Three new nematodes species attacking fruit trees in India

During a survey of plant-parasitic and soil nematodes associated with fruit trees in Northern States of India; three new nematode species were found and are described here as Tyfenchorhynchus mangiferae sp. n., Quinisulcius indicus sp. n. and Merlinius nizamii sp. n. T. mongiferae comes close to T. irregularis Wu, 1969 and T. eremicolus Aden, 1955 but differs from these by its smaller spear with rounded basal knobs and longer tail with more tail annules. Q. indicus is close to Q. acutoides Thome & Malek, 1968 and Q. acti (Hopper, 1959) Siddiqi, 1971 but differs in having an offset lip region, smaller spear with posteriorly directed basal knobs and smooth tail terminus. M. nizamii resembles M. undyferrus (Haque, 1967) Siddlqi, 1970 from which it differs in having fewer head annules and moderately developed head sclerotization. It can be further differentiated from M. nothus (Allen, 1955) Siddiqi, 1970, in having fewerhead annules, vulva with single epiptygma and presence of male.