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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Beltsville, Maryland (BARC) » Beltsville Agricultural Research Center » Mycology and Nematology Genetic Diversity and Biology Laboratory » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #299509
Title: A Trichodorus (Triplonchida: Trichodoridae) nematode from thrips (Thysanoptera: Panchaetothripinae)

Author
item Carta, Lynn
item Skantar, Andrea

Submitted to: Journal of Nematology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 9/30/2014
Publication Date: 10/1/2014
Publication URL: http://handle.nal.usda.gov/10113/60979
Citation: Carta, L.K., Skantar, A.M. 2014. A Trichodorus (Triplonchida: Trichodoridae) nematode from thrips (Thysanoptera: Panchaetothripinae). Journal of Nematology. 46(3):302-308.

Interpretive Summary: Plant parasitic nematodes are microscopic worms that cause eight billion dollars of crop damage each year in the United States. One problem is their tiny size makes their detection difficult in unexpected habitats, and their species identification often requires extensive microscopic anatomical observation and DNA profiling. Therefore, this paper provides a morphological and molecular description of a new species of nematode related to other species that carry plant-damaging viruses. The results are significant because this new nematode is the first one among its species group that is not found in the soil, but on a type of insect that may also carry plant viruses. This information will be used by other researchers studying nematode life cycles and virus transmission, and by scientists who identify pathogens in plant disease diagnostic labs.

Technical Abstract: A thrips insect Caliothrips sp. (Thysanoptera: Panchaetothripinae) from persimmon fruit (Ebenaceae: Diospyros sp.) from an unknown origin, possibly Asia, was intercepted in a passenger bag in November 2012 at the Peace Arch Border Crossing from Surrey, British Columbia to Blaine, Washington by an APHIS-PPQ port inspector. Nematodes were attached to the abdomen of the female insect and sent to us in saline and DMSO. Seven nematodes (5 females, 2 males) were found and 3 females and 2 males were processed for permanent slides. An adult female and a female juvenile were prepared for PCR. Morphologically, these nematodes belonged to the Trichodorus sparsus group, and the 28S rDNA sequence showed greatest similarity (94%) to Trichodorus paragiennensis. Among other morphological differences, the innermost uterus width was not as narrow as in related species. Trichodorus spp. are normally found in soil, so this is the first population seen in the atypical habitat of an insect. Morphological and molecular characteristics of Trichodorus carlsoni, n. sp. are presented. Ecological associations are also discussed.