Molecular characterization of six Longidorus species from Switzerland with the description of Longidorus helveticus sp. n. (Nematoda, Dorylaimida)

Abstract

Six species of Longidorus were found during a survey of longidorid nematodes carried out during 1996-2000 in fruit orchards in Switzerland. They are L. eZongatus (De Man) Thorne et Swanger; L. macrosoma Hooper; L. profundorum Hooper; L. raskii Lamberti et Agostinelli; L. artbensis Brown, Grunder, Hooper, Klingler et Kunz and L. beZueticus sp.n. L. belueticus is a bisexual species characterized by body length of ca. 8 mm, odontostyle of ca. 135 pm, hemi-elliptical lip region, continuous with the rest of the body, amphidial pouches not lobed, equally developed female genital branches and bluntly rounded tail. The first juvenile stage has a digitate tail. L. beZueticus resembles L. macrosoma, L. poessneckensis Altherr, L. pice nus Roca, Lamberti et Agostinelli and L. neuesi Macara. The six species are characterized by superoxide dismutase and esterase isozymes and by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) of amplified ITS.