Plant-parasitic Nematodes from Afghanistan with Discussion on the Taxonomic Status of Merlinius neohexagrammus Ivanova, 1978 (Nematoda: Dolichodoridae)

During a survey of plant-parasitic nematodes in Bamyan and Mazar Sharif provinces of Afghanistan, several species of plant-parasitic nematodes belonging to infraorder Tylenchomorpha were detected and identified. Filenchus facultativus; Filenchus discrepans; Filenchus elegantulus; Boleodorus volutus; Neopsilenchus magnidens; Coslenchus costatus; Ditylenchus myceliophagus; Tylenchorhynchus clarus; Paratylenchus microdorus and Merlinius neohexagrammus are reported here for the first time from Afghanistan. Detailed examination of M. neohexagrammus using SEM microscopy confirmed this species in the genus Merlinius by having a labial disc not marked and with four longitudinal striations on the lip region, amphid apertures located at the lateral edge of labial disc and lateral field at mid-body areolated.