| Abstract: | Pratylenchoides hispaniensis n. sp. is described and illustrated from a bisexual population found in a natural habitat at Santa Elena, Jaen, central Spain. Its main distinctive characters are very long esophageal gland lobe (81-117 μm; N'' = 51-71) overlapping the intestine 3 to 5 times the body width; lateral field with six incisures; stylet knobs sloping posteriorly; labial disc encircled by the irregular sectors of the first annule; tail cylindrical, extremity annulated, and frequently with a slight dorsal indentation of the hyaline portion at the end of the lateral field. Pratylcnchoides hispaniensis n. sp. appears closely related to P. megalobatus and P. nevadensis. It differs from the former primarily by its longer body length (761-998 vs. 430-621 μm), longer stylet length (20.5-24.4 vs. 18-21 μm), six incisures in the lateral field vs. four for P. megalobatus, and posteriorly sloping stylet knobs vs. rounded or anteriorly flattened knobs in P. megalobatus. It differs from P. nevadensis mainly by the shape of the stylet knobs (sloping in P. hispaniensis vs. rounded in P. nevadensis), length of esophageal lobe (81-117 vs. 34-82 μm), and position of esophageal gland nuclei (all posterior to esophago-intestinal junction in P. hispaniensis vs. at least one nucleus anterior to junction in P. nevadensis). |
