Other Soil Nematodes

Although not usually considered as plant parasites (although a few are, or suspected of being so), the other soil nematodes are dealt with in summary form to aid the student as such nematodes are commonly encountered in soil extractions and, often being abundant, need to be eliminated as potential plant parasites. The chapter presents an introduction to the morphology, classification and ecological importance of the most common groups of soil nematodes belonging to the Orders Araeolaimida, Chromadorida, Desmoscolecida, Dorylaimida, Enoplida, Isolaimiida, Monhysterida, Mononchida, Plectida, Rhabditida and Triplonchida, representatives of which can often be found during studies of soil-dwelling plant-parasitic nematodes. The groups are diagnosed and well-illustrated using light micrographs.