The 75 valid species of the genus Bursaphelenchus are listed together with their synonyms. Diagnostic characters and their states are discussed and illustrated. Tabular and traditional text keys are provided for the genus. Two new subspecies are proposed to distinguish populations of B. piniperdae and B. poligraphi, as described by Rühm (1956), from the original descriptions of these species published by Fuchs (1937). Known records of Bursaphelenchus species with their associated natural vectors, plants and plant families are given. Dendrograms of species relationships (UPGMA, standard distance: mean character difference) based on combined taxonomic characters and also on spicule characters only, are provided. Discussion as to whether the species groups are natural or artificial (and therefore purely diagnostic) is based on their relationships in the dendrogram and the vector and associated plant ranges of the species. Of the six species groups distinguished, two appear to represent natural assemblages, these being the xylophilus-group (with ten species) and the hunti-group (seven species), of which two, B. cocophilus and B. dongguanensis, form the cocophilus-cluster which is separated on the dendrogram from the main clusters. The remaining four species groups appear to be artificial and purely diagnostic in function, namely the aberrans-group (four species); the eidmanni-group (six species); the borealis-group (five species), and the piniperdae-group (43 species). Two new subspecies, both in the piniperdae-group, viz. B. piniperdae ruehmpiniperdae n. subsp. and B. poligraphi ruehmpoligraphi n. subsp., are proposed and diagnosed from B. piniperdae piniperdae and B. poligraphi poligraphi the respective type subspecies. Bursaphelenchus dongguanensis is regarded as being a valid member of the genus and its transfer to Parasitaphelenchus is rejected.

The RFLP technique was used to establish a reliable diagnostic method for 18 Pratylenchus species: Pratylenchus agilis, P. bolivianus, P. brachyurus, P. coffeae, P. crenatus, P. fallax, P. goodeyi, P. loosi, P. mediterraneus, P. neglectus, P. penetrans, P. pratensis, P. pseudocoffeae, P. scribneri, P. subranjani, P. thornei, P. vulnus and P. zeae. The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplified the ITS regions from all species and populations examined and revealed large differences in length, ranging in size from approximately 900 to 1250 bp. The rDNA fragments were digested with five restriction enzymes (CfoI, DdeI, HindIII, HpaII, and PstI). All Pratylenchus species can be differentiated from each other by a combination of at least two enzymes. CfoI differentiated all nematode species with the exception of P. fallax, P. penetrans and P. pseudocoffeae. P. fallax was further separated by a DdeI restriction, and P. pseudocoffeae by a PstI digestion. Intraspecific RFLP were observed. Upon CfoI, DdeI, HindIII, or HpaII digestion, it was possible to separate the three P. coffeae populations studied from each other. La technique RFLP a été utilisée pour créer une méthode fiable de diagnostic pour 18 espèces de Pratylenchus: Pratylenchus agilis, P. bolivianus, P. brachyurus, P. coffeae, P. crenatus, P. fallax, P. goodeyi, P. loosi, P. mediterraneus, P. neglectus, P. penetrans, P. pratensis, P. pseudocoffeae, P. scribneri, P. subranjani, P. thornei, P. vulnus et P. zeae. La réaction de polymérisation en chaîne (PCR) a amplifié les régions de l’ITS pour toutes les espèces et populations étudiées et a mis en évidence de grandes différences dans la taille des gammes de longueur, de 900 à 1250 bp approximativement. Les fragments de rDNA ont été digérés à l’aide de cinq enzymes de restriction (CfoI, DdeI, HindIII, HpaII, and PstI). Toutes les espèces de Pratylenchus ont pu être différenciées les unes des autres par une combinaison d’au moins deux enzymes. CfoI a différencié toutes les espèces à l’exception de P. fallax, P. penetrans et P. pseudocoffeae. P. fallax a été ultérieurement séparé par une restriction DdeI, et P. pseudocoffeae par une digestion PstI. Des RFLP intraspécifiques ont été observés. Par les digestions CfoI, DdeI, HindIII, ou HpaII, il s’est révélé possible de séparer les unes des autres les trois populations étudiées de P. coffeae.

Reliable taxonomy underpins communication in all of biology, not least nature conservation and sustainable use of ecosystem resources. The flexibility of taxonomic interpretations, however, presents a serious challenge for end-users of taxonomic concepts. Users need standardised and continuously harmonised taxonomic reference systems, as well as high-quality and complete taxonomic data sets, but these are generally lacking for non-specialists. The solution is in dynamic, expertly curated web-based taxonomic tools. The Pan-European Species-directories Infrastructure (PESI) worked to solve this key issue by providing a taxonomic e-infrastructure for Europe. It strengthened the relevant social (expertise) and information (standards, data and technical) capacities of five major community networks on taxonomic indexing in Europe, which is essential for proper biodiversity assessment and monitoring activities. The key objectives of PESI were: 1) standardisation in taxonomic reference systems, 2) enhancement of the quality and completeness of taxonomic data sets and 3) creation of integrated access to taxonomic information. This paper describes the results of PESI and its future prospects, including the involvement in major European biodiversity informatics initiatives and programs.

The new simple technique of hot fixation and a method for processing a mass quantity of nematodes to prepare nematode collection slides for taxonomic and ecological purposes, combined with an abrupt reduction of the set of procedures caused by the ‘‘cocktail’’ principle (a stratification of layers with a gradient of glycerol concentrations), are described.

A new species,Bursaphelenchus ulmophilussp. n., from thehofmannigroup is described morphologically and molecularly. This nematode species was found associated with Dutch elm disease ofUlmusglabrain parks of St Petersburg, Russia, and is vectored by adults and larvae of the bark beetlesScolytusmultistriatusandS. scolytus.Bursaphelenchus ulmophilussp. n. is characterised by the following features: body length 600-850 μm, stylet 12-14 μm long with base slightly and smoothly expanded, but lacking knobs, median bulb almost spherical in female and slightly ovoid in male, pharyngeal gland lobe dorsal, 4-5 body diam. long. This species has an oval spermatheca filled with spherical nucleic sperm 4-5 μm diam. Female post-uterine sacca0.5 of the vulva-anus distance andca3 vulval body diam. long, female tail reflexed, strongly hooked ventrally with a digitate or conically rounded tip. The male has seven caudal papillae arranged as 1 + 2 + 2 + 2, P1 is unpaired, anterior to cloacal opening, paired P2 at cloacal aperture, paired P3 and paired pore-like ‘gland papilla’ P4 at the lateral edges of the bursa which has the posterior border rounded to truncate. Phylogenetic analyses of the D2-D3 of 28S rRNA, partial 18S rRNA and ITS rRNA gene sequences revealed thatB. ulmophilussp. n. formed a clade with species of thehofmannigroup and shared close relationships withB. hofmanniandB. pinasteri.