First Record of the Cyst Nematode Punctodera cf. stonei Brzeski, 1998 (Nematoda, Heteroderidae) in New Zealand

Punctodera cf. stonei Brzeski, 1998 cysts were detected in soil samples collected from 10 sites in Southland, New Zealand, between February 2024 and September 2026. Only cysts and second‐stage juveniles (J2) were examined. Cysts were oval‐shaped with vulval protuberance absent; circumfenestrate with scattered to distinct bullae around fenestrae. J2 specimens exhibited robust, slightly concave stylet knobs and a long, tapering tail with a rounded terminus. Molecular characterisation was performed by sequencing 18S, ITS and D2–D3 expansion segments of 28S rRNA and COI genes, and by subsequent phylogenetic analysis for COI and ITS. Morphological and morphometric characters were most consistent with published descriptions of P. stonei , while molecular analyses showed varying relationships to available Punctodera reference sequences. Based on an integrative assessment of morphological, morphometric, molecular data and the cropping history of the area, the Southland population has been identified as Punctodera cf. stonei . This represents the first confirmed record of the genus Punctodera in New Zealand, extending the known geographic distribution of Punctodera cf. stonei to include Oceania and the Southern Hemisphere.