Xenocriconemella persica, Asgari & Mokhtari & Eskandari & Cantalapiedra-Navarrete & Criado-Navarro & Palomares-Rius & Castillo & Archidona-Yuste, 2025

Xenocriconemella persica sp. nov.

Description.

Females. Body ventrally arcuate to straight, slightly narrowing anteriorly and posteriorly. Body annuli smooth and retrorse 2.5 (2.0–3.0) µm wide, rarely with anastomosis (in four nematode specimens, a single anastomosis was observed in the tail and stylet knob regions). Lip region with two annuli, not offset, not separated from body contour, first lip annulus partially covering the second lip annulus (Figs 6 View Figure 6 , 7 View Figure 7 ), second lip annulus retrorse and slightly wider than first annulus 8.1 (7.0–9.0) µm wide. Stylet thin, long, and flexible (Figs 6 View Figure 6 , 7 View Figure 7 ; Table 2 View Table 2 ), occupying 33.8 (28.4–37.0) % of the body length, with short basal portion 6.2 (5.0–7.0) µm long, and knobs slightly rounded 4.3 (3.0–5.5) µm wide. Pharynx typical criconematoid, with a cylindroid procorpus widening to a large muscular oval median bulb containing well developed valves (8.0–9.0 µm long), isthmus slender and amalgamated with basal bulb. Excretory pore located from one to nine annuli anterior to level of stylet knobs, with an average of 4 annuli, at 89.6 (88.0–100.0) µm from anterior end. Nerve ring located at the level of isthmus, 105.7 (97.0–111.0) µm from the anterior end. Vagina ventrally curved (10.0–14.0 µm long). Female genital tract monodelphic, prodelphic, outstretched and occupying 43.0 (30.2–46.1) % of the body length, spermatheca almost hemispherical (9.0–14.0 × 9.0–14.0) µm, sperm absent. Anus located at 7.6 (6–9) annuli from the terminus. Tail short, conoid, with bluntly rounded terminus.

Males. Not found.

Juveniles. Body like females, including tail shape, but shorter. Edge of body annuli without appendages, but noticeable delicate irregular punctations.

Diagnosis and relationships.

Xenocriconemella persica sp. nov. is characterized by the following measurements and ratios: a short-sized female body 287 (234–316) µm, a long and flexible stylet = 96.8 (83.0–103.0) µm long, V = 88.5 (86.7–91.0), a = 9.8 (7.6–11.5), b = 2.4 (2.0–2.7), c = 18.9 (14.6–25.5), c’ = 0.9 (0.6–1.1), R = 111.9 (104–124), RV = 13.2 (11–15), Ran = 7.6 (6–9), VL / VB = 1.3 (0.9–1.7). Morphologically and morphometrically, X. persica sp. nov. resembles X. pradense and all other members of the X. macrodora species-complex (including X. macrodora , X. andreae , X. iberica X. paraiberica , X. costaricense , and X. tica ) from which it is very difficult to separate, but can be separated by several morphometric traits and ratio, and molecular markers. From X. pradense mainly differs by a slightly shorter body length 287 (234–316) μm vs. 333 (249–383) μm, a slightly lower number of body annuli 112 (104–124) vs. 122 (112–128), a slightly shorter stylet length 96.8 (83.0–103.0) µm vs 100.5 (92.5–110.0) µm, an anterior position of the excretory pore 0–9 annuli anterior to level of stylet knobs vs. one annulus posterior to level of stylet knobs, a lower number of body annuli from vulva to posterior end ( RV) 13.2 (11–15) vs. 15.9 (15–18), a slightly shorter tail length 15.4 (11.0–20.0) μm vs. 19.9 (15.5–25.0) μm, and a slightly higher c ratio 18.9 (14.6–25.5) vs. 16.6 (13.7–21.3). From X. macrodora it is almost undistinguishable (Table 2 View Table 2 , Archidona-Yuste et al. 2024). And it is also quite close to X. andreae , but differs by a slightly shorter body length 287 (234–316) μm vs. 307 (274–353) μm, a higher number of annuli between vulva and anus (RVan) 4.7 (4–6) vs 3 (3–3), and a slightly longer tail length 15.4 (11.0–20.0) μm vs 11.9 (10.0–14.0) μm. From X. iberica it differs also slightly in some main diagnostic characters, including a slightly larger stylet length 96.8 (83.0–103.0) μm vs 93.1 (80.0–103.0) μm, a slightly higher number of body annuli (R) 111.9 (104–124) vs 104 (97–119), and a slightly higher VL / VB ratio 1.3 (0.9–1.1) vs 1.2 (0.7–1.4). From X. paraiberica it is also almost undistinguishable, but mainly differs by a slightly longer stylet length 96.8 (83.0–103.0) µm vs 89.6 (80.0–100.0) µm, a higher number of body annuli (R) 111.9 (104–124) vs 104 (95–116), and a slightly lower c ratio 18.9 (14.6–25.5) vs 20.2 (13.0–28.6). Finally, from X. costaricense and X. tica clearly differs by a shorter body length 287 (234–316) µm vs 349 (276–404), 324 (271–358) µm, respectively, a shorter stylet length 96.8 (83.0–103.0) µm vs 125 (113.0–133.0), 117 (112.0–123.5) µm, respectively, a slightly lower and higher, respectively, number of body annuli (R) 111.9 (104–124) vs 124 (117–130), 103 (98–108), a slightly lower c ratio 18.9 (14.6–25.5) vs 22.8 (16.0–28.8), 25.3 (19.5–31.6), respectively, and a slightly higher VL / VB ratio 1.3 (0.9–1.7) vs 1.1 (0.9–1.3), 1.2 (0.8–1.5), respectively. In any case, these minor differences are within the range of the X. macrodora species-complex, and all eight species need to be considered as a complex of cryptic species which are well resolved by morphometric and molecular analyses (see above morphometric and molecular studies).

Etymology.

The species epithet refers to Persia, the Latin name of Iran, the country of origin.

Type host and locality.

The new species was recovered from the rhizosphere of forest trees ( Alnus glutinosa (L.) Gaertn., and Fagus orientalis Lipsky ) at Pounel- Khalkhal road   GoogleMaps , Rezvanshahr County, Gilan province, Iran (coordinates 37°32'17.6"N, 48°51'28.9"E, 750 m a. s. l.).

Type material.

• Holotype female (slide 0207 B-5) and 20 female paratypes (slides 0207 B-1-0207 B-5) deposited at the Nematode Collection of the Faculty of Agriculture, University of Zanjan, Zanjan, Iran • 10 female paratypes (slides Xe_Ir-01 - Xe_Ir-05) at nematode collection of Institute for Sustainable Agriculture ( IAS) of Spanish National Research Council ( CSIC), Córdoba, Spain; and two females at the USDA Nematode Collection (slide T-8278 p). GoogleMaps