Free-living Nematode Species Research Articles

Bottom-up effects of nematode prey on soil predatory mites (Acari: Mesostigmata)

Pest suppression is one of the desirable functions of a healthy soil. Predatory Mesostigmata soil mites, with their high degree of omnivory, are one of the most remarkable groups performing this beneficial role. Food web bottom-up effects are important for the fitness of these predators, which ultimately affects their potential as biocontrol agents. In below-ground systems, free-living nematodes (FLN) are an important diet for mites, providing essential nutrients such as omega 3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (ω3-LC PUFAs). Here we assess the food quality of nematodes for the maintenance of predator fitness, i.e. development, reproduction and lipid content. We selected two mite species, different in size and morphology, collected from vegetable crops in Israel. Additionally, five species of FLN were isolated from the same fields. Additionally, one plant-parasitic species, common across arable sites in Israel, and maintained on tomato as host, was tested. Depending on species and trophic group, nematodes varied in fatty acid profile, and both mite species generally reflected the fatty acid pattern of their diet. All nematode species were able to produce ω3-LC PUFA de novo, except the bacterial feeder Acrobeloides bodenheimeri, which had the highest proportion of ω6-PUFA. Interestingly, the latter lacking ω3-LC PUFA, was the best diet for both mites. Macrocheles aff. scutatus, a medium-sized mite with a holodorsal shield, fed and developed on all nematodes except the entomophilious Oscheius tipulae. It was able to complete its development feeding on the plant parasitic Meloidogyne incognita, yet the reproduction was almost zero. The smaller and slender Protogamasellopsis zaheri, with a split dorsal shield, developed and reproduced with all nematodes, with M. incognita as an intermediate diet. Our results demonstrate that nematode species vary in their nutritional quality as prey. However, food quality is predator species dependent, likely affecting biocontrol efficacy. Besides ω3-LC PUFA, ω6-PUFA can play an important role in the reproductive and developmental parameters of mesostigmatid mites; yet, other factors such as nematode size and behaviour have to be considered.

Unveiling the meiobenthic community structure of Prydz Bay, Antarctica during austral summer

Meiobenthos are bottom-dwelling aquatic invertebrates having a size range of 63–500 μm. They play a pivotal role in ecosystem functioning, biogeochemical and trophic nutrient cycling. Due to the presence of Antarctic Circumpolar Current and steep gradient in nutrients and temperature, many taxa of the Southern Ocean (SO) show diverse biodiversity patterns in comparison to other deep sea areas of the world. Over the years, several Indian SO Expeditions have been carried out in the Indian sector of SO (ISSO), but this is a pioneer attempt to unveil the meiobenthic community structure and their functional diversity pattern from Prydz Bay (Indian sector of Southern Ocean), Antarctica. Meiobenthic community structures were investigated in eight different sampling sites along with their vertical profiling from the Prydz Bay during the austral summer 2020. Total meiofaunal abundance ranged from 24 to 521 indv. 10 cm-2, with the highest abundance recorded at station 23 and the lowest at station 9. A total of 9 meiobenthic taxa were found from this eco-region, with the highest percentage being the free-living marine nematodes as metazoan taxa. A total of 86 free-living nematode species were identified, where Sabatieria was the most common genus and represented by eleven species. Several univariate and multivariate analyses deciphered a distinct spatial variation in the meiobenthic community structure. Sediment texture and depth were the most significant environmental variables in shaping nematode assemblages. Biological Trait Analysis was performed using a total of 24 traits in 5 categories to unravel the functional diversity of free-living marine nematodes. The most dominant morphotypes were slender body shape, conical tail shape, dotted cuticle pattern, and non-selective deposit feeders with colonizing abilities of 2 (c–p score 2, in a scale from 1 to 5). Maturity Index (MI) and Index of Trophic Diversity (ITD) were highest in stations 15 and 32, respectively. RLQ approach with fourth-corner analysis was used to decipher the relationship between traits and environmental parameters. The RLQ analysis revealed the positive association of non-selective deposit feeder and slender body-shaped nematodes with higher water depth. The characterization of meiobenthic (especially nematode) communities in the context of taxonomic and functional attributes could help to evaluate the ecological status of ISSO. Further long term monitoring is also needed to get a comprehensive idea about their role in benthic ecosystem functioning in the milieu of global climate change.

