Ektaphelenchus berbericus n. sp. was recovered from soil samples collected in eastern Iran and is described and illustrated based on morphological, morphometric and molecular data. The new species is characterised by having female body 512-691 μm long, lip region separated from rest of body by a shallow depression, lips separated and equally sized, 19-22 μm long stylet with wide lumen and lacking knobs or swellings at its base, cuticle with fine, but distinct transverse annuli and three lines in lateral field, excretory pore located at base of metacorpus (with slight variation in position), reproductive system monodelphic-prodelphic with spheroid and fine sperm cells inside spermatheca in some individuals and short post-vulval uterine sac (PUS), rectum and anus vestigial (invisible in few individuals), conical posterior body end (tail), narrowing at mid-point between anus and rounded tail tip, and males lacking. The new species is typologically similar to species belonging to four genera: Devibursaphelenchus, Ektaphelenchoides, Ektaphelenchus and Seinura, by a combination of morphological characters, e.g., gross morphology of stylet (lacking knobs or swellings at base), morphology of posterior body end (having short conical tail), PUS length, and having a vestigial anus and rectum in most individuals. In molecular phylogenetic analyses using sequences of the partial small subunit of the ribosomal RNA gene (SSU) and the D2-D3 expansion segments of the large subunit (LSU) ribosomal RNA gene, the new species is close to the Ektaphelenchoides/Cryptaphelenchus clade in an inferred SSU tree, and formed a clade with Ektaphelenchoides and Devibursaphelenchus spp. in a D2-D3 LSU tree. Further phylogenetic analyses using full length sequences of the internal transcribed spacer region (ITS) (= ITS1 + 5.8S + ITS2) corroborated results from the SSU and D2-D3 LSU trees, and the multilocus analyses using the combined SSU and LSU data placed the new species in a robustly supported clade with Ektaphelenchoides poinari and Devibursaphelenchus lini.

Fusarium solani f.sp. cucurbitae race 1 is a pathogen on cucurbit plants. In this study genetic diversity among 26 isolates of Fusarium solani f.sp. cucurbitae race 1 was studied using Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism (RFLP) of ITS (Interal Transcribed Spacer) regions and Random Amplified Polymorphic DNAs (RAPD) markers. Outcome of digestion with six restriction enzymes including EcoR I, Rsa I, Bme 181, Msp I, Hae III and Hind III, together with the patterns of restriction fragment length polymorphism of ITS regions divided the isolates into two groups. Deoxy Ribonuckin Acid DNA pattern was obtained for the isolates using 12 random primers and genetic distance between them was calculated and relationships (by cluster analysis) determined. Among the primers used, seven primers showed polymorphism. Genetic distance between isolate pairs ranged from 0.03 to 0.48. Genetic diversity was high (e.g., the isolates were distributed into 10 genetic groups at a similarity percentage of 75). The lowest distance was observed between isolates 50 and 73 and the highest distance observed between isolates 50 and 73 with isolate 102. Restriction fragment length polymorphism results show diversity in ITS regions, without any correlation to geographic origin and RAPD. However, this genomic regions usually have high constancy in species, but in this study diversity was shown in ITS regions even for race 1. The data suggest that taxonomical situation of Foc race 1 probably needs revision.

The Family Pratylenchidae comprises nematodes that are capable of penetrating and feeding on internal root tissues. The list of Pratylenchidae species known from Iran is presented. The updated species list provides information on their morphometrics, referring to full or partial descriptions, associated plants, geographical distribution and references. The list includes 37 species belonging to five genera. Two species of Pratylenchus (P. sensillatus and P. wescolagricus) are new records for the Iranian nematofauna. Some information on these two and other known species is also provided.

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In order to identify plant-parasitic nematodes (family Tylenchidae Örley 1880) associated with Ziziphus zizyphus in Iran, 360 soil and root samples were collected from South Khorasan province during 2012-2014. Herein, a new species of Basiria and several known members of the family Tylenchidae are reported. B. birjandiensis n. sp. is characterized by short body length (584-748 µm [660.6±72.3]), lip region with flat apex, stylet 11-12 µm (11.3±0.5), excretory pore position varying from isthmus level to the middle of the basal bulb (78-91 µm from the anterior end of the body), post-vulval uterine sac 8-14 µm (10.7±1.9) long, filiform tail (151-181 µm, c= 3.7-4.2, c´= 14.3-17.2) and body annuli 0.5-1 µm (0.6±0.1) wide. A checklist of Tylenchidae species from Iran is also presented.