Mononchoides Macrospiculum N. Sp. (nematoda: Neodiplogastridae) and Teratorhabditis Synpapillata Sudhaus, 1985 (nematoda: Rhabditidae): Nematode Associates of Rhynchophorus Ferrugineus (oliver) (coleoptera: Curculionidae) in Italy

Several juvenile and adult nematodes were isolated after dissection of pupae and adults of the red palm weevil,Rhynchophorus ferrugineus, recovered from an infestedPhoenix canariensisChabaud exemplar in Bari, Italy. Two species of nematodes were recovered,Teratorhabditis synpapillataandMononchoides macrospiculumn. sp. which is described herein. The mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I (COI), the ITS-containing region, the 18S rRNA gene (SSU) and the D2-D3 expansion domains of the 28S rRNA gene (LSU) were amplified and sequenced. The new species,M. macrospiculumn. sp., is described at morphological and molecular level. Phylogenetic analyses using SSU and LSU sequences placedM. macrospiculumn. sp. together withM. composticolaandM. striatus. The sequences of the Italian population ofT. synpapillataare identical to those ofT. synpapillatafrom Japan. This is the first report on the association ofM. macrospiculumn. sp. andT. synpapillatawith the red palm weevil in Europe.