp. in a clade with C. cignatus and Mesodorylaimus spp. In the Bayesian tree, using partial sequences 18S rDNA, M. japonicus was the closest taxon to the new species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: A new species of Aporcelaimellus , collected in a watermelon field in Nigeria, is described, including its morphological and molecular (D2-D3 28S-rDNA, 18r-DNA) characterisation. Aporcelaimellus nigeriensis sp. n. is distinguishable by its 2.76-3.55 mm length, very coarse ventral body pores, lip region offset by deep constriction and 24-27 μ m broad odontostyle 30-36 μ m long at its dorsal and 28-31 μ m at its ventral side, neck 648-779 μ m long, pharyngeal expansion occupying 54-60% of total neck length, uterus 300-473 μ m or 2.1-3.2 body diam. long and tripartite, V = 49-54, tail short and convex conoid (27-41 μ m, c = 72-115, c′ = 0.5-0.7), spicules 108-137 μ m long, and 9-10 spaced ventromedian supplements with hiatus. LSU analysis revealed a close relationship of A. nigeriensis sp. n. with other Aporcelaimellus species and questioned, once more, the monophyly of Aporcelaimidae. SSU phylogenetic tree was not able to resolve the relationship between the new species and other closely related species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Longidorus barsii sp. n., from Mt Tara in the Balkan Peninsula, is described and characterised by using a polyphasic approach. The species has numerous males. The female body is 5-7 mm long, rather stout and resembles a large Xiphinema. The lip region is wide, with rounded sides continuous with the neck, frontally flattened and depressed around the oral aperture, amphids are pouch-like and distinctly bi-lobed and the odontostyle is moderately long. The nuclei of the pharyngeal glands are in the normal position, the dorsal nucleus located somewhat posterior to anterior third of bulb. The uteri are long, the distal inner epithelium densely covered with papilla-like outgrowths. The tail is rounded, bluntly conoid and very short. Alpha-numerical identification codes: A4/5, B45, C3, D3, E2, F3, G 1(2), H1, I2, J1, K67. The morphologically most similar species are L. kheirii , L. polyae and L. profundorum. Additional observations are provided on the anterior body region and genital organs in L. barsii sp. n., L. piceicola , L. silvae , and L. uroshis. Selected features are discussed from the taxonomic and functional points of view. The D2-D3 expansion domains of the 28S rRNA gene and the ITS region of L. barsii sp. n. were amplified and sequenced. Phylogenetic analysis using the D2-D3 expansion domains of the 28S rRNA gene revealed close evolutionary relationships with L. polyae , L. athesinus and three unidentified Longidorus spp. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Based on earlier investigations, Bursaphelenchus sexdentati sensu lato consists of two distinct forms, a central European and a southern European type. In this paper we recognise these forms at species level and propose B. dietrichi sp. n. for the southern European type, regarding it as distinct from B. sexdentati sensu stricto. The relatively long (733-881 μ m) and slender (a = 34.7-43.3) females of the new species have a small vulval flap, a long post-uterine sac extending for 46.6-75.3% of the vulva to anus distance, and a mostly conical tail with a more or less bluntly rounded terminus. The male spicules are strongly ventrally arcuate, measuring 13-17 μ m along the arc, and have a bluntly pointed rostrum ca 2-3 μ m long in the proximal part and a small cucullus at their distal end. The capitulum is slightly concave and the condylus is ca 2-3 μ m long, truncated and slightly hooked. The oval bursa and the disposition of the male caudal papillae, as well as the presence of four lateral lines, justify the assignment of this taxon to the sexdentati -group. Bursaphelenchus dietrichi sp. n. can be distinguished from B. sexdentati s.s. and other related species by morphological characters and sequencing results. Bursaphelenchus sexdentati s.s. is also recorded from China for the first time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: A new species of Aporcelinus , collected in a natural habitat of central Mexico, is described and illustrated, including molecular (D2-D3 28 S -rRNA) data. Aporcelinus zapotitlanensis sp. n. is characterised by its 1.19-1.43 mm long body, lip region offset by a deep constriction and 16.5-18.5 μ m broad, odontostyle 19.5-22 long, neck 325-368 μ m long, pharyngeal expansion 150-201 μ m long or 46-55% of the total neck length, uterus 130-167 μ m long and tripartite, V = 54-56, tail conical with finely rounded tip (30-37 μ m, c = 34-43, c′ = 1.2-1.4) lacking a distinct dorsal concavity, spicules 48-51 μ m long, and 11-12 spaced ventromedian supplements with one or two of them located within the range of the spicules. Molecular analyses confirm the monophyly of Aporcelinus and places the new species within a clade shared with A. infundibulicaudatus and A. amazonicus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: A new nematode species was recovered from the syconia of Ficus hirta var. roxburghii from Chaozhou, Guangdong, China. It is described herein as Ficophagus chaozhouensis n. sp. and is characterised by possessing the combined characters of a short post-uterine sac, excretory pore located near the head, amoeboid sperm, three pairs of subventral papillae on the male tail, rounded male tail tip with mucron (occasionally swollen), absence of gubernaculum (or apophysis), a blunt rosethorn-shaped spicule without a terminal cucullus, and a digitate rostrum with a broadly squared tip. Ficophagus chaozhouensis n. sp. was separated from other sequenced species by differences in the partial small subunit (SSU) rRNA gene and D2-D3 expansion segments of the large subunit (LSU) rRNA gene. Phylogenetic analysis with LSU D2-D3 expansion segment sequences suggested that F. chaozhouensis n. sp. is clustered in the same highly supported monophyletic clade with F. aculeata , F. maxima and F. yoponensis , and is sister to F. aculeata. