NOTES ON TAXONOMY AND BIOLOGY: Female M. ardenensis have an oval cuticular perineal pattern with a high squared dorsal arch as that of M. incognita. Characteristic fringes of striae are present in the inner lateral line region. The separation of this species from M. incognita is difficult. This root-knot nematode has sedentary endoparasitic habits. Second-stage juveniles (J2) in the soil penetrate host roots where they establish a specialized feeding site (giant cells) in the stele. As J2 develop, they cause root swellings and become swollen females. Females rupture root cortex and some time protrude with the egg masses from the root surface. J2 emerge from the egg masses and migrate in the soil (Santos, 1967).

GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION: This European root-knot nematode is present in Britain, Germany and the Netherlands (Southey, 1993).

HOSTS: Ash (Fraxinus excelsior), astilbes (Astilbes sp.), dogwood (Cornus sp.), elder (Sambucus sp.), honeysuckle (Lonicera sp.), hornbeam (Carpinus sp.), ligustrum (Ligustrum sp.), liverleaf (Hepatica angulosa), oak (Quercus sp.), periwinkle (Vinca minor), and saxifrage (Saxifraga cortusifolia) are the only known hosts of this species.

CROP LOSSES: The adverse economic effect of this root-knot nematode on the host plants listed above has not been demonstrated (Southery, 1993).

MEANS OF MOVEMENT AND DISPERSAL:  Through root material, soil debris and by infected bare root propagative plant material.

RATING: (VL) Taking into consideration the limited information on the economic damage caused by this nematodeatode and the low chances of its introduction into the US, the risk posed by this root-knot nematode to the United States is rated very low.

REFERENCES:
    Santos, M.S.N.de A. 1967. Meloidogyne ardenesis n. sp.(Nematoda: Heteroderidae), a new British species of root-knot nematode. Nematologica 13:593-598.
    Southey, J. F. 1993. Nematode pests of ornamental and bulb crops. Pp.463-500 in K. Evans, D. L. Trudgill, and J. M. Webster eds. Plant parasitic nematodes in temperate agriculture. Wallingford, UK: CAB International.