A New Species of Free-Living Nematode (Enoplida: Enchelidiidae) from the Mangrove Wetlands of China

A new species, Belbolla mangrove sp. nov., isolated from the mangrove wetlands of Fujian and Zhejiang Provinces in China, is described and illustrated. Belbolla mangrove sp. nov. is characterized by a pharynx with four bulbs, a small gubernaculum with a short dorsocaudal apophysis, four weakly developed precloacal supplements, a conico-cylindrical tail with a terminal spinneret, and the absence of terminal setae. This new species differs from B. vietnamica by the absence of ocelli and the blunt and rounded proximal ends of the spicules. The 18S rDNA GenBank accession numbers of B. mangrove sp. nov. are provided.

<i>Hofmaenneria baikalensis</i> sp. n. and <i>Paratrilobus longisomus</i> sp. n. (Nematoda) from Lake Baikal

Illustrated descriptions of two new species of free-living nematodes Hofmaenneria baikalensis sp. n. and Paratrilobus longisomus sp. n. found in the Lake Baikal (Russia) are given. Hofmaenneria baikalensis sp. n. is close to H. keoladeoensis Khan et al., 2005, H. niddensis (Skwarra, 1921) Schneider, 1940 and H. sitnikovae Gagarin, Naumova, 2010. It differs from these three species in a presence of crystals in the body cavity and presence of three oval cardial glands. Paratrilobus longisomus sp. n. is close in the body size to P. expugnator (Tsalolichin, 1976) and P. rapis Gagarin, 1991 but it has a relatively shorter and slenderer tail and presence of subterminal seta at the tail end.

Six new species of free-living nematodes (Nematoda: Enoplida) from deep-sea cold seeps on Hikurangi Margin, New Zealand.

Little is known about the taxonomy of deep-sea nematode species inhabiting cold seep habitats. An opportunity to characterize the nematode species communities of New Zealand cold seeps was provided by a 2019 research voyage to New Zealand's Hikurangi Margin, during which macrofauna cores were obtained at two seeps at approximately 1,250 and 2,000 m water depth. Here, six new species of the orderEnoplida are described. Metacylicolaimus catherinae sp. nov. represents the first record of the genus for the New Zealand Exclusive Economic Zone and for the deep sea globally. Halalaimus talaurinus sp. nov., Thalassoalaimus duoporus sp. nov. and Crenopharynx crassipapilla sp. nov. are only the second species of their respective genera to be described/recorded from New Zealand waters, and Oncholaimus adustus sp. nov. is the eighth species of the genus to be recorded from the region. Rhabdodemania zealandiaensis sp. nov. was among the most abundant and widespread species found at the Hikurangi Margin seep sites. A few specimens had been found in a previous ecological study of meiofaunal nematode communities on Chatham Rise, a submarine ridge south of Hikurangi Margin. It is possible that this species has a preference for seep environments due to elevated food availability, however it does not seem to be exclusively found in seeps. We find no evidence for an affinity between nematode seep communities in New Zealand and elsewhere, which is consistent with the high variability in nematode community observed to date among regions. Ongoing work on the ecology and distribution of nematode communities at the Hikurangi Margin seep sites will help determine spatial patterns in abundance and species distributions in more detail, including the identification of any species/taxa with affinities with seeps.

