Some pratylenchids from Iran (Nematoda : Tylenchina)

In a survey of the family Pratylenchidae from Iran three known species of t he genera Hirschmanniella, Pratylenchoides and Zygotylenchus were found, Th eir similarities to and differences from closely related species, their dis tribution and their intraspecific variations are discussed. In some specime ns of Zygotylenchus guevarai the spermatheca has numerous cells which may i ndicate a relationship of this genus with Meloidogyne. In Iranian populatio ns of Pratylenchoides ritteri a vast range of morphological variations was observed. However. the head en-face view was the same for all populations, It seems that the pharyngeal terminal bulb contains more than three nuclei in most specimens. Hirschmanniella anchoryzae and P. ritteri which were stu died by light microscopy (LM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) are re ported for the first time from Iran.