AUTHOR=Schurkman Jacob , Tandingan De Ley Irma , Anesko Kyle , Paine Timothy , Mc Donnell Rory , Dillman Adler R. 

TITLE=Distribution of Phasmarhabditis (Nematode: Rhabditidae) and Their Gastropod Hosts in California Plant Nurseries and Garden Centers

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Plant Science

VOLUME=13

YEAR=2022

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/plant-science/articles/10.3389/fpls.2022.856863

DOI=10.3389/fpls.2022.856863

ISSN=1664-462X

ABSTRACT=<p>Three species of <italic>Phasmarhabditis</italic> were recovered from 75 nurseries and garden centers in 28 counties in California during fall and winter 2012–2021. A total of 18 mollusk species were recovered, most of them invasive. Nematodes were identified by sequencing the D2-D3 expansion segments of the large subunit (LSU or 28S) rRNA. Based on these surveys, <italic>P. californica</italic> was the most widespread species (37 isolates, 53.6% recovery); followed by <italic>P. hermaphrodita</italic> (26 isolates; 37.7% recovery); <italic>P. papillosa</italic> and a closely related <italic>P. papillosa</italic> isolate (6 isolates; 8.7% recovery). Nematode isolates were mainly collected from four invasive slugs (<italic>Deroceras reticulatum</italic>, <italic>D. laeve</italic>, <italic>Arion hortensis</italic> agg, <italic>Ambigolimax valentianus</italic>) and snails (<italic>Oxychilus</italic> spp. and <italic>Discus</italic> spp.). Results suggest that <italic>P. californica</italic> and <italic>P. hermaphrodita</italic> share an ecological niche in Northern, Central, Coastal, and Southern California, north of Los Angeles County.</p>