Morphological and molecular characterisation of several Paratylenchus Micoletzky, 1922 (Tylenchida: Paratylenchidae) species from South Africa and USA, together with some taxonomic notes

Pin nematodes of the genus Paratylenchus are widely distributed across the world and associated with many plant species. Morphological identification of Paratylenchus species is a difficult task because it relies on many characters with a wide range of intraspecific variation. In this study we provide morphological and molecular characterisation of several pin nematodes: Paratylenchus aquaticus, P. dianthus, P. hamatus, P nanus and P. straeleni, collected in different states of the USA and South Africa. Paratylenchus aquaticus is reported from South Africa and Hawaii and P nanus is found from South Africa for the first time. Morphological descriptions, morphometrics, light and scanning electron microscopic photos and drawings are given for these species. Molecular characterisation of nematodes using the D2-D3 of 28S rRNA and ITS rRNA gene sequence revealed that samples morphologically identified as P. aquaticus, P hamatus and P. nanus indeed represent species complexes containing several species. Sequences of the rRNA genes are also provided for several unidentified Paratylenchus. Phylogenetic relationships within the genus Paratylenchus are given as inferred from the analyses of the D2-D3 of 28S rRNA and ITS rRNA gene sequences. We present here the most complete phylogenetic analysis of the genus.