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Mesocriconema abolafiai n. sp. is described by morphological, morphometric, and molecular approaches. The new species is characterized by a body slightly curved with 402 to 612 μ m length, 90 to 113 cuticular body annuli with smooth to irregular margins lacking of crenation with not more than one anastomoses, lip region not offset, small flattened submedian lobes, stylet robust (52.8-60.0 μm) with well-developed knobs, open vulva with simple anterior lip, straight vagina, filled spermatheca with globular sperms, presence of males, and conical-acute tail with last annulus bilobed or rounded. Discussions are made on the characterization of M. abolafiai n. sp. from the most closely related species, M. ozarkiense, and several other species having similar tail shape. Furthermore, results of phylogenetic analyses inferred from D2 to D3 expansion fragments of 28S rRNA, 18S rRNA, and ITS rRNA gene sequences revealed the phylogenetic position of the new species within representatives of Criconematidae and supported morphological justifications for considering this population from Iran as a new species in the genus Mesocriconema. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Neolobocriconema iranense sp. n. is described from a forest in Iran. Females of N. iranense sp. n. are characterised by having a body length of 453 (371-569) μm, 78-87.5 μm long stylet, presence of a single lip annulus of smaller diam. than the adjacent body annulus and which has a smooth margin and four distinct submedian lobes, 37-43 wide, retrorse body annuli with crenate, dentate and lobulate margins, the latter becoming slightly longer on the last few annuli, annuli with numerous longitudinal grooves corresponding with the crenations, vulva without an overhanging dorsal lip and situated on posteriormost three or four annuli, and anus located on the last annulus. The J2 has 12 longitudinal rows of scales and the ?J4 has eight to ten longitudinal rows of broad, irregular scallops. SEM photographs of females are provided. In the presence of a single lip annulus, N. iranense sp. n. comes close to seven of the 13 species in Neolobocriconema. It can, however, be differentiated from them all in characters such as a shorter body length, shorter or longer stylet, different cuticular structures on the annuli, and in the absence of longitudinal rows of scales or scallops. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Six known species belonging to the genus Criconemoides, including some poorly known ones, are discussed, viz., C. parvus, C. informis, C. mongolensis, C. avicenniae, C. myungsugae and C. neoaxestis. The three latter species are reported for the first time since their original description and represent new records for Iran. Males of C. myungsugae were found for the first time and are described herein. Additional figures and measurements are provided for all of the aforementioned species, while SEM photographs, photomicrographs, illustrations and short notes are given for some of the species to supplement older or inadequate descriptions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]