Aphelenchoidid nematodes associated with two dominant Ficus species in Aceh, Indonesia

Abstract

Aphelenchoidid nematodes associated with the syconia of two dominant fig species,Ficus hispidaandF. racemosa, were surveyed in Banda Aceh, Indonesia. Nematodes were isolated from sycones and pollinating wasps of these two fig species from four localities in the area, and identified based on the molecular sequences of two genetic loci, D2-D3 expansion segments of large subunit ribosomal RNA (D2-D3 LSU) and mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit I (mtCOI). Molecular sequences of D2-D3 LSU and mtCOI were successfully determined for 44 and 19 individual nematodes, respectively, and these sequences were separated into four clades,i.e., types A-D of D2-D3 LSU and types I-IV of mtCOI. Phylogenetic analysis of the DNA sequences deposited in the GenBank database showed that the DNA sequences corresponded to three species, namely,Martininema baculum(type B/II),Ficophagus fleckeri(types A/I, D/IV) andF. cf.centerae(type C/III). Within these species,F. fleckeriwas separated into two clades as suggested in previous studies and thus it may possibly reflect the existence of two different taxa,F. fleckeriand a cryptic species. The IndonesianF. cf.centeraewas monophyletic with, but clearly separated from, the Chinese population ofF. centeraeand thus the Indonesian population is potentially an undescribed species. Overall, the species composition of fig-associated aphelenchoidids in the Aceh region seemed intermediate between continental Chinese and Australian species. However, further material collections followed by detailed morphological analyses are necessary to characterise or describe these fig-associated aphelenchoidids in Indonesia.