Laimaphelenchus

Laimaphelenchus	Contents	Rev 19-09-2023
	Classification	Biology and Ecology
	Morphology and Anatomy	Life Cycle
Return to Laimaphelenchus Menu		Ecosystem Functions and Services
	Distribution	Management
Return to Aphelenchoididae Menu	Feeding	References
	Go to Nemaplex Main Menu	Go To Dictionary of Terminology

Classification:

Chromadorea
Tylenchida
Aphelenchina
Aphelenchoidea
Aphelenchoididae; Bursaphelenchinae
: Laimaphelenchus Fuchs, 1937

Morphology and Anatomy:

Genus originally characterized by having four fringed tuberculate processes on the tail tip, or just one tubercle and/or lacking tubercles on the tail tip of both sexes (Hunt, 2008).
Redefined as having four pedunculate tubercles with fringed margins or with a raspberry-shaped appendage on the tail tip
The possible presence of a vulval flap (Kanzaki and Giblin-Davis,2012).
Species fall into two groups based on presence or absence of a vulval flap. However, the vulval flap grouping does not appear to have phylogenetic significance (Fang et al., 2020).

Males: Males have paired spicules with prominent disc expansions (rostrum) at distal end.
Male tail with 3 pairs of caudal papillae.
Caudal alae and gubernaculum absent.

Caudal papillae occur throughout the Aphelenchina.

Anterior region

Lip region rounded and offset; stylet with or without knobs.

Excretory pore opening usually about two body diameters behind the median bulb.

This nematode is often associated with green algae on tree bark. Note the green intestinal contents of female on right.

Female:

Anterior lip of vulva usually forming a flap over the vulva.

Gonad with spermatheca and long postuterine sac.

Female:

Female tail has four tubercules.

Photographs of Laimaphelenchus sp from Pinus radiata, El Dorado County, California (Howard Ferris, UC Davis and Paulo Vieira, University of Evora).

Body size range for the species of this genus in the database - Click:

Members of the genus are reported from Antarctica, Argentina, Australia, Europe, India, North America, South Africa and the Middle East (Fang et al., 2020).. A few species are associated with bark beetles (Hunt, 1993)...

Frequently found in moss, algae and tree bark.

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Feeding:

Apparently on fungi and moss associated with pine bark although Nickle (1970) indicated that the genus is predaceous. However, most species are considered to be fungal-feeding and usually found iassociated with moss, algae, and lichens on conifers and dead trees. Some species are also found in the galleries of bark beetle larvae (Fang et al/, 2020); Hunt, 1993)

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Biology and Ecology:

Laimaphelenchus spp. are not considered pathogens of pine trees. However the specimens above were from bark of trees exuding resin (see photographs below).


Photographs of the trunk of Monterey Pine (P. radiata) exuding resin - El Dorado County, California. Laimaphelenchus sp. was extracted from samples of bark.

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Life Cycle:

For Ecophysiological Parameters for this genus, click

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Ecosystem Functions and Services:

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Management:

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References:

Afshar, S.J., Rashidifard, M., Abolafia, J., Zouhar, M., Fourie, H., Pedram, M. 2021.Laimaphelenchus africanus n. sp. (Tylenchomorpha: Aphelenchoididae) from South Africa, a morphological and molecular phylogenetic study, with an update to the diagnostics of the genus. J. Nematology, 53: DOI: 10.21307/jofnem-2021-053

Baujard, P. 1981. Revue taxonomique du genre Laimaphelenchus Fuchs, 1937 et description de Laimaphelenchus pini n. sp. Revue de Nematologie 4:75-92.

Bongers, T. 1994. De Nematoden Van Nederland.

Braasch, H. & H. Schmutzenhofer (2000) Bursaphelenchus abietinus sp. n. (Nematoda:Parasitaphelenchidae) associated with fir bark beetles (Pityokteines spp.) from declining silver fir trees in Austria. Russian Journal of Nematology 8, 1-6.

Davies, K.A. & R.M. Giblin-Davis (2004) The biology and associations of Fergusobia (Nematoda) from the Melaleuca leucadendra complex in Queensland and New South Wales, with descriptions of new species. Invertebrate Systematics 18, 291-319.

Doucet. M.E. 1992. A new species of the genus Laimaphelenchus, Fuchs 1937 (Nemata: Aphelenchina). Fundamental and Applied Nematology 15:1-6.

Elmiligy, I. and E. Geraert. 1972. Laimaphelenchus deconincki n. sp. (Nematoda: Tylenchida). Biol. Jaarb. Konink. Natuur. Genoot. 39:145-149.

Fang, Y., M. Maria, A. Sanchez-Monge and J. Gu. 2002. Phylogeny and redescription of Laimaphelenchus pannocaudus Massey, 1966 (Rhabditida: Aphelenchoididae) intercepted from Canadian Picea glauca. Nematology 22:199-212.

Gu, J., M. Maria, Y. Fang, X. Chen, L. Liu. 2020. Molecular and morphological characterisation of Laimaphelenchus spiflatus n. sp. (Nematoda: Aphelenchoididae) from China. Nematology 22:843-853.

Hunt, D.J. 1993. Aphelenchida, Longidoridae and Trichodoridae: Their Systematics and Bionomics. (University Press, Cambridge).

Hunt, D. J. 2008. A checklist of the Aphelenchoidea (Nematoda: Tylenchina). Journal of Nematode Morphology and Systematics 10:99ï¿½135

Kanzaki, N. and Giblin-Davis, R. 2012. ï¿½Aphelenchoideaï¿½, In Manzanilla-Lopez, R. and MarbanMendoza, N. (Eds), Practical Plant Nematology Biblioteca Basica de Agricultura, Guadalajara, Mexico, pp. 161ï¿½208.

Massey, C.L. 1966. The nematode parasites and associates of Dendrocyonus adjunctus (Coleoptera: Scolytidae) in New Mexico. Annals. Entom. Soc. America. 59:424-440.

Massey, C.L. 1974. Biology and taxonomy of nematode parasites and associates of bark beetles in the United States. Agric. Handb. USDA 446:233p.

Nickle, W.R. 1970. A Taxonomic Review of the Genera of the Aphelenchoidea (Fuchs, 1937) Thorne, 1949 (Nematoda: Tylenchida) . J. Nematology 2:375-392.

Peneva, V. & N. Chipev (1999) Laimaphelenchus helicosoma (Maslen, 1979) n. comb. (Nematoda: Aphelenchida) from the Livingston Island (the Antarctic). Bulgarian Antarctic Research: Life Science 2, 57-61.

Steiner, G. & E. Buhrer (1934) Aphelenchoides xylophilus, n. sp., a nematode associated with blue-stain and other fungi in timber. Journal of Agricultural Research 48, 949-951.

Sutherland, J.R. & J.M. Webster (1993) Nematode Pests of Forest Trees. (CAB International, Wallingford, UK.

Swart, A. (1997) Description of Laimaphelenchus patulus sp. n. (Nematoda: Aphelenchoididae) from Pinus pinaster Ait. South Africa. African Plant Protection 3, 23-28.

Zhao, Z.Q., Davies, K.A., Riley, I.T. and Nobbs, J.M. 2006. Laimaphelenchus preissii sp. nov. (Nematoda: Aphelenchina) from native pine Callitris preissii in South Australia. Transactions of the Royal Society of S. Aust. 130, 10-16.