Lateral fields marked by 4 to 6 incisures near middle of body, decreasing to 2 near head and 4 at terminus. Lip region low, rounded, with moderate sclerotization. Spear about 14u long without basal knobs or thickenings; often it is difficult to determine the point where the spear base joins the esophageal lumen. Details of head and neck as illustrated. Intestine with narrow lumen, its cells filled with variable-sized granules. Body slightly narrowed ventrally just behind protuberant vulva. Ovary outstretched, oocytes largely in single file. Eggs about 20u x 50u. Posterior uterine branch about as long as body width, collapsed, often difficult to observe in some specimens. Anus continuous with body contour. Four incisures extend almost to terminus. Phasmids practically terminal. Tail bluntly rounded with radial striae. Male unknown and females contained neither sperms nor spermatheca.
Aphelenchus sparsus is distinctive because of the short, rounded tail, 4 to 6 incisures in lateral field and short, collapsed posterior uterine branch.
Holotype female and other specimens indexed under Aphelenchus 2.
Habitat: Dry farm grain fields near Buffalo, South Dakota.