DITYLENCHUS AFRICANUS SP-N FROM SOUTH-AFRICA - A MORPHOLOGICAL AND MOLECULAR CHARACTERIZATION

A new Ditylenchus species from South Africa that parasitizes peanut is described based on characteristics of morphology and restriction frag ment length polymorphisms (RFLPs) of ribosomal DNA (rDNA). The new spe cies, Ditylenchus africanus sp. n., is different from the two most sim ilar species, D. destructor and D. myceliophagus by the following comb ination of characters : RFLP's generated by seven restriction enzymes on the internal transcribed spacer of rDNA, a medium long, relatively weak stylet (compared with the stylet of D. destructor), bursa length (as percentage of tail length) and spicule length.