Mononchoides macrospiculum n. sp. (Nematoda: Neodiplogastridae) and Teratorhabditis synpapillata Sudhaus, 1985 (Nematoda: Rhabditidae): nematode associates of Rhynchophorus ferrugineus (Oliver) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) in Italy.

Several juvenile and adult nematodes were isolated after dissection of pupae and adults of the red palm weevil, Rhynchophorus ferrugineus, recovered from an infested Phoenix canariensis Chabaud exemplar in Bari, Italy. Two species of nematodes were recovered, Teratorhabditis synpapillata and Mononchoides macrospiculum n. sp. which is described herein. The mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I (COI), the ITS-containing region, the 18S rRNA gene (SSU) and the D2-D3 expansion domains of the 28S rRNA gene (LSU) were amplified and sequenced. The new species, M. macrospiculum n. sp., is described at morphological and molecular level. Phylogenetic analyses using SSU and LSU sequences placed M. macrospiculum n. sp. together with M. composticola and M. striatus. The sequences of the Italian population of T. synpapillata are identical to those of T. synpapillata from Japan. This is the first report on the association of M. macrospiculum n. sp. and T. synpapillata with the red palm weevil in Europe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]