Low density of an unknown root-knot nematode was found on wild olive soils at Cape Spartel near Tanger city in northern Morocco. Morphometry, esterase and malate dehydrogenase electrophoretic phenotypes, as well as ribosomal DNA (rDNA) and mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) sequences demonstrated that this nematode species differs clearly from other previously described root-knot nematodes. The species is herein described, illustrated and named as Meloidogyne spartelensis n. sp. This new root-knot nematode can be morphologically distinguished from other Meloidogyne spp. by: (i) roundish perineal pattern, dorsal arch low, with fine, sinuous cuticle striae, lateral field faintly visible; (ii) female excretory pore posterior to stylet knobs, EP/ST ratio 1.4-2.0; (iii) second-stage juveniles with hemizonid located 1 to 2 annuli anterior to excretory pore and long, sub-digitate tail; and (iv) males with lateral field composed of four incisures, with areolated outer bands. Phylogenetic trees based on 18S, ITS1-5.8S-ITS2, D2-D3 of 28S rDNA, and partial coxII-16S rRNA and coxI gene of mtDNA showed that M. spartelensis n. sp. belongs to an undescribed root-knot nematode lineage that is clearly separated from other species with resemblance in morphology, such as M. dunensis, M. kralli, and M. sewelli.

This research was supported by grant KBBE219262 ArimNET_ERANET FP7 2012–2015 Project PESTOLIVE ‘Contribution of olive history for the management of soilborne parasites in the Mediterranean basin’ from Agence Nationale de la Recherche (ANR, France) and Instituto Nacional de Investigación y Tecnología Agraria y Alimentaria (INIA, Spain), grant Long-Term Mission Program from Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD, France), PhD grant from Tishreen University (Syrian Arab Republic), grant ANR-10-LABX-41 from LABEX TULIP (France), grant AGR-136 from ‘Consejería de Economía, Innvovación y Ciencia’ from Junta de Andalucía, and Union Europea, Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo regional, “Una manera de hacer Europa”.

Peer reviewed