Ebrahim Shokoohi

Study of some mononchids (Mononchida) from Iran with a compendium of the genus Anatonchus

During a survey of soil nematodes in Iran, some known species belonging to the order Mononchida were recovered: Anatonchus tridentatus, Clarkus papillatus, Miconchus studeri, Mononchus aquaticus, Mononchus pulcher, Mononchus truncatus, Mylonchulus brachyuris, Mylonchulus lacustris and Mylonchulus sigmaturus. Mylonchulus lacustris is a new geographical record from Iran. Measurements and illustrations are provided for all species. Canonical discriminant functions analysis revealed that 96.8% of the original grouped cases (Mylonchulus species) are classified correctly. A molecular study of the 18S rDNA region of A. tridentatus places this population beside other A. tridentatus populations. BlastN search results revealed that the Iranian population of A. tridentatus differs from populations from the Netherlands (AY284768; 93% identity) and Belgium (AJ966474; 96% identity) in 46 and 29 nucleotides, respectively. Phylogenetic analysis indicates that Anatonchus is a monophyletic taxon. Phylogenetic position and morphometrics of this species are presented. A compendium and a new proposed key for the species of the genus Anatonchus are given as well.

Studies on Ironus Bastian, 1865 (Enoplida: Ironidae) from Iran with a comment on its phylogenetic position

During a survey on the soil nematodes from Kerman province, three species of Ironus, i.e., I. andamanus, I. elegans and I. ignavus, were isolated from natural areas in Kerman province (Iran). Descriptions, measurements and illustrations are provided for all three species. Furthermore, sequence data of the 18S rDNA gene are provided for I. andamanus and I. elegans. The Blast search results of I. andamanus showed six nucleotide differences with I. longicaudatus (FJ040495) from The Netherlands. Molecular analysis of I. elegans set this population apart from other species of Ironus, although I. elegans is closer to an undescribed Ironus (FJ040496) from The Netherlands. These are the first data of 18S rDNA for I. andamanus and I. elegans. Phylogenetic relationships with other related species of Ironus and closely related genera available in GenBank are discussed.

New data on Heterorhabditis bacteriophora Poinar, 1976 from south eastern Iran

During a survey on the entomopathogenic nematodes from Kerman province of Iran, three new populations of Heterorhabditis bacteriophora were recovered from natural areas. Description, measurement and illustration are provided for these isolates. Molecular analysis on ITS sequence of new isolates of H. bacteriophora set these populations close to a population from South Africa (EU700310). H. bacteriophora and H. georgiana formed a monophyletic group. This is the first data of ITS rDNA of H. bacteriophora from south eastern Iran (Kerman province). Analysis of Iranian H. bacteriophora showed that Kerman isolates place close to Mashhad isolates.

New isolate of Mononchoides composticola Steel, Moens, Scholaert, Boshoff, Houthoofd & Bert, 2011 (Nematoda: Neodiplogasteridae) from Iran

Mononchoides composticola was isolated during a survey on free living nematodes from vermicompost in Iran. This population of M. composticola is characterised by a dorsal claw-like tooth; 7-9 µm long and 3-5 µm wide, 14-15 finely visible longitudinal ridges on the cuticle, in which each ridge comprises two lines, long spicules (39-45 μm long), a short gubernaculum (15-17 µm or less than half of the spicule length), two pairs of precloacal papillae, five pairs of postcloacal papillae, papillae (v3) comprising three small papillae, and a long filiform tail (418-654 μm in females, 382-455 μm in males). Molecular analysis of M. composticola based on sequence of the 18S rDNA placed it close to M. composticola (GU943511; GU943512; from Belgium) and M. striatus (AY593924; from The Netherlands) in a well supported clade (1.00 posterior probability). Measurements, illustrations, LM and SEM pictures, and the phylogenetic position of M. composticola are given.

Distribution, morphology, seasonal dynamics, and molecular characterization of Tylenchulus semipenetrans from citrus orchards in southern Iran

Abstract Tylenchulus semipenetrans was identified morphologically from root samples collected from citrus orchards in Shahdad region, southeastern Iran. The number of juveniles and females averaged 648/100 g soil and 65/10 g root, respectively, in infected samples. Monitoring these orchards for two years (2012-2013) indicated no significant correlation between soil pH (7.21-7.70) and EC (0.56-1.98) values and populations densities of T. semipenetrans. With respect to seasonal distribution, T. semipenetrans attained the highest density during fall and the lowest in spring. Sequence analysis of the D2-D3 segment of 28S rDNA confirmed this population as T. semipenetrans. Nblast indicates that the sequence from this population differs in only three or five nucleotides from corresponding sequences from T. semipenetrans populations from Korea (FJ969715, FJ060713, and FJ969712), with 99% identity. The phylogenetic position and a table of measurements of this species are provided.

Tylenchulus semipenetrans (Nematoda: Tylenchulidae) on pomegranate in Iran

Tylenchulus semipenetrans was identified morphologically from root samples collected from a pomegranate plant in a garden in the Shahdad region of southeastern Iran. Molecular analysis based on the D2-D3 segment of 28S rDNA confirmed this population as T. semipenetrans. Phylogenetic analysis using the Maximum Likelihood (ML) method, places this population close to the same species from the USA, Egypt and Korea. This is the first record of T. semipenetrans on pomegranate in Iran and worldwide.

Study of the genus Plectus Bastian, 1865 (Nematoda: Plectidae) from Iran

Three species of Plectus Bastian, 1865 viz., P. aquatilis and P. pusillus from Kerman province and P. velox from Alborz province, Iran are described and illustrated. Partial sequences of 18S region of ribosomal DNA gene were amplified for P. aquatilis and P. pusillus. The Blast results of population of P. aquatilis from Iran showed 8–10 nucleotides differences with populations of the same species (AF036602; GQ892827; AY284700) reported from the UK, Belgium and The Netherlands, respectively. Whereas Iranian population of P. pusillus showed 14–16 nucleotides differences with P. cf. pusillus (AY284705; AY284704) reported from The Netherlands. Molecular analysis revealed close relationship of the Iranian plectids with P. cf. parvus (AY284699) reported from The Netherlands. Phylogenetic relationships with other related species in the genus Plectus and closely related genera that are available in the GenBank are given.

Molecular and morphological characterization of Pristionchus pacificus (Nematoda: Rhabditida: Neodiplogastridae), a new record of an entomophilic nematode from Iran

During a survey of entomopathogenic nematodes from the Mashhad region, in northeastern Iran, an entomophilic nematode was isolated using the Galleria trap method. Morphological characterization showed that this isolate belongs to the family Neodiplogastridae. Detailed morphological and morphometric characterization including SEM data fit with Pristionchus pacificus Sommer, Carta, Kim et Sternberg, 1996, representing the first record of this genus and species from Iran. Iranian specimens of P. pacificus FUM 5 are characterized by the body length (0.69–0.83 mm), the stoma (6–10 μm) bearing a dorsal tooth and a conical elongated tail (146–220 μm). Molecular analyses using 18S and ITS rDNA genes further support this identification. Measurements, illustrations, and SEM photographs of the Iranian isolate are provided and the phylogenetic position of the species is discussed.