Pratylenchus penetrans

Pratylenchus penetrans (Cobb, 1917) Filipjev & Schuurmans Stekhoven, 1941 is one of the most well-known members within the genus Pratylenchus Filpjev, 1936. This mobile endoparasite is recorded world-wide but particularly wide spread in the temperate zone of the Northern Hemisphere. It is an important pest of many crops and ornamentals. Morphologically it belongs to a group of close related species, all with 3 lip annuli, a rounded spermatheca, four lateral lines and a rounded smooth tail tip. Males are common in P. penetrans and it reproduces sexually. 

More pictures of Pratylenchus penetrans:

Pratylenchus penetrans: female body
Pratylenchus penetrans: female body

Pratylenchus penetrans: anterior region with head, stylet and metacorpus
Pratylenchus penetrans: anterior region with head, stylet and metacorpus

Pratylenchus penetrans: anterior region with head, stylet and metacorpus
Pratylenchus penetrans: anterior region with head, stylet and metacorpus

Pratylenchus penetrans: ovary with spermatheca, vulva and short post uterine sac
Pratylenchus penetrans: ovary with spermatheca, vulva and short post uterine sac
Pratylenchus penetrans: posterior pharynx with pharyngeal glands ventrally overlapping the intestine
Pratylenchus penetrans: posterior pharynx with pharyngeal glands ventrally overlapping the intestine

Pratylenchus penetrans: ovary with filled spermatheca
Pratylenchus penetrans: ovary with filled spermatheca

Pratylenchus penetrans: lateral lines at mid body
Pratylenchus penetrans: lateral lines at mid body
Pratylenchus penetrans: posterior body with tail and rounded smooth tail tip
Pratylenchus penetrans: posterior body with tail and rounded smooth tail tip
Pratylenchus penetrans: posterior body with tail and rounded smooth tail tip
Pratylenchus penetrans: posterior body with tail and rounded smooth tail tip
Pratylenchus penetrans: posterior body with tail and rounded smooth tail tip
Pratylenchus penetrans: posterior body with tail and rounded smooth tail tip

(Click on the pictures for an enlargement, © Wageningen University & Research, Laboratory of Nematology/Pictures: Hanny van Megen)