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Hoplolaimus smokyensis n. sp. is a new species of lance nematode collected in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, USA. Females of H. smokyensis n. sp. have a labial region characterised by six, occasionally five, annules. The basal lip annule is subdivided by about 24 longitudinal striae. The stylet averages 47 μ m long with robust, tulip-shaped stylet knobs bearing anterior projections. The hemizonid is ca 4 μ m anterior to the excretory pore. The lateral field is incompletely areolated and has four continuous incisures from the metacorpus region to the tail region. There are three pharyngeal gland nuclei. Vulval epiptygma are absent. The scutellate phasmids are located one anterior and one posterior to the vulva. The male is shorter than the female and the head region is higher and more rounded than that of the female. The bursa extends to the tail tip and the gubernaculum is large and protrusible and has titillae and a capitulum. Morphologically, H. smokyensis n. sp. is most similar to H. galeatus and H. stephanus , but can be distinguished by differences such as the number of annules and longitudinal striae on the lip region and morphometric values. Hoplolaimus smokyensis n. sp. is also genetically distinct from other species according to comparisons of ribosomal and mitochondrial DNA sequences. Phylogenetic analyses based on ribosomal and mitochondrial gene sequences suggest that H. smokyensis n. sp. is a lineage distinct from related Hoplolaimus species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Discocriconemella sinensis n. sp. isolated in Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China, from the rhizosphere of Camellia sinenis is described. The new species was characterised morphologically and molecularly. Important morphological details were elucidated by SEM photographs. The new species is characterised by an uninterrupted rounded cephalic disc, en face showing a rectangular labial plate with slit-like oral apertures, labial plate surrounded by slightly elevated projections resembling rudimentary lobes, R = 66 (64-69), Rex = 21 (17-24), stylet 74 (67-81) μ m long, excretory pore located at the base of the pharyngeal bulb, vulva open, tail short and conoid with a lobed terminus. The species belongs to the group 1 lip pattern. Morphologically, it is most similar to D. discolabia , D. mauritiensis , D. mineira and D. perseae. This is the first new Discocriconemella species described from China. Phylogenetic analyses based on analysis of the D2-D3 expansion segments of the 28S rRNA, ITS rRNA, partial 18S rRNA, and COI gene revealed that the new species formed a separate clade from other criconematid species, thereby supporting its status as a new species of the genus. The new species showed close relationships with Criconemoides informis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: In this study, we describe Labrys fuzhouensis sp. n. based on detailed morphology revealed by scanning electron microscopy and molecular data inferred from 18S and 28S rRNA. The new species differs from other Labrys species by a combination of several morphometric and morphological characters: vulva-anus distance 66-74 μ m, tail length 172-182 μ m, post-uterine sac 11-12 μ m, excretory duct less sclerotised, and hexagon-shaped labial disc. The novelty of L. fuzhouensis sp. n. is also confirmed by multi-dimensional scaling analysis. The 18S and 28S rRNA-based phylogenies suggest that the new species nested in the Labrys clade as sister to L. chinensis. In addition to the new species description, Coslenchus rafiqi is reported from China for the first time, the description being supplemented by the first molecular data (18S and 28S rRNA) for this species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Chitwoodius coffeae sp. n. is described, including SEM observations and molecular (D2-D3 expansion segment of the rDNA 28S) analysis, from a coffee plantation in the Central Highlands of Vietnam. The new species is characterised by its 1.69-2.01 mm long body in females and 1.29-1.51 mm in males, lip region offset by deep constriction and 15-17 μ m broad, odontostyle 27-30 μ m long, neck 340-473 μ m long, pharyngeal expansion occupying 52-54% of total neck length, uterus a simple tube-like structure 68-106 μ m long, vulva longitudinal (V = 54-59), tail short and rounded conoid (20-28 μ m, c = 54-88, c′ = 0.6-0.8) with a nearly terminal projection of inner cuticle layer, spicules 60-64 μ m long, and 7-10 spaced ventromedian supplements without hiatus. SEM pictures, available for the first time for a representative of the genus, show a hexagonal (nearly hexastellate) oral field divided into six sectors by the existence of six deep incisures. Molecular analyses, also presented for the first time for a representative of the genus, results in a narrow evolutionary relationship among Chitwoodius and Tylencholaimus , and supports the monophyly of the Tylencholaimidae. This is the first record of Chitwoodius in Asian Far East territories. Chitwoodius ahmadi sp. n. is proposed for a misattributed population of C. seshadrii. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Acrobeles aenigmaticus sp. n. is described from the North-West District (Ngamiland) of Botswana, which forms part of the Kalahari Desert. This new species is characterised by its body length, 'double' cuticle bearing numerous interannular punctations, lateral fields with two longitudinal incisures, lips triangular bearing triangular tines with variation in their morphology, labial probolae bifurcated with prongs bearing triangular tines, pharyngeal corpus 2.8-3.8 times the isthmus length, spermatheca 0.8-1.8 times the body diam., post-vulval sac 1.3-2.2 times the body diam., vagina bent to the left side, vulva located left subventral and very reduced, female tail conoid-elongate, male tail conoid, spicules 24-29 μ m and gubernaculum 13-17 μ m in length. Molecular characterisation of 18S and 28S rRNA shows the relationship of this species with other species of Acrobeles that also present a 'double' cuticle, as well as with other cephalobids (e.g. , Cervidellus alutus) with the same characteristic in terms of its cuticle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]