A new species of the genus Pratylenchus from chrysanthemum in Kyushu, western Japan (Nematoda: Pratylenchidae)

Abstract

A root-lesion nematode population collected from rhizospheres of Chrysanthemum morifolium in Kyushu Is., western Japan, is described as Pratylenchus kumamotoensis sp. n. The new species is characterized by its esophageal glandular lobe (EGL) inconsistently overlapping the intestine (dorsal, lateral and ventral overlap in varied frequencies), 2-3- annules in lip region, average spear length 14-15 μm, moderately distanced vulva (V = 76- 77), and thin tail terminal cuticle (< 2 μm). The new species is distinguished from closely related P. coffeae, P. pseudocoffeae, P. loosi, P. jaehni, and Apratylenchoides homoglans. The new species was placed in the genus Pratylenchus because of the lack of clear differences with the genus Pratylenchus. However, an inconsistent overlap of the EGL in the new species creates grave doubt about the separation of Pratylenchus and Apratylenchoides.