Biodiversity of entomopathogenic nematodes in Italy.

An investigation was carried out on the distribution and biodiversity of steinernematid and heterorhabdtid entomopathogenic nematodes (EPN) in nine regions of Italy in the period 1990-2010. More than 2000 samples were collected from 580 localities and 133 of them yielded EPN specimens. A mapping of EPN distribution in Italy showed 133 indigenous EPN strains belonging to 12 species: 43 isolates of Heterorhabditis bacteriophora, 1 of H. downesi, 1 of H. megidis, 51 of Steinernema feltiae, 12 of S. affine, 4 of S. kraussei, 8 of S. apuliae, 5 of S. ichnusae, 3 of S. carpocapsae, 1 of S. vulcanicum, 3 of Steinernema 'isolate S.sp.MY7' of 'S. intermedium group' and 1 of S. arenarium. Steinernematids are more widespread than heterorhabditids and S. feltiae and H. bacteriophora are the most commonly encountered species. Sampling sites were grouped into 11 habitats: uncultivated land, orchard, field, sea coast, pinewood, broadleaf wood, grasslands, river and lake borders, caves, salt pan and moist zones; the soil texture of each site was defined and the preferences of habitat and soil texture of each species was assessed. Except for the two dominant species, S. feltiae and H. bacteriophora, EPN occurrence tends to be correlated with a specific vegetation habitat. Steinernema kraussei, H. downesi and H. megidis were collected only in Sicily and three of the species recently described - S. apuliae, S. ichnusae and S. vulcanicum - are known only from Italy and seem to be endemic.

Morphological and molecular characterization of Paractinolaimus sahandi n. sp. (Nematoda: Actinolaimidae) from the Sahand Mountains in Iran.

Paractinolaimus sahandi n. sp., found in wet soil samples collected from the rhizosphere of grasses of Sahand Mountains, Iran, is described. This new species is characterized by its long body (3.5-4.7 mm), high a value (74.5-88.5), anterior location of posterior subventral nuclei, occupying 62.5-68.0% of glandularium distance, the presence of 1-4 pre- and 1-3 post-vulval papillae and numerous tiny, not innervated papillae in front and behind the vulva in the outer layer of cuticle; common functional males in the population, with 62.5-81.3 µm long spicules and 15-17 ventromedian supplements. The new species, which is the only one in the genus showing the advulval cuticular tiny papillae and is unusually slender, is compared to four species of Paractinolaimus, namely P. macrolaimus, P. longidrilus, P. spanithelus and P. rafiqi. The ribosomal 18S rDNA (1246 bp sequenced) and 28S rDNA D2/D3 region (844 bp sequenced) of P. sahandi n. sp. were sequenced for molecular characterization. Sequences of the 18S and 28S D2/D3 of P. sahandi n. sp. have distinct differences from those of the only sequenced P. macrolaimus, with 6 bp differences in 18S and 38 bp differences and five gaps in 28S. This is the first report of the occurrence of members of Actinolaimidae in Iran.