Xiphinema petersmithi Malan, Swart, Meyer & Heyns, 1997, a junior synonym of X-vuittenezi Luc, Lima, Weischer & Flegg, 1964 (Nematoda&COLFAML; Longidoridae)

In the original description of Xiphinema petersinithi, 1997 the species was differentiated from X. vuittenezi, 1964 by its slightly shorter body length and the presence of spines in the uterus. Subsequently, the presence of uterine spines, although not mentioned in the original description, was confirmed in X. vuittenezi. Seven female and two pre-adult paratypes of X. petersmithi were studied and compared with X. vuittenezi. The X. petersmithi paratypes and X. vuittenezi populations studied could not be consistently differentiated by body length. Because of the presence of small spindle-shaped spines in the uteri of both species and the overlapping body length, there is no consistent character to differentiate the two species. Xiphinema petersinithi is therefore proposed as a junior synonym of X. vuittenezi.