A new free-living nematode species, Terschellingia didistalamphida sp. nov. (Nematoda: Linhomoeidae), with female intersexuality from West Bengal, India

A new species of free-living soil nematode, Terschellingia didistalamphida sp. nov., is described from paddy field in West Bengal, India. It is characterized by moderate body length (L=1.0–3.5 mm), possesses two amphids, only four cephalic setae. Amphideal fovea distant from the anterior end, stoma small and narrow, pharynx with well-developed terminal bulb. Females with amphidelphic ovaries. Males with paired testes, ventrally arcuate, short and stout spicules, gubernaculum with clearly developed dorso-caudal apophysis. Tail long and filiform, similar in both sexes. Fourteen female intersexes of Terschellingia didistalamphida sp. nov., with a prominent female reproductive structure and a less conspicuous male reproductive system, were found. These female intersexes are with well-developed vulva and prominent spicules, however, lack apophysis. A checklist for known cases of intersex across various nematode orders has been appended.

Synopsis of the genus Greeffiella (Nematoda: Desmoscolecida), with the description of two new species from the Sea of Japan and the Black Sea

The genus Greeffiella Cobb, 1922 includes twelve species inhabiting all oceans of the world. Updated brief and illustrated diagnoses, an identification key and data on the geographical and bathymetrical distribution of all Greeffiella species are given. Two new species are described and illustrated: G. japonica sp. nov. from the Sea of Japan and G. pontica sp. nov. from the Black Sea. The genus is recorded from the Sea of Japan for the first time, and G. japonica sp. nov. completes the list of the free-living nematode species inhabiting the shelf of the Far Eastern seas of Russia. This species is characterised by 70 annules dorsally and 62 ones ventrally, the ocelli located on the annules 19 and 29, somatic setae 11‒25 μm long, six pairs of subdorsal tubular setae on the body, the vulva surrounded by dense fine hair-like setae, located between the annulus 37 and 38, the tubular anus, and the terminal tube 10 μm long. Greeffiella pontica sp. nov. mentioned by the authors in 2021 as Greeffiella sp. was collected in the northwestern shelf of Crimea (the Black Sea) at a depth of 56 m and is characterised by the following characters: 67‒70 annules dorsally and 67‒68 ones ventrally, the absence of ocelli, somatic setae 12‒42 μm long, seven pairs of subdorsal tubular setae on the body, the vulva surrounded by short sparse setae, not visible anus, and the presence of three thin terminal tubes 13 μm long.

Three new species of free-living marine nematodes from the central basin of the South China Sea

ABSTRACT Three new species of free-living nematodes were discovered in the central basin of the South China Sea and are described here as Elzalia longicaudata sp. nov., Minolaimus distalamphidus sp. nov. and Setoplectus minor sp. nov. Elzalia longicaudata sp. nov. is characterised by a longer tail and longer buccal cavity relative to other members of the genus; presence of a circle of four cervical setae; spicules slender and long, which curve as the body bends; and simple gubernaculum with only one section of dorsal apophysis. Minolaimus distalamphidus sp. nov. can be distinguished from congeners by the male having lateral differentiation with six longitudinal rows of large dots; multispiral amphideal fovea with 8.5 turns; pharynx cylindrical without bulb; spicules slightly arcuate; gubernaculum rod-like without apophysis; about 17 sucker-shaped precloacal supplements; and tail conical with long filiform posterior portion. Setoplectus minor sp. nov. differs from its congeners by small body size, anterior third of pharyngeal region attenuated; cephalic setae 2 µm long; amphidial aperture circular or oval; tail elongated conical; male with a single papilliform precloacal supplement. Updated identification keys for species of the three genera are also given. http://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:623BC44A-A07F-420E-AA41-271CF85F64C6

Entomopathogens from agricultural soil and their pathogenicity against the potato leaf miner, Liriomyza huidobrensis (Diptera: Agromyzidae)

