Morphological Characteristics and Molecular Analysis of Newly Recorded Longidorus moesicus Lamberti, Choleva & Agostinelli, 1983 (Dorylaimida: Longidoridae) From Türkiye

Objective: This study was conducted to determine the morphological, morphometric, and molecular characteristics of Longidorus moesicus, which was first recorded in Türkiye. Materials and Methods: A nematode survey was conducted in rose cultivation greenhouses in 2017 in Yalova province, Türkiye. Nematodes were extracted from soil samples using Cobb's sieve method and centrifugal flotation technique. Morphological characters and morphometric measurements were used to identify the obtained nematodes. Additionally, identification was confirmed by molecular analyses of the 28S rRNA gene D2/D3 expansion region sequences. Results: Needle nematodes in the genus Longidorus (Micoletzky, 1922) include many ectoparasitic nematode species that transmit nepoviruses as well as causing damage by direct feeding on root cells. A Longidorus species was found in the examined soils. Conclusion: To our knowledge, this is the first report of Longidorus moesicus Lamberti, Choleva & Agostinelli, 1983 in Türkiye.