Description of Aphelenchoides acacia n. sp. and Aphelenchoides naurangiensis n. sp. (Nematoda: Aphelenchoididae) with Observation on Aphelenchoides saprophilus Franklin, 1957 from District Lakki Marwat, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan

Two new species belonging to genus Aphelenchoides viz Aphelenchoides acacia n. sp. retrieved from soil sample of kikar (Acacia nilotica L.), ber (Ziziphus muritiana L.) and paper flower (Bougainvillea spectabilis L.) and Aphelenchoides naurangiensis n. sp. recovered from soil samples of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), thoroughly described and illustrated from District Lakki Marwat, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. The new species namely Aphelenchoides acacia n. sp. belongs to the Group 2 of Aphelenchoides Species Sensu Shahina is characterized by small body length 358-496 μm; cephalic region non offset from the body. Cuticle weakly annulated, approximately 1μm apart in mid body region with transverse striae. Lateral field with four incisures; stylet 11-13 μm long having small basal thickening at the base; tail ventrally curved J-shaped; terminus with very tiny smooth mucro (1μm). Aphelenchoides naurangiensis n. sp. belongs to Group 1 of Aphelenchoides species and is characterized by small body length 406-492 μm; cephalic region clearly offset from rest of the body; cuticles finely annulated approximately 1μm apart. The lateral field with four incisures; stylet short 09-10 μm long having clear basal knobs at its base; tail subcylindrical, conoid with a rounded terminus. In addition, morphometrics and morphological details are given for Aphelenchoides saprophilus which is the first record for Pakistani nematode fauna.