@article {79, title = {Lack of metabolic ageing in the long-lived flatworm Schmidtea polychroa}, journal = {Experimental GerontologyExperimental Gerontology}, volume = {46}, number = {9}, year = {2011}, note = {Mouton, Stijn Willems, Maxime Houthoofd, Wouter Bert, Wim Braeckman, Bart P.}, month = {Sep}, pages = {755-761}, abstract = {Freshwater planarians have a large totipotent stem cell population allowing high rates of cell renewal and morphological plasticity. It is often suggested that they are able to rejuvenate during fission, regeneration and starvation. These features, together with the rapidly expanding molecular toolset, make planarians such as Schmidtea polychroa and S. mediterranea interesting for ageing research. Yet, the basic demographic and physiological data are lacking or still based on fragmentary observations of one century ago. Here, we present the first longitudinal physiological study of the species S. polychroa. Survival, size and metabolic rate, measured by microcalorimetry, of a cohort of 28 individuals were followed over a period of three years. Sexual maturity was reached during the second month after which the worms continued growing up to 5 months. This initial growth phase was followed by alternating periods of synchronised growth and degrowth. Although mass-specific metabolic rates declined during the initial growth phase, no changes were found later in life. The absence of metabolic ageing may be explained by the very high rate of cell renewal during homeostasis and alternating phases of degrowth and growth during which tissues are renewed. Surprisingly, all deaths occurred in pairs of worms that were housed in the same culture recipient, suggesting that worms did not die from ageing. Taking into account the metabolic and demographic data, we suggest that S. polychroa shows negligible ageing. Detailed analyses of size and metabolic rate revealed a remarkable biphasic allometric scaling relation. During the initial growth phase (months 1-5) the allometric scaling exponent b was 0.86 while later in life, it increased to an unusually large value of 1.17, indicating that mass-specific metabolic rate increases with size in adult S. polychroa. (C) 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.}, isbn = {0531-5565}, author = {Mouton, S. and Willems, M. and Houthoofd, W. and Bert, W. and Braeckman, B. P.} } @article {80, title = {First report of Trichodorus primitivus, T. sparsus and T. viruliferus (Nematoda: Trichodoridae) from the Czech Republic}, journal = {HelminthologiaHelminthologia}, volume = {48}, number = {3}, year = {2011}, note = {Kumari, S. Decraemer, W.}, month = {Sep}, pages = {195-199}, abstract = {A survey has been carried out to study the occurrence and distribution of Trichodorus primitivus, T. sparsus and T. viruliferus in the Czech Republic under the rhizosphere of orchards, forests, vineyards and strawberry. Total 208 sites were surveyed and only 29 sites were found positive for these species. All three species are reported in the Czech Republic for the first time.}, isbn = {0440-6605}, author = {Kumari, S. and Decraemer, W.} } @article {81, title = {Free-living nematodes from a colonisation experiment in the upwelling area of Arraial do Cabo, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil: Lavareda decraemerae gen. n., sp n. and emended diagnosis of Cricolaimus Southern, 1914 (Plectida: Rhadinematidae)}, journal = {NematologyNematology}, volume = {13}, year = {2011}, note = {da Fonseca-Genevois, Veronica Smol, Nic Bezerra, Tania NaraPart 7}, pages = {761-772}, abstract = {Lavareda decraemerae gen. n., sp. n. is characterised by a cheilostom with a sclerotised ring bearing six anterior projections, a funnel-shaped to tubular stegostom, a large unispiral amphid with wide groove and males with a single precloacal setiform sensillum and 19 tubular supplements in a continuous series. The new species is similar to Cricolaimus coronatus in having the cheilostom consisting of a cuticularised ring with anterior projections. Re-examination of C. elongatus revealed clear differences to the new species, the former showing a bilateral symmetry anteriorly with a lateral axis: the lips are merged into one large dorsal and one large ventral lip with elongated inner and outer labial sensilla and the cheilostom has a cuticularised oblique ring, higher dorsally and ventrally than laterally, with two anteriorly directed claw-like projections, one mid-dorsal and one mid-ventral, whereas the new species has a radial symmetry with low lips with inner and outer labial papillae indistinct and a cheilostom with a cuticularised ring with six anteriorly directed projections, thereby justifying the proposal of Lavareda gen. n. to accommodate the new species from Brazil and L. coronatus comb. n. (= C. coronatus). An emended diagnosis of Cricolaimus is given. This is the first record of a species belonging to the Rhadinematidae colonising an artificial substrate.}, isbn = {1388-5545}, author = {da Fonseca-Genevois, V. and Smol, N. and Bezerra, T. N.} } @article {82, title = {Nematoda from the terrestrial deep subsurface of South Africa}, journal = {NatureNature}, volume = {474}, number = {7349}, year = {2011}, note = {Borgonie, G. Garcia-Moyano, A. Litthauer, D. Bert, W. Bester, A. van Heerden, E. Moeller, C. Erasmus, M. Onstott, T. C.