Pristionchus Pacificus

This book focuses on Pristionchus pacificus and the progress of developing this nematode as model to combine evolutionary biology with mechanistic approaches in comparative biology. Integrating developmental, ecology and population genetics can foster the understanding of biological diversity and novelty.

This book is the first complete illustrated compendium of root-knot nematode species from the genus Meloidogyne including 97 species descriptions with comprehensive diagnoses, information on biology, plant-hosts, pathogenicity, symptoms, distribution and biochemical and molecular diagnostics.

"Abstract: The model organism Pristionchus pacificus and the genus Pristionchus, Kreis, 1932 have been intensively studied in the last decade with contemporary work focusing on the development, evolution, ecology, behavior, neurobiology, and genomics of this group of organisms. In particular, mechanistic studies on the development and evolution of mouth-form plasticity, predation and associated self-recognition processes enabled unique insight into life history strategies and the evolution of novelty. These studies include a comparative research agenda making use of the 39 available species of Pristionchus, all of which can be studied in living cultures. Sampling efforts revealed that Asia represents a biodiversity hotspot for Pristionchus worms. However, previous samplings have a bias towards northern and island areas, largely for logistic reasons. Here, we report on two extensive sampling trips to the Yunnan and Shaanxi provinces in Mainland China. We report the isolation of nine new Pristionchus species by morphology, morphometrics, mating experiments and genome-wide sequence analysis. Keywords: Pristionchus pacificus, Diplogastridae, scarab beetles, phenotypic plasticity, evolution of hermaphroditism"--Page 3.

Volume 8 in the series, appearing in two parts, A and B, deals with the systematics of cyst nematodes of the subfamily Heteroderinae. Cyst nematodes are important pathogens causing extensive damage and significant yield loss to many crops in both temperate and tropical regions.

A unique treatise on the morphology and taxonomy of the order Mononchida. The mononchs represent a group of predatory nematodes that are natural enemies of other soil micro-organisms including plant-parasitic nematodes. The book includes detailed morphology of mononchs with emphasis on characters of taxonomic importance. Detailed diagnoses of the ordinal and familial groups and all the genera known to date are provided. A brief description of type species of each genus is followed by a complete list of all the valid species and their synonymies and an up-to-date key to species. The book is heavily illustrated with line drawings, microphotographs and SEM photographs of type or representative species. A complete bibliography until 2007 and an index are included.

Covering a wide range of rapidly-developing fields of research into parasitic nematodes, this comprehensive volume discusses the genetics, biochemistry and immunology of nematode parasites of humans as well as domestic animals and plants. This fully-updated edition also covers new advances including horizontal gene transfer, immune expulsion mechanisms, genetics of susceptibility in humans, nematode protein structures, role of bacterial symbionts, intrinsic immune response, host immune system modulation, modulation of allergic and autoimmune diseases and the use of parasitic nematodes or their products as therapeutics.

Nematodes are renowned for their ability to survive severe environmental fluctuations. Their mechanisms to withstand temperature extremes, desiccation, and osmotic and ionic stress are presented here together with information on the underlying biochemical basis contributing to survival. Highlighting parallels and contrasts between parasitic and free-living nematode groups, this book integrates strategies that enable nematodes to persist in the absence of food with tactics used by parasitic forms to survive the defence responses of a plant or animal host. This functional study is an essential resource for researchers in nematology, parasitology and zoology.