Molecular characterization of six Longidorus species from Switzerland with the description of Longidorus helveticus sp.n. (Nematoda:Dorylaimida)

Six species of Longidorus were found during a survey of longidorid nematodes carried out during 1996-2000 in fruit orchards in Switzerland. They are L. elongatus (De Man) Thorne et Swanger; L. macroosoma Hooper; L. profundom?77H ooper; L. raskii Lamberti et Agostinelli; L. arthensis Brown, Gruncler, Hooper, Klingler et Kunz and L. helveticus sp.n. L. helveticus is a bisexual species characterized by body length of ca. 8 mm, odontostyle of ca. 135 pm, hemi-elliptical lip region, continuous with the rest of the body, amphidial pouches not lobed, equally developed female geniti1 branches and bluntly rounded tail. The first juvenile stage has a digitate tail. L helveticus resembles L. macrosoma, L. poessneckensis Altherr, L picenus Roca, Lamberti et Agostinelli and L nevesi Macara. The six species are characterized by superoxide dismutase and esterase isozymes and by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) of amplified ITS.