Radopholoides japonicus n. sp. (Nematoda: Pratylenchidae) found in rhizosphere soil associated with Podocarpus macrophyllus from Japan.

Radopholoides japonicus n. sp. isolated from rhizospheric soil samples associated with Podocarpus macrophyllus imported from Japan into Ningbo Port of China is described and illustrated. It is characterised by four lateral lines, lip region low, convex with three annuli. Stylet 16.5-18.5 µm long with anteriorly sloping rounded knobs. Excretory pore at the level of pharyngo-intestinal junction. Vulva posteriorly located, vulval lips not protruding, spermatheca squarish. Post-vulval uterine sac 35-44 µm long. Tail conoid with broadly rounded terminus, phasmid 6-8 annuli posterior to anus. Among five species of genus Radopholoides, the new species is close to R. antoni but can be differentiated from it by lip and tail morphology. This is the first Radopholoides species that provided detailed morphological and molecular characterisation. Maximum Likelihood analysis using the Shimodaira-Hasegawa test for the validity of Radopholoides was performed and showed the validity of the genus using the partial 18S and D2-D3 expansion segments of 28S. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]