Molecular characterisation of some plant-parasitic nematodes (Nematoda: Tylenchida) from Belgium

Using morphological, morphometric and molecular analysis, eleven valid nematode species from nine genera: Amplimerlinius icarus, Criconema annuliferum, Criconemoides informis, Helicotylenchus varicaudatus, Hemicriconemoides pseudobrachyurus, Hemicycliophora thienemanni, Mesocriconema xenoplax, Paratylenchus bukowinensis, P. nanus, Rotylenchus montanus and R. robustus together with twelve unidentified species, were identified in samples collected from eighteen locations in Belgium. The unidentified species include six Paratylenchus species, one Helicotylenchus species, three criconematid species and two Rotylenchus species. A total of new partial 21 18S rRNA, 69 28S rRNA, 10 ITS rRNA and 51 COI mtDNA gene sequences were obtained and used for phylogenetic and sequence analysis. Short descriptions, morphometrics and light and scanning microscopic photos are presented for selected species. Based on the results of molecular analysis, Hemicriconemoides promissus syn. n. was proposed as a junior synonym of H. pseudobrachyurus.