ID/Diagnostic: Morphological
Morphology, coupled with differential host testing, and biochemical methods (esterase and one malate-dehydrogenase phenotypes) have been used to distinguish M. paranaensis as a separate species (Carneiro et al., 1996; Carneiro et al., 2000; Carneiro et al., 2004; Carneiro and Cofcewicz, 2008).
A combination of methods is recommended, because Sipes et al. (2005) found that esterase phenotypes can be polymorphic in coffee root-knot nematodes.
In Progress / Literature-based Diagnostics:
Molecular:
RAPD markers have been used to confirm species identification and for estimating the genetic diversity among species and isolates (Carneiro et al., 2004).
RAPD makers were identified and transformed into SCAR makers and allow the detection of M. exigua, M. incognita, and M. paranaensis in a multiplex PCR (Randig et al., 2002; Randig et al., 2004; Carneiro et al., 2005).