A Blind-Identification Test on Criconema annuliferum (de Man, 1921) Micoletzky, 1925 Species Complex Corroborate the Hyper-Cryptic Species Diversity Using Integrative Taxonomy

Ring nematodes are obligate ectoparasites on crops and natural herbaceous and woody plants, and some species are of economic importance and cause damage to roots of several crops. Recent integrative taxonomical analyses recognized the existence of two cryptic species within the morphotype in Spain. In this study, we corroborated that morphometric, morphological and a multi-locus analysis (including the ribosomal markers D2-D3 expansion segments of 28S rRNA, ITS rRNA, 18S RNA, and the mitochondrial DNA cytochrome oxidase I gene) identified a new lineage clearly separated from , and . The new lineage was described herein as sp. nov., confirming that species complex species complex comprises a hyper-cryptic species complex. This research analysed soil samples from the rhizosphere of maritime pine ( Ait.) forests in Bermeja-Crestellina Mountain, located at the western part of Málaga province, southern Spain. The integrative taxonomical analyses revealed the occurrence of a new cryptic species identified using females, males and juveniles with detailed morphology, morphometry and molecular markers, described herein as sp. nov. All molecular markers (D2-D3, ITS, 18S and COI) were obtained from the same individual that was also used for morphological and morphometric analyses. This research demonstrated the hidden diversity within the species complex species complex can reach to four lineages under ribosomal and mitochondrial gene markers for one morphospecies group, which includes four species, viz. , , , and sp. nov. sp. nov. was detected in moderate soil density in two maritime pine forests (5 and 25 nematodes/500 cm of soil) suggesting that does not cause damage to maritime pine.