Trichodorus taylori sp. n. (Nematoda: Dorylaimida) from Italy

Abstract

Since the beginning of the « European Plant Parasitic Nematode Survey», which is concerned with the geographical distribution of virus-vector nematodes and as influenced by abiotic and biotic factors, thousands of samples have been examined from both natural and agricultural biotopes throughout Europe. Many trichodorids have been identified and as a result the distribution of the species belonging to the genera Trichodorus Cobb, 1913 and Paratrichodorus Siddiqi, 1974 is fairly well known. In a sample taken from around the roots of Eastern white pine (Pinus strobus) seedlings in Piedmont (Northern Italy) a Trichodorus population was found and identified as T. aequalis Allen, 1957 (Mancini et al., 1979). Because of the limited distribution of T. aequalis - restricted to U.S.A. (Allen, 1957) and Japan (Shishida, 1979) - the Italian specimens were studied more intensively and additional material was collected. The species appeared to be new and is described below as T. taylori sp. n. The nematodes were killed by gentle heat, fixed in T.A.F. and processed to glycerin by the modified Seinhorst method (De Grisse, 1969).