ABSTRACT The potato leaf miner, Liriomyza huidobrensis (Diptera: Agromyzidae), is an important economic pest of potatoes across the world, causing substantial damage in most potato-growing areas. The use of local entomopathogens for the control of insect pests has been widely encouraged, coupled with several environmental advantages being contrasted to the effects achieved using chemical pesticides. The current study surveyed potato field soil to determine the presence of entomopathogenic nematode (EPN) and entomopathogenic fungi (EPF) species in the Sandveld region of the Western Cape province. Susceptibility of L. huidobrensis larvae and pupae to the isolated pathogens and other locally sourced isolates was evaluated. The results of the survey indicated the presence of an unknown free-living bacteria feeding insect-associated nematode species of the genus Acrobeloides, the EPN Heterorhabditis zealandica and two EPF species, Metarhizium robertsii and M. majus. All L. huidobrensis pupal (45–57%) and larval stages (52–72%) of the potato leaf miner showed susceptibility to the EPN species tested. Laboratory bioassays showed that the pupal and larval stages was the most susceptible (>72% infection) to Heterorhabditis baujardi. Liriomyza huidobrensis pupal stage showed high pathogenicity to isolates of M. robertsii (10C). Overall, all isolates of M. robertsii showed pupal pathogenicity ranging between 80% and 91%. Metarhizium robertsii outperformed Beauveria bassiana as a biocontrol agent against L. huidobrensis pupae in the laboratory. Results from this study indicate the potential of biologicals as future biocontrol agents in an integrated pest management system for potato production.

Negative effects of free-living nematodes on the populations of Bursaphelenchus xylophilus in dead pine trees

The pine wood nematode (PWN), Bursaphelenchus xylophilus Nickle, is a devastating pathogen of pine forests that has caused significant economic losses and ecological damage in East Asia and Europe. Efficient and environmentally friendly methods for controlling the PWN are limited, and it is therefore necessary to explore alternative management methods. Competition between nematode populations inhibits the growth and development of one competing population. Free-living nematodes (FLNs), which are scavengers, are reported to have biological control potential and may have important value in controlling the PWN. We created a new medium that allows the rapid production of FLNs isolated from dead pine trees and studied interspecies competition. Single-factor and orthogonal tests were utilized to screen the main components of the medium and optimize ratios, respectively. Five species of FLNs were cultured in large numbers in the optimized medium. Quantified FLN/PWN competition was quantified in the laboratory, and its impact was assessed in the field with two inoculation methods. The main components of the medium are pine sawdust, glucose and agar, and the optimal ratio is 30 g/L pine sawdust, 10–20 g/L glucose and 30 g/L agar. Of the five nematode species, JR-3 (Parasitorhabditis sp.) significantly reduced PWN population densities in both the laboratory and field. The PWN population density in the wood samples around the pupal chamber was 2.91 in the experimental group compared to 13.64 in the control group during the same period in the field. This is the first study on interspecies competition between FLNs and the PWN in dead trees. JR-3 increased the rate of PWN population eradication and has the potential to help control pine wilt disease.

Biodiversity and Community Analysis of Plant-Parasitic and Free-Living Nematodes Associated with Maize and Other Rotational Crops from Punjab, Pakistan.

Maize (Zea mays L.) is one of Pakistan’s essential staple food crops. Plant-parasitic nematodes (PPNs) are a significant restraint in maize production. However, free-living nematodes (FLNs) provide crucial ecological functions such as suppressing pests and nutrient mineralization. This study aimed to assess the community analysis of plant-parasitic and free-living nematodes associated with maize and other rotational crops (those cultivated in sequence with the maize in the same field) from Punjab, Pakistan. The occurrence percentage was observed per 500 g soil for each nematode genus. The present study revealed that 24 species of plant-parasitic and free-living nematodes were identified from maize crops and other rotational crops from 16 localities through Punjab, Pakistan. Nematode communities were analyzed by absolute frequency, relative frequency, relative density, and prominence value, while cluster analysis was based on the presence or absence of nematode in different localities. The overall proportion of plant-parasitic nematodes was 35%, while free-living soil nematodes recovered 65%, out of 210 samples of maize and other rotational crops. Several major genera of plant-parasitic nematodes were reported during the present study viz., Ditylenchus, Filenchus, Helicotylenchus, Hemicriconemoides, Heterodera, Hoplolaimus, Malenchus, Pratylenchus, Psilenchus, Rotylenchulus, Seinura, Telotylenchus, Tylenchorhynchus, and Xiphinema Community relationship revealed the overall dominance of Heterodera zeae, with the highest incidence (55.71%) followed by Tylenchorhynchus elegans (33.33%) and Helicotylenchus certus (24.76%). The results provide valuable information on the community structure of nematodes in maize and other rotational crops of maize in Punjab, Pakistan. Moreover, this data can be used as a preventive measure before PPN incidence results in greater losses on maize.

