Xiphinema pachtaicum

Female. Body ‘C’ shaped after fixation, tapering to both end but more to the anterior. Cuticle smooth under light microscope. Lip region, distinctly offset by constriction. Amphid aperture post labial, fovea stirrup shaped and about two-third of lip width. Odontostyle robust, poorly forked, 1.56 μm thick, 66±3 (63–73) % of total stylet length and odontophore with weak flanges with width of 10±3 (7–12) μm. Basal Guiding ring 110±6 (104–115) μm from anterior end. Pharynx includes one anterior dorsal nucleus and two posterior subventral nuclei, pharyngeal gland length 94±5 (91–99) μm. Vulva, posterior to mid-body, a transverse slit in ventral view, one-third of the corresponding body width. Female genital branches, didelphic, reflexed, equally developed, generally short. Ovaries, with bacterial endosymbiont, uterus without Z-differentiation, sphincter not clear. Tail short, conical with narrow rounded end (Fig. 1). Morphological variations of Xiphinema pachtaicum have been recorded among populations of different localities from Iran (Fadaei et al. 2003) and Czech (Kumari 2004). The morphometric range of studied Ethiopian specimen is more similar to that of the Iranian population (Fadaei et al. 2003), and also agrees with the record from Serbia and Montenegro (Basri and Lamberti 2002). The studied Ethiopian species have a slightly longer body length and higher ‘a’ ratio compared to studied population from Iran and Czech (Fadaei et al. 2003; Kumari 2004). However, according to Luc et al. (1984) the variation of coefficient of ‘a’ and ‘c’ are common for this species that is between 43–74 and 47–84 respectively. Xiphinema pachtaicum is widespread in Europe (Switzerland, Germany, United Kingdom, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Croatia, Romania, Serbia, Macedonia, Montenegro, Bulgaria, Portugal, Spain, France, Italy, Greece, Cyprus, Malta, Moldova, Ukraine); Asia (Israel, Turkey, Georgia, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Jordan, Iraq, Iran); Africa (Algeria, Morocco, Libya, Egypt, South Africa); North America (United States, Trinidad); South America (Chile) and Australia. This species has not been recorded as a vector of plant viruses (Andrassy 2006). The alpha-numeric polytomous identification key codes as developed by Lamberti et al. (2000) to be applied for the studied Xiphinema pachtaicum of the Xiphinema americanum group in Africa are agree with Ethiopian studied population: A 2, B 2, C 1/2, D 32, E 32, F 2, G 21, H 23, I 23, J 1. Characterized by lip region set off from body, body length 1.6 to 2.0 mm; odontostyle length < 86 µm; value of c’ ratio 1.6 to 2; vulva 53 to 56% or vulva > 56%; value of ‘a’ ratio 61 to 80; value of ‘c’ ratio < 60 or > 60; distance of basal guide ring from oral aperture 61 to 75 µm; distance of basal guide ring from oral aperture > 75 µm. Male. Not found.