Author(s):
Penas, Ana Catarina 
; Bravo, Maria Antónia ; Valadas, Vera ; Mota, Manuel
Date: 2007
Persistent ID: http://hdl.handle.net/10174/6703
Origin: Repositório Científico da Universidade de Évora
Subject(s): Bursaphelenchus spp; B. xylophilus; ITS-RFLP; morphometrics; Pinus pinaster
Description
Detailed studies on Bursaphelenchus xylophilus are provided in this contribution. Comparative observations
between field and cultured populations of this species demonstrated significant size differences: cultured specimens
overall displayed larger size in all morphometric parameters. A principal component analysis (PCA) of the individuals
undergoing moulting allowed their separation in four groups namely J2-J3, J3-J4, J4F-F, and J4M-M; gonad length mean values
of these four groups made possible to distinguish the non-moulting groups J2, J3, J4F, J4M and adults. Seven Bursaphelenchus
species (B. hellenicus, B. leoni, B. pinasteri, B. sexdentati, B. teratospicularis, B. tusciae and B. xylophilus), associated with Pinus
pinaster in Portugal, were charaterized, including biometrical measurements and ratios as well excised spicules observed
under SEM; furthermore, B. hellenicus, B. pinasteri, B. sexdentati, B. tusciae and B. xylophilus were characterised on the
basis of their ITS-RFLP profiles. B. sexdentati and B. xylophilus were the only species found in high numbers in some of
the samples.
