A new stunt nematode, n. sp. (Nematoda: Merliniinae) in the rhizosphere of tea () from Zhejiang Province, China.

The tea plant is native to China; the country has the greatest tea production areas in the world. In an attempt to investigate the nematode biodiversity associated with the tea plantations of Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, a population of stunt nematode was detected. This group of nematodes is comprised of migratory ecto-parasites of roots and can subsist on a variety of host plants. Therefore, the detected population was studied carefully using the integrative taxonomy approach and identified as a new species of genus . n. sp. can be characterized by females having six incisures in the lateral field; labial region is dome shaped and slightly offset from the rest of the body having four to five annuli; head framework is weakly developed; deirids are absent; excretory pore is located at the anterior region of basal pharyngeal bulb. Under SEM, the vulva is a transverse slit, vulval lips are elongated and ellipsoidal with epiptygma. The tail is annulated, elongated, and conical having bluntly pointed tip and a terminal hyaline region that forms 21 to 33% of the tail length. Spicule is 22 to 25 μm long, gubernaculum is saucer shaped; bursa is crenated covering the tail until the hyaline tail region. Morphologically, the species is close to , , , , , , and . Phylogenetic relationships of the new species based on D2-D3 expansion domains of 28 S, ITS, and 18 S rRNA genes indicated that n. sp. clustered in a separate clade with . The tea plant is native to China; the country has the greatest tea production areas in the world. In an attempt to investigate the nematode biodiversity associated with the tea plantations of Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, a population of stunt nematode was detected. This group of nematodes is comprised of migratory ecto-parasites of roots and can subsist on a variety of host plants. Therefore, the detected population was studied carefully using the integrative taxonomy approach and identified as a new species of genus . n. sp. can be characterized by females having six incisures in the lateral field; labial region is dome shaped and slightly offset from the rest of the body having four to five annuli; head framework is weakly developed; deirids are absent; excretory pore is located at the anterior region of basal pharyngeal bulb. Under SEM, the vulva is a transverse slit, vulval lips are elongated and ellipsoidal with epiptygma. The tail is annulated, elongated, and conical having bluntly pointed tip and a terminal hyaline region that forms 21 to 33% of the tail length. Spicule is 22 to 25 μm long, gubernaculum is saucer shaped; bursa is crenated covering the tail until the hyaline tail region. Morphologically, the species is close to , , , , , , and . Phylogenetic relationships of the new species based on D2-D3 expansion domains of 28 S, ITS, and 18 S rRNA genes indicated that n. sp. clustered in a separate clade with .