''Paratrichodorus'' is a genus of terrestrial root feeding (stubby-root)

nematode The nematodes ( or grc-gre, Νηματώδη; la, Nematoda) or roundworms constitute the phylum Nematoda (also called Nemathelminthes), with plant- parasitic nematodes also known as eelworms. They are a diverse animal phylum inhabiting a bro ...

s in the Trichodoridae

family Family (from la, familia) is a group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its members and of society. Idea ...

(trichorids), being one of five genera.Order Triplochida: Paratrichodorus
Nemaplex: Nematode-Plant Expert Information System. University of California, Davis. Version October 9, 2012. They are economically important plant parasites and virus vectors. The females are didelphic (two genital tracts), and are distributed worldwide.

Taxonomy

Historically, '' Trichodorus'' formed the only genus in the Trichodoridae family. Then ''Trichodorus'' was split into two genera in 1974 by Siddiqi, ''Trichodorus'' and ''Paratrichodorus''. The genus, which is the second largest in the family consists of 34 species. Siddiqi based the separation on the position of the gland nuclei and the type of pharyngo-intestinal junction.

Subdivision

Using the same characteristics as those establishing the genus, Siddiqi described three subgenera, ''Paratrichodorus'', ''Atlantadorus'' and ''Nanidorus'', but Decraemer did not support the validity of this.Decraemer, W. 1980. Systematics of the Trichodoridae (Nematoda) with keys to their species. Revue. Nematol. 3(1): 81-99.
/ref> While the latter approach has not been accepted by some authorities, Siddiqi elevated them to genus status in 1980, an approach that few other authors have followed, but maintained by that author, and now receiving some support from modern molecular approaches to

taxonomy Taxonomy is the practice and science of categorization or classification. A taxonomy (or taxonomical classification) is a scheme of classification, especially a hierarchical classification, in which things are organized into groups or types. ...

. At least in the case of ''Nanidorus'',

phylogenetic analysis In biology, phylogenetics (; from Greek φυλή/ φῦλον [] "tribe, clan, race", and wikt:γενετικός, γενετικός [] "origin, source, birth") is the study of the evolutionary history and relationships among or within groups o ...

has supported its recognition as a separate genus, although clustering with ''Trichodorus'' rather than its parent ''Paratrichodorus''.

Plant pathology

Trichorids became of interest in 1951.CHRISTIE, J. R. & PERRY, V. G. (1951). Removing nematodes from soil. Proc. helm. Soc. Wasb. 18: 106-108. At that time ''Trichodorus christie'' (=''

Paratrichodorus minor ''Paratrichodorus minor'' is a species of nematode in the family Trichodoridae, the stubby-root nematodes.Crow, W. T''Paratrichodorus minor''.EENY-339. University of Florida, IFAS. 2004. It occurs in tropical and subtropical regions of the worl ...

'') was recognised as a pest of crops in Florida.

References

Bibliography

* * *De Ley, P & Blaxter, M 2004, 'A new system for Nematoda: combining morphological characters with molecular trees, and translating clades into ranks and taxa'. in R Cook & DJ Hunt (eds), Nematology Monographs and Perspectives. vol. 2, E.J. Brill, Leiden, pp. 633–653. *
DECRAEMER, W. & BAUJARD, P., 1998. Additions and corrections to: Decraemer: The Family Trichodoridae. Fundamental and Applied Nematology 21 (2): 207-212.
* * * * Enoplea genera {{Enoplea-stub