The enlargement of the xylophilus group in the genus bursaphelenchus

Abstract

The xylophilus group of the genus Bursaphelenchus can be clearly distinguished from other species of the genus by the presence of four lateral lines, the presence of a vulval flap in females, a characteristic shape of the male spicules and the arrangement of the seven caudal papillae. The identification of the species within this group was previously mainly based on the female tail shape. The description of new xylophilus group species complicates their identification. Whereas the widely distributed species B. xylophilus, B. fraudulentus, B. mucronatus and B. kolymensishave been known for a long time, five other species of the xylophilus group have been described since 2000: B. conicaudatus, B. luxuriosae, B. doui, B. singaporensisand B. baujardi. They were mainly detected in East Asia and South East Asia. This seems to indicate that this region has a special enrichment of species in this group of the genus Bursaphelenchus. The morphological characters of the xylophilus group species are shown and their differentiation is depicted. An identification key of the nine species of the xylophilus group known so far is presented. Recording of a mucronate strain of B. xylophilus in packaging wood brings up a new uncertainty in morphological identification. B. kolymensis is considered to be the European type of B. mucronatus. This assumption is supported by morphological studies and former genetic results. © 2008 Springer Science+Business Media B.V.