An updated checklist of meloidogyne Göldi, 1887 species, with a diagnostic compendium for second-stage juveniles and males

The cosmopolitan root-knot nematodes of the genus Meloidogyne are considered as the most important plant-parasitic nematodes damaging almost all higher plant species. This paper provides an updated checklist of 105 valid species of Meloidogyne, along with their synonyms and non-valid members. Furthermore, species are grouped based upon their diagnostic characteristics of second-stage juveniles (tail shape, tail length, stylet length and dorsal gland orifice (DGO) distance from stylet base) and males (number of lateral incisures, stylet length, DGO and spicules length).