Genus of roundworms
Hoplolaimus is a genus of nematodes known commonly as lance nematodes.[1] They are parasites of plants, and three species are pests of agricultural crops.[2]
These nematodes are usually about 1 to 1.5 millimeters long;[1] some reach 2 millimeters.[2] They have large stylets with knobs shaped like anchors or tulips. The male has winglike folds around its tail, and the female has a short, rounded tail.[1] Some species are amphimictic, with male and female individuals that reproduce sexually, while others are parthenogenetic, with females producing offspring without fertilization.[2]
The genus includes ectoparasites, endoparasites, and semi-endoparasites.[2] They feed on plant roots, some feeding externally, some burying only their heads in the roots, and some entering the roots to feed.[1]
Damage can be manifested in the sloughing of the root cortices.[1] The main agricultural pest species are H. columbus, H. galeatus, and H. magnistylus.[2] H. columbus infects such crops as cotton, soybean, and corn. H. galeatus can be found in many crops, as well as many species of pine trees and grasses.[3]
There are 29 described species in genus Hoplolaimus.[2]
Species include:[4]
References
- ^ a b c d e Hoplolaimus. Nemaplex. University of California, Davis.
- ^ a b c d e f Bae, C. H., et al. (2008). Molecular Analysis of the lance nematode, Hoplolaimus spp., using the first internal transcribed spacer and the D1-D3 expansion segments of 28S ribosomal DNA. Journal of Nematology 40(3), 201-09.
- ^ Hoplolaimus Host Range. Nemaplex. University of California, Davis.
- ^ Handoo, Z. A. and A. M. Golden. (1992). A key and diagnostic compendium to the species of the genus Hoplolaimus Daday, 1905 (Nematoda: Hoplolaimidae). Journal of Nematology 24(1), 45-53.
