Description of Aphelenchoides hamospiculatus n. sp. (Aphelenchoidea: Aphelenchoididae) from Golestan province, north Iran

Two populations of Aphelenchoides hamospiculatus n. sp. were recovered from natural forests in eastern regions of Golestan province, north Iran. Both populations were morphologically similar. The new species is described and illustrated herein. The females of the type population, recovered from soil, measured 467-550 mu m long, and females of the second population, from bark, measured 545-666 mu m long. It is mainly characterised by having five lines in the lateral fields, a subcylindrical tail and a single centrally located mucron at the female tail tip with fine nodules, giving it a warty appearance. It is further characterised by having a cephalic region separated from the rest of the body by a shallow constriction, stylet with small swellings at base, large median bulb with slightly post-centrally located, well sclerotised valvular plates and post-vulval uterine sac 56-63 mu m long in the type population. The males have spicules with a remarkable narrowing at the distal two-thirds, well-developed condylus with rounded end, small rostrum slightly bent inwards and a hook-like tip of the dorsal limb; and three pairs of cloacal + caudal papillae (the single precloacal papilla, P1. is lacking). The new species was morphologically compared with three species of the genus having five lines in the lateral fields, similar species with no data on their lateral lines, and those with similar spicules and a female tail end bearing a warty mucron. The molecular phylogenetic relationships of the new species using partial small and large subunit ribosomal RNA gene (SSU and LSU rDNA) sequences are discussed.