New free-living nematode species and records (Chromadorea: Plectida and Desmodorida) from the edge and axis of Kermadec Trench, Southwest Pacific Ocean.

One new nematode species is described and two new species records are provided from the edge (6,080 m depth) and axis (7,132 m) of Kermadec Trench, Southwest Pacific. Leptolaimus hadalis sp. nov. is characterised by medium body 587–741 μm long, labial region not offset from body contour, inconspicuous labial sensilla, amphid located 12–19 μm from anterior end, female without supplements, male with four tubular precloacal supplements (alveolar supplements absent), tubular supplements almost straight with dentate tip, arcuate spicules and weakly cuticularized dorsal gubernacular apophyses strongly bent distally. In a previously published ecological survey of Kermadec Trench, L. hadalis sp. nov. was the most abundant species in a core obtained at 8,079 m water depth and third most abundant species in a core obtained at 7,132 m, while only one individual was found at 6,096 m depth, and none at 9,175 m depth (Leduc & Rowden, 2018). Alaimella aff. cincta and Desmodora aff. pilosa are recorded for the first time from the Southwest Pacific region. Prior to the present study, Alaimella had only been recorded from coastal locations and from the Weddell sea to a depth of 2,000 m. The record of Desmodora aff. pilosa at 6,080 m depth is the deepest record of a Desmodora species to date, although unidentified Desmodora specimens have been found as deep as 6,300 m in the South Sandwich Trench. The morphology of the Kermadec Trench Alaimella aff. cincta and Desmodora aff. pilosa specimens bear a strong resemblance to their respective type populations from the Northern Hemisphere, but further morphological and molecular data are required to ascertain whether they in fact represent distinct species.

Nicotiana benthamiana seeds tolerate hyperaccelerations up to 400,000 x g

Exposure to hypergravity can alter the viability, morphology, development and behavior of living beings. Thus, the analysis of these factors is essential when considering life on supermassive planets, as well as in 'ballistic panspermia' scenarios related to the ejection of rocks from the surface of a planet, which could serve as transfer vehicles to spread the life between planets within a solar system. Studies analyzing the effects of hypergravity regimes are abundant in the literature, however, only a few researches carried out experiments using conditions of the order of 105 x g. In addition, the only plant species tested so far, as an entire structure instead of detached parts, exposed to gravity stress of this order of magnitude in its entirety was Oryza sativa, whose seeds were able to germinate after being exposed to 450,000 x g. Recently, our research group demonstrated that some free-living nematode species can support 400,000 x g. In the present study, we report that seeds of the plant model Nicotiana benthamiana exposed to 400,000 x g for 1h are able to germinate into fully normal young seedlings, with no apparent morphological alterations. Since N. benthamiana is used in laboratories worldwide and an easy to cultivate plant model, theoretical and experimental models of lithopanspermia and life in supermassive planets may benefit from it.

