Description of Cryptaphelenchus paravaricaudatus n. sp. (Aphelenchoidea: Ektaphelenchinae) from Pinus massoniana Lamb. in China

Cryptaphelenchus paravaricaudatus n. sp., from declining Pinus massoniana in China, is described and illustrated. The new species is characterised by the 233-308 mu m long females with distinctly annulated cuticle, lateral fields with four lines, lip region separated from the body by a shallow depression, delicate stylet with small knobs, post-vulval uterine sac short and rectum and anus invisible. Males are 204-259 mu m long, with spicules 8.5-12.0 mu m long, condylus well developed and broad, caudal papillae arranged as a single (P1) and a pair of precloacal papillae (P2) plus two pairs of postcloacal papillae (P3 and P4). Based upon the general morphology of the female, the new species most closely resembles C. varicaudatus. The morphological differences with the aforementioned species and other species having similar morphology are discussed. The phylogenetic analyses based on small (SSU) and large subunit (LSU) D2-D3 expansion segments of ribosomal DNA (rDNA) of different individuals of the new species revealed that it fell into the clade of Cryptaphelenchus in both SSU and LSU trees. The monophyly of the genus was retained.