First report of a bacteriovorus nematode, Diploscapter coronatus (Cobb, 1893) Cobb, 1913 (Rhabditida: Diploscapteridae), in Korea

Diploscapter coronatus (Cobb, 1893) Cobb, 1913 was first reported on oriental melon (Cucumis melovars. makuwa Makino) roots from plastic film houses, Gyeongsangbuk-do, Andong, Korea (latitude N36°33ʹ. longitude E128°29ʹ). Diploscapter coronatus is most similar to D. pachys. Species in the genus Diploscapter have a visibly annulated cuticle. The stoma of D. coronatus is 1.5 times longer than the lip region width. The pharyngeal corpus is clearly separated from the isthmus and the vulva is situated around the mid-body. However, it differed by higher ratio of “a”, filiform tail and had relatively blunt labial hooks. The Korean population is well matched and within the range of D. coronatus as described from Iran and Ethiopia in de Man’s of L, b, c, cʹ, and V. Female length, however, varied between populations: the Ethiopia population female length is longer than in the Korea population (396.4 vs 427.0) while females in the Iran population are smaller than in the Korea population (396.4 vs 350.0). Nematode size may vary due to environmental conditions such as food sources. The position of excretory pores in the Korean population were shorter 53.9-72.5 than in other populations (67-82 and 70-89). Males were uncommon. Males in the Korean population are smaller than females but larger (356.0) than males in the Indian population (306.0). KCI Citation Count: 0