Establishing the baselines of Diplolaimella dievengatensis (Nematoda: Monhysteridae) for life-history experiments

Biological data about nematode populations are generally very scarce. Once species are isolated and cultivated in laboratories, they are used in experimental assays without deeper prior knowledge of their life-history characteristics. Hence, in this study, we aimed to determine the life history and population characteristics, as well as to evaluate the morphometric and molecular aspects (18S rDNA) of a free-living estuarine nematode species Diplolaimella dievengatensis. This species was isolated from an estuary in Southeastern Brazil and cultivated in the laboratory under conditions similar to its local environment. The obtained data was compared with specimens from Belgium and Pakistan that were available in the literature. For the Pakistani strain, only morphometric parameters were available. The intrinsic rate of natural increase (individuals per day−1) was slightly higher for the Brazilian population (rm = 0.41 ind/day) than for the Belgium population (rm = 0.348 ind/day), probably due the higher generation time (14 days) of the Belgium population when compared to the Brazilian individuals (10.3 days). Brazilian population showed a linear and continuous pattern of somatic growth, different from the exponential growth reported for the Belgium population. The analysis of morphometric data of D. dievengatensis individuals from the three distinct locations (Brazil, Belgium and Pakistan) showed large variability. The multivariate analysis showed that the Brazilian specimens were isometrically larger than Pakistani and Belgian ones. Nevertheless the morphometric variables used for the diagnosis, such as a and c rates, overlapped among them. Molecular comparison of the 18S sequence showed more than 99% similarity of the Brazilian specimens with the Belgium sequences from the Genbank. Acknowledging such intraspecific variability across the different dimensions may help to understand distinct responses of the population in nature.

Influence of Asclepias syriaca on soil nematode communities

Abstract The main goal of this study was to evaluate the impact of the invasive common milkweed (Asclepias syriaca L.) on soil nematode communities. The research was carried out in 2018 and 2019 in an ecosystem of permanent grassland in the basin of the Laborec River in land registries of Drahňov, a Vojany village in southeastern Slovakia. The ecosystem contained a total of 64 species of free-living and parasitic nematodes. The most prevalent trophic groups were bacterial feeders (Acrobeloides nanus), followed by plant parasites (Helicotylenchus digonicus and Pratylenchus pratensis), fungal feeders (Aphelenchus avenae), and omnivores (Eudorylaimus carteri). The number of nematode species, the composition of trophic groups and the structure of communities in areas with invasive plants were similar to those in areas with native vegetation during the two years of observation.

Effects of temperature and interspecific competition on population fitness of free-living marine nematodes

Global average temperature, frequency of temperature extremes and amplitude of daily fluctuations are all expected to change under prospected scenarios of climate change. The amplitudes of temperature variation and the ability of species to tolerate thermal stress are crucial for species fitness and survival in rapidly changing environments. Small differences in the life histories of species or in their responses to environmental variation can differentiate their niche and support coexistence; hence, even small changes in environmental conditions may not only affect the fitness of individual species, but also the outcome of species interactions. In the present experiments, the free-living nematode species Halomonhystera disjuncta is used as a model organism to investigate physiological and behavioural responses to environmental change in an ecological context of species interactions. We examine population fitness and food-taxis behaviour of H. disjuncta under different temperature regimes in the presence and absence of a competing species. Both stressors – temperature and competition – affected life-history traits and population development of the model species in different ways; the nematode populations exhibited higher fitness under a daily fluctuating temperature regime, but a lower fitness under an increased constant temperature. The presence of a competing species had a negative effect on its population fitness and food-finding behaviour at all temperature regimes, yet the most pronounced effects of competition were observed at the highest temperatures, suggesting that interspecific interactions such as competition may weaken a species’ intrinsic tolerance to environmental change. Thermal stress thus not only affects species fitness but also species interactions, which in turn will likely have repercussions for species coexistence.

