Morphological and molecular characterisation of Pratylenchus rwandae n. sp (Tylenchida: Pratylenchidae) associated with maize in Rwanda

Pratylenchus rwandae n. sp., a root-lesion nematode associated with maize (Zea mays) from Rwanda, is described. This new species is characterised by females of medium to large size (469-600 μm) having an offset lip region with three annuli, stylet of 13-14.6 μm long with prominent rounded or anteriorly concave knobs, short to long pharyngeal gland overlap of 10.9-34.7 μm long, variable number of lateral lines (4-14) in different regions of the body, lateral field consisting of smooth bands, oval to slightly rounded spermatheca, vulva located at 75-80% of the total body length, post-vulval uterine sac (PUS) 20.3-26.5 μm long, tail subcylindrical to conoid with variation in tail tip shape from rounded to truncate or indented with generally smooth tip, and male unknown. The results of the phylogenetic analyses based on sequences of the D2-D3 expansion regions of 28S, partial 18S and ITS of rDNA and COI of mitochondrial DNA indicate that P. rwandae n. sp. is a species within the Penetrans group and appears as a sister species to a group comprising P. convallariae, P. dunensis, P. fallax, P. oleae, P. penetrans, P. pinguicaudatus, and three other unidentified species. A comparison of important morphological characters of the closely related Pratylenchus spp. is provided.