A new cyst nematode, Punctodera achalensis n. sp., was collected from the rhizosphere soil and roots of an endemic grass, Poa stuckertii (Poaceae), in high-elevation grasslands in Pampa de Achala area (Córdoba province, Argentina). The new species is characterised by having brown spherical or subspherical cysts and subcuticular punctations over the entire body, circular vulval and anal fenestrae of similar size, and small and scattered bullae in the terminal area. Second-stage juvenile (J2) is filiform, with a well-developed stylet, anteriorly slightly concave basal knobs, pharynx occupying about 39% of total body length, tail tapering to a pointed terminus, and hyaline portion about 63% of the tail length. Morphology of P. achalensis n. sp. resembles the five known species of the genus. It differs from the other species by having a shorter J2 mean stylet length (22 μm vs. 24–28 μm) and tail length (57 μm vs. 62–88 μm). Phylogenetic relationships, inferred from ITS and 28S rDNA sequences using Bayesian Inference method, showed that P. achalensis n. sp. occupies a basal position within Punctodera species. An identification key to the six nominal species is included. This is the first record of the genus in South America, even in the Southern Hemisphere.

一种新的胞囊线虫，Punctodera achalensis n。属，是从一个地方性草的根际土壤和根收集，早熟stuckertii（禾本科），在潘帕德Achala区高海拔草原（科尔多瓦省，阿根廷）。新种的特点是全身有褐色球形或近球形囊肿和皮下点状突起，圆形外阴和肛门窗孔大小相近，终末区有小而散在的大疱。第二阶段幼鱼（J2）呈丝状，管心发达，基部前突略凹，咽部约占全身长度的 39%，尾部逐渐变细至尖的末端，透明部分约占尾长的 63% . P.achalensis的形态学n. sp. 类似于该属的五个已知物种。它与其他物种的不同之处在于具有较短的 J2 平均管心针长度（22 μm对24-28 μm）和尾长（57 μm对62-88 μm）。使用贝叶斯推理方法从 ITS 和 28S rDNA 序列推断的系统发育关系表明P. achalensis n. sp. 在Punctodera物种中占据基础位置。包括六个名义物种的识别码。这是该属在南美洲乃至南半球的第一个记录。