On the track of Bursaphelenchus pinophilus Brzeski and Baujard, 1997 (Nematoda: Aphelenchoididae) in Portugal

Abstract

This is the first report and characterization of Bursaphelenchus pinophilus in Portugal. This species was isolated from a young dying Pinus pinaster tree located in Valverde, in the Alentejo region. Nematodes were identified using several morphological diagnostic characters for this species (male spicule structure, number of lateral incisures, number and distribution of the male papillae, presence of female vulval flap and female tail shape) and confirmed using RFLP analysis of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) regions of ribosomal DNA.