Description of Two New Species of Free-Living Nematodes (Nematoda) from Vietnam

An illustrated description of two free-living nematode species—Leptolaimoides brevicaudatus sp. n. and Paramonhystera affinis sp. n.—from the water bodies of Vietnam is presented. L. brevicaudatus is similar to L. thermastris (Lorenzen, 1966); L. gangioensis Hoang Lai-Phu et al., 2009; and L. asiaticus Gagarin, Nguyen Vu Thanh, 2005 in regards to body size, but differs from these species by a shorter and less slender body, longer spicules, and the absence of precloacal supplements in males. Paramonhystera affinis sp. n. is morphologically similar to P. parabutschlii (Timm, 1961) and P. levicula (Lorenzen, 1972), but it has shorter and sparse somatic setae, six outer labial setae (versus four outer labial setae in both compared species), and shorter spicules.

Distribution of Root-Lesion and Stunt Nematodes, and Their Relationship with Soil Properties and Nematode Fauna in Sugarcane Fields in Okinawa, Japan

Sugarcane cultivation in Japan has not yet focused on suppressing plant-parasitic nematodes. For proper nematode management, it is essential to know the spatial distribution of economically important plant-parasitic nematodes and free-living nematodes that play important roles in terrestrial ecosystems. We aimed to reveal nematode fauna and soil properties in 85 sugarcane fields of three major sugarcane producing islands in Japan, and to examine their relationship by using the mixed-effect model and by visualizing the spatial distributions using the inverse distance weighting (IDW) approach. The nematode community structures were analyzed by non-metric multidimensional scaling (NMDS). Among plant-parasitic nematodes in sugarcane, the root-lesion nematodes (Pratylenchus sp.) and the stunt nematodes (Tylenchorhynchus sp.) were widely distributed in these islands, yet the abundance and the species varied geospatially. Soil pH was significantly correlated with the abundance of Pratylenchus and Tylenchorhynchus species. The abundance of Pratylenchus and Tylenchorhynchus species were significantly correlated with soil pH. The abundance of Pratylenchus was significantly correlated with the abundance of free-living nematodes, the number of free-living nematode species, and exchangeable cation K+, as were the abundance of Tylenchorhynchus to the clay content and that of non-Tylenchorhynchus. This study also revealed that the three islands had different nematode faunas, which were explained especially by soil pH, texture, and exchangeable basic cations.

New records of free-living nematode species from Mount Ararat, Turkey, with SEM study of three remarkable species

This paper presents a study of free-living nematodes (excepting Dorylaimida) from Mount Ararat, Turkey. A total of 25 species are recorded, which belong to the orders Enoplida (one species), Triplonchida (2), Chromadorida (1), Monhysterida (2), Plectida (4) and Rhabditida (18). Nine of them are new for the Turkish fauna: Acrobeles andalusicus, A. ciliatus, Acrolobus longigubernaculum, Cervidellus vexilliger, Chiloplacus trilineatus, C. bisexualis, Panagrolaimus rigidus, Propanagrolaimus hygrophilus, and Teratocephalus terrestris. Three species, namely A. longigubernaculum, C. vexilliger and T. auriculatus, are re-described, including morphological and morphometrical data, and SEM study. The altitudinal distribution of the species is also provided.

DNA Barcoding of Nematodes Using the MinION

Many nematode species are parasitic and threaten the health of plants and animals, including humans, on a global scale. Advances in DNA sequencing techniques have allowed for the rapid and accurate identification of many organisms including nematodes. However, the steps taken from sample collection in the field to molecular analysis and identification can take many days and depend on access to both immovable equipment and a specialized laboratory. Here, we present a protocol to genetically identify nematodes using 18S SSU rRNA sequencing using the MinION, a portable third generation sequencer, and proof that it is possible to perform all the molecular preparations on a fully portable molecular biology lab – the Bentolab. We show that both parasitic and free-living nematode species (Anisakis simplex, Panagrellus redivivus, Turbatrix aceti, and Caenorhabditis elegans) can be identified with a 96–100% accuracy compared to Sanger sequencing, requiring only 10–15 min of sequencing. This protocol is an essential first step toward genetically identifying nematodes in the field from complex natural environments (such as feces, soil, or marine sediments). This increased accessibility could in turn improve global information of nematode presence and distribution, aiding near-real-time global biomonitoring.