Males of X iphinema italiae Meyl have been reported from France and Israel (Martelli et al., 1966) and Sardinia, Italy (Prota et al., 1971), but never from the Italian peninsula where this species is widespread in the southern regions (Martelli and Lamberti, 1967; Roca and Lamberti, 1978). A male specimen of the nematode was recently found in each of two populations of X. italiae collected respectively at Portici (Naples), from the rhizosphere of mulberry (Morus alba L.) trees on which it seems to reproduce actively (Fig. 1), and at Avellino, in the rhizosphere of grapevine. The morphometric characters of female specimens belonging to these two populations do not differ from those of other Italian populations (Martelli and Lamberti, 1967) (Tab. 1), but having noticed some differences between males, it has been thought useful to report them (Tab. I), to contribute to the knowledge of the variability of this species.
