Description of Laimaphelenchus piceae sp. n., a new evidence of cryptic speciation, and L. sinensis Gu et al., 2020 (Rhabditida: Aphelenchoididae), a record from Shanxi province, north China

Summary This contribution deals with the record and description of one new species and record of one known species of the genus Laimaphelenchus from Shanxi province, north China. The type population of L. piceae sp. n. is characterised by having females 642-807 μm long, the cephalic region with six labial sectors divided by ribs, stylet 12-14 μm long, lateral field with four incisures, postvulval uterine sac (PUS) 114-161 μm long, vulva with a well-developed anterior flap, tail with a single stalk at tip, bearing four pedunculate tubercles, each tubercle including 5-7 finger-like protrusions; males spicules 18-24 μm long and three pairs of caudal papillae present. The new species looks closely similar to L. persicus, representing its cryptic species, being separated by differences in some morphological indices and partial large subunit (LSU) rDNA sequences. Its morphological differences from other relevant species were discussed. L. sinensis was also recorded from Shanxi province for the first time. The phylogenetic relationships of the recovered populations were reconstructed using sequences of the near full length small subunit (SSU) and D2-D3 segments of LSU rDNA, and the relationships of both species were discussed.