A DESCRIPTION OF XIPHINEMA MADEIRENSE SP. N. AND THE OCCURRENCE AND VIRUS VECTOR POTENTIAL OF X. DIVERSICAUDATUM (NEMATODA: DORYLAIMIDA) FROM SANTAN, MADEIRA

Abstract

Xiphinema madeirense sp. n. is described from specimens collected from the rhizosphere of Laurus nobilis L. from Queimadas, Santana, in the north of Madeira. The species is a putative member of the X. americanum-group and is distinguished from other species of the group by its relatively long body length (2.2mm), long odontostyle length (105µm), slightly posterior vulva, expanded and offset lip region and elongate, conoid tail with pointed terminus. It is distinguished from several North American X. americanum-group species by having four juvenile stages. X. madeirense is most similar to X. californicum Lamberti et Bleve-Zacheo, 1979, X. fortuitum Roca, Lamberti et Agostinelli, 1987 and X. pachtaicum (Tulaganov, 1938) Kirjanova, 1951. X. diversicaudatum recovered from a vineyard in Santana, Madeira were not naturally associated with any nematode transmitted virus. However, in the laboratory they acquired and transmitted arabis mosaic nepovirus but were relatively inefficient vectors.