Pratylenchus pratensis
(de Man, 1889) Filipjev, 1936
Syn. P. helophilus Seinhorst, 1959;
Tylenchus pratensis deMan, 1880;
Tylenchus gulosus Kuhn, 1890
Aphelenchus neglectus Rensch, 1924;
Anguillulina pratensis Goffart, 1929;

Measurements (from Sher & Allen,1953)
L = 0.37-0.60 mm; a = 22-32; b = 4-6; c = 19-24; V = 80-85; spear = 17-19 um
L = 0.32-0.54 mm; a = 22-31; b = 6; c = 16-20; T = 45-57; spear = 16-19 um

Description (from Sher & Allen, 1953)
    Female: Lip region bears three annules (two striations) slightly set off from body.  Outer margins of sclerotized labial framework extends into body about one body annule.  Spear-guiding appartatus extends posteriorly from basal plate about four body annules.  Spear 17 um long with well-developed broadly rounded knobs.  Dorsal esophageal gland orifice about 2 um behind spear base.  Hemizonid just above excretory pore, about two body annules long.  Ovary not extended to esophageal gland, consisting of single row of oocytes, except for multiple row near anterior end.  Spermatheca or spermatozoa not seen.  Cellular oviduct long, uterus short.  Posterior uterine branch length about twice width of body at vulva.  Tail rounded; striations around terminus.
    Male: Similar to female.  Testis single, outstretched, spermatocytes arranged in a double row most of its length.  Phasmids slightly posterior to middle of tail, slightly extending into bursa.
Type host: Soil from around grass.
Type locality: Sydenham, England



Description (from Seinhorst, 1968)
The type specimen (Loof, 1961) has a small, empty spermatheca situated anterior to the vulva 60 % of the distance between vulva and anus (62-90% in P. helophilus but the 15 um long stylet, the shape of the tail tip and the fairly high lip region with three distinct annules point strongly towards conspecificity with P. helophilus and against that with P. fallax n. sp.  Most females of this species have 23 to 26 annules on the tail, but occasional specimens may have as few as 20.  The distance between the vulva and the center of the full or empty spermatheca is 62% to 90% of that between vulva and anus.  The length of the postvulvar uterine branch is 24% to 33% of the distance between vulva and anus.
 Specimens with an empty spermatheca can be distinguished from similar females of P. fallax, by the shorter stylet and also usually by the forward position of the empty spermatheca.