title: Molecular and morphological characterization of Veleshkinema iranicum n. gen., n. sp. (Nematoda: Hexatylina, Sphaerularioidea) from Iran.
abstract: Veleshkinema  iranicum n. gen., n. sp. is described and illustrated based on morphological, morphometric and molecular characters. The new genus is characterized by having slender females and males, stylet with asymmetrical knobs, dorsal gland orifice just posterior to subventral knob, lip region with flattened apex and eight sectors, pharynx with a non-muscular and non-valvular median bulb, pharyngeal glands slightly overlapping intestine dorsally, visible cellular cardia, female with a single gonad having a quadricolumellate crustaformeria with 8-10 cells in each column, no postvulval uterine sac and rounded and offset spermatheca containing spheroid sperm cells, males with arcuate tylenchoid spicules and subterminal bursa. The new genus is morphologically compared with four genera: Abursanema, Deladenus, Prothallonema and Sphaerularia. Molecular phylogenetic studies of the new genus using 808 bp partial sequences of SSU ribosomal RNA gene placed the new genus in a clade with Sphaerularia spp. In phylogenetic analyses using 756 bp partial sequences of the 28S ribosomal RNA gene (D2-D3 segments), the new genus formed a monophyletic group with Abursanema iranicum and Sphaerularia spp.
authors.affiliation: Department of Plant Protection, College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Tehran, Karaj, Iran; Email: unknown.
authors.forename: Esmaeil
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Miraeiz
authors.affiliation: Department of Plant Protection, College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Tehran, Karaj, Iran; Email: rheydari@ut.ac.ir.
authors.forename: Ramin
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Heydari
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Biología Animal, Biología Vegetal y Ecología; Universidad de Jaén, Campus "Las Lagunillas" s/n, Edificio B3, 23071- Jaén, Spain; Email: unknown.
authors.forename: Sergio
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Álvarez-Ortega
authors.affiliation: Department of Plant Pathology, Faculty of Agriculture, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran; Email: majid.pedram@modares.ac.ir.
authors.forename: Majid
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pedram
authors.affiliation: Department of Plant Pathology, Faculty of Agriculture, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran; Email: unknown.
authors.forename: Mohammad Reza
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Atighi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D007492:Iran; D008297:Male; D010802:Phylogeny; D017187:Tylenchida / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics