Female curved ventrally when killed. Lip-region with
two annules. Posterior edge of cephalic frame-work strongly sclerotized
extending posteriorly into body for about three annules. Spear knobs
flattened. Excretory pore located in level with oesophago-intestinal
junction. Lateral field with four incisures. Ovary single,
anteriorly outstretched with single row of oocytes; Spermatheca oval with
sperms; post uterine sac over two anal-body-widths long. Tail conoid
with rounded terminus bearing 16 (16-18 annules in paratypes), tail tip
annulated. Phasmids located twelve annules posterior to tail terminus.
Male: Slenderer than the female. Head comparatively
more high than the female. Excretory pore located slightly anterior
to the oesophago-intestinal junction. Testis outstretched with spermatosites
arranged in single row towards proximal end while double in the distal
part. Spicules arcuate; bursa caudal, crenate. Phasmid located
in posterior third of tail.
Holotype: Female on Type Slide No. 547 deposited
with the National Nematode Collection, Division of Nematology, Indian Agricultural
Research Institute, New Dehli-12.
Paratypes: 4 females and one male on Slide No. 548-551.
Other data same as for holotype.
Type habitat and locality: From soil around roots
of Rose at Lucknow, U.P.
Diagnosis and relationship: Pratylenchus similis
sp. n. comes close to P. flakkensis Seinhorst, 1968 from which
it differs by having a shorter spear, (spear 17 u in P. flakkensis),
lesser number of tail annules (18-24 for P. flakkensis) and
a longer posterior uterine sac, (post uterine sac slightly over one anal
body width in P. flakkensis).
Specimens collected from soil about the roots of sorghum at Jadid
have been identified as P. similis.