02006nas a2200229   4500008004100000022001300041245016100054210006900215520120500284653002801489653001801517653001401535653002801549653002601577653002501603100001801628700002001646700002101666700002501687700001401712856005001726       2017                        eng d  a1095951300aMolecular characterization and species delimiting of plant-parasitic nematodes of the genus Pratylenchus from the penetrans group (Nematoda: Pratylenchidae)0 aMolecular characterization and species delimiting of plantparasi3 aRoot-lesion nematodes of the genus Pratylenchus are an important pest parasitizing a wide range of vascular plants including several economically important crops. However, morphological diagnosis of the more than 100 species is problematic due to the low number of diagnostic features, high morphological plasticity and incomplete taxonomic descriptions. In order to employ barcoding based diagnostics, a link between morphology and species specific sequences has to be established. In this study, we reconstructed a multi-gene phylogeny of the Penetrans group using nuclear ribosomal and mitochondrial gene sequences. A combination of this phylogenetic framework with molecular species delineation analysis, population genetics, morphometric information and sequences from type location material allowed us to establish the species boundaries within the Penetrans group and as such clarify long-standing controversies about the taxonomic status of P. penetrans, P. fallax and P. convallariae. Our study also reveals a remarkable amount of cryptic biodiversity within the genus Pratylenchus confirming that identification on morphology alone can be inconclusive in this taxonomically confusing genus.10aCryptic species complex10aDNA Barcoding10aphylogeny10aPratylenchus arlingtoni10aRoot-lesion nematodes10aspecies delimitation1 aJanssen, Toon1 aKarssen, Gerrit1 aOrlando, Valeria1 aSubbotin, Sergei, A.1 aBert, Wim  uhttp://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ympev.2017.07.027