Morphological and molecular characterisation of Trichodorus golestanensis (Nematoda: Trichodoridae), a new species from Iran

Several species of trichodorid nematodes cause economically important disease on plants. Trichodorus comprises most of the trichodorid species. Trichodorus golestanensis n. sp. is described from a forest park in northern Iran. The new species belongs to the T. lusitanicus morpho-species group and is characterized in male by three ventromedian cervical papillae of which two at level of onchiostyle region, three ventromedian precloacal supplements, the posterior one just anterior to retracted spicules and ventrally curved spicules with mid-blade indentation provided with a few bristles. Females are distinguished by well developed triangular vaginal sclerotized pieces in lateral optical view, a rhomboid-shaped vagina and a transverse slit-like vulva in ventral view. Molecular analysis using the sequence of D2-D3 expansion segment of 28S rDNA differentiated the new species and confirmed the relationships of T. golestanensis n. sp. with T. andalusicus and T. asturanus. The sequences of D2-D3 regions were also provided for previous trichodorid records from Iran T. gilanensis, P. teres and N. minor together with discussion of their relationship.