Description and Identification of Four Species of Plant-parasitic Nematodes Associated with Forage Legumes

Abstract

Four species of plant parasitic nematodes were present in soil samples planted with forage legumes at Alachua County, Florida, USA. The detected species Belonolaimus longicaudatus, Criconemella ornate, Hoplolaimus galeatus, and Paratrichodorus minor were described in the present study. They belong to orders Rhabditida (Belonolaimus longicaudatus, Criconemella ornate, and Hoplolaimus galeatus) and Triplonchida (Paratrichodorus minor) and to taxonomical families Dolichodoridae (Belonolaimus longicaudatus), Hoplolaimidae (Hoplolaimus galeatus) Criconematidae (Criconemella ornate), and Trichodoridae (Paratrichodorus minor). The identification of the present specimens was based on the classical taxonomy, following morphological and morphometrical characters in the species specific identification keys