Description of Two New Record Species of Mesocriconema in Guangdong Province

PurposesTo identify two species of Mesocriconema Andrásy (1965) extracted from crops in Guangdong Province.

MethodUsing traditional morphological method to measure and describe species.

Results M. onoense Luc (1959) and M. ornatum (Risk, 1958) Loof & De Grisse (1989) were identified. M. onoense was characterized by having 111-122 body annuli, no lateral anastomoses; bearing three head annuli with the first one very narrower compared to the other two annuli, and with small submedian lobes; 47.2 µm (43.2-53.9 µm) length of stylet; open vulva, straight vagina, oval spermatheca with sperms and oocytes arranged in double row; one annulus from vulva to anus and 7-10 annuli from vulva to tail terminal; conoid post-vulva body shape with round and multifid tail terminal. M. ornatum was characterized by having 83-91 body annuli, occasionally presented lateral anastomoses; bearing two head annuli with the concave first one in the middle, and with large and anteriorly projected submedian lobes; 53.7 µm (50.3-57.9 µm) length of stylet; close or slightly open vulva, anterior vulval lip with one projection, straight vagina, spermatheca without sperms, oocytes arranged in single or double row; 0-2 annuli from vulva to anus and 6-8 annuli from vulva to tail terminal; conoid post-vulva body shape with round and multifid tail terminal.

ConclusionThe two species are geological new record in Guangdong Province, and the results enrich the number and distribution of Mesocriconema in China, providing scientific proof for further research in soil nematode survey and potential damage of plant parasitic nematodes on crops.