}, month = {Jun}, pages = {79-82}, abstract = {Since its discovery over two decades ago, the deep subsurface biosphere has been considered to be the realm of single-cell organisms, extending over three kilometres into the Earth{\textquoteright}s crust and comprising a significant fraction of the global biosphere(1-4). The constraints of temperature, energy, dioxygen and space seemed to preclude the possibility of more-complex, multicellular organisms from surviving at these depths. Here we report species of the phylum Nematoda that have been detected in or recovered from 0.9-3.6-kilometre-deep fracture water in the deep mines of South Africa but have not been detected in the mining water. These subsurface nematodes, including a new species, Halicephalobus mephisto, tolerate high temperature, reproduce asexually and preferentially feed upon subsurface bacteria. Carbon-14 data indicate that the fracture water in which the nematodes reside is 3,000-12,000-year-old palaeometeoric water. Our data suggest that nematodes should be found in other deep hypoxic settings where temperature permits, and that they may control the microbial population density by grazing on fracture surface biofilm patches. Our results expand the known metazoan biosphere and demonstrate that deep ecosystems are more complex than previously accepted. The discovery of multicellular life in the deep subsurface of the Earth also has important implications for the search for subsurface life on other planets in our Solar System.}, isbn = {0028-0836}, author = {Borgonie, G. and Garcia-Moyano, A. and Litthauer, D. and Bert, W. and Bester, A. and van Heerden, E. and Moller, C. and Erasmus, M. and Onstott, T. C.} } @article {83, title = {First record of Nemertodermatida from Belgian marine waters}, journal = {Belgian Journal of ZoologyBelgian Journal of Zoology}, volume = {141}, number = {1}, year = {2011}, pages = {50-54}, author = {Boone, M. and Houthoofd, W. and Bert, W. and Artois, T.} } @article {84, title = {Spermatogenesis and the structure of the testes in Nemertodermatida}, journal = {ZoomorphologyZoomorphology}, volume = {130}, number = {4}, year = {2011}, note = {Boone, Mieke Bert, Wim Claeys, Myriam Houthoofd, Wouter Artois, Tom}, month = {Dec}, pages = {273-282}, abstract = {The ultrastructure of the testes in two representatives of the enigmatic taxon Nemertodermatida was studied using transmission electron microscopy. Nemertoderma westbladi has paired testes, which are delineated by lining cells. Within each testis, different follicles, each surrounded by a membrane-like structure, are found. Flagellophora apelti has genuinely follicular testes, consisting of several follicles, each containing a certain stage of spermatogenesis. As the gametes are not enclosed by a structure that can be called a true gonad, the structure of the testes differs from most bilaterian animals, but resembles the organization of gametogenic areas of ctenophores. Each stage of spermatogenesis in F. apelti is described, enabling the inference of the origin of the structures seen in mature spermatozoa. The overall structure of the mature spermatozoa is similar in all nemertodermatids and unique within the Metazoa: an elongated head containing the nucleus; a middle piece containing an axoneme, mitochondrial derivatives and in F. apelti granular derivatives; and a flagellar tail.}, isbn = {0720-213X}, author = {Boone, M. and Bert, W. and Claeys, M. and Houthoofd, W. and Artois, T.} } @inbook {85, title = {Phylogeny and evolution of nematodes}, booktitle = {COST Action 872 Exploiting genomics to understand plant-nematode interactions}, volume = {557}, year = {2011}, pages = {45-59}, publisher = {Springer}, organization = {Springer}, address = {Dordrecht}, author = {Bert, W. and Karssen, G. and Helder, J.}, editor = {Jones, J. and Gheysen, G. and Fenoll, C.} } @article {72, title = {Mature spermatozoa of Brevibucca sp (Nematoda: Rhabditida: Brevibuccidae)}, journal = {Russian Journal of NematologyRussian Journal of NematologyRussian Journal of Nematology}, volume = {19}, number = {2}, year = {2011}, note = {ISI Document Delivery No.: 895YZTimes Cited: 0Cited Reference Count: 30Yushin, Vladimir V. Claeys, Myriam Houthoofd, WouterEUMAINE [RFBR 11-04-00368, RFBR 11-04-98555, FEB RAS 09-III-A-06-216]; RF government [2010-220-01-180]This research was supported in part by EUMAINE; RFBR 11-04-00368; RFBR 11-04-98555; FEB RAS 09-III-A-06-216 and RF government grant 2010-220-01-180. The authors are grateful to D.V. Fomin (Institute of Marine Biology, Vladivostok) for technical assistance.Russian acad sci, inst parasitologyMoscow}, pages = {131-138}, type = {Article}, abstract = {Mature spermatozoa found in the female gonoduct of the nematode Brevibucca sp. (Brevibuccidae, Rhabditida) were studied with transmission electron microscopy. As in other nematodes, the spermatozoa in Brevibucca sp. represent an aberrant type of male gametes characterised by the absence of an axoneme and an acrosome. Mature spermatozoa of Brevibucca sp. are amoeboid bipolar cells Ca 4-4.5 mu m diam.; each cell is subdivided into a main cell body and a pseudopod devoid of organelles. The main cell body includes a condensed nucleus, many mitochondria and so-called {\textquoteright}membranous organelles{\textquoteright} (MO). These unique organelles are characteristic of developing, as well as of mature, spermatozoa of many nematodes. The MO in Brevibucca sp. sperm resemble large (ca 0.5 diam.) vesicles with transparent content and a system of internal finger-like projections of the outer membrane. Each MO is joined to the plasmalemma of the main cell body and is open to the intercellular exterior via a pore. Each spermatozoon has a prominent pseudopod filled with the filamentous components of the cytoskeleton. The structure and development of the rhabditid (order Rhabditida apud De Ley \& Blaxter, 2002) sperm is somewhat conserved throughout the order. That is, the general pattern of spermatozoon recognized as "rhabditid" in Brevibucca sp. is similarly expressed in Spiruromorpha, Ascaridomorpha, Panagrolaimomorpha, Tylenchomorpha and Rhabditomorpha. Thus, such conservation lacks phylogenetic pointers at the scale of order. The spermatozoa of the rhabditid pattern observed also in Brevibucca sp. may be considered as an ancestral or symplesiomorphic character for several clades of the order Rhabditida.}, keywords = {caenorhabditis-elegans, dimorphism, female gonoduct, fibrous bodies, filarioidea, membranous organelles, mitochondria, phylogenetic-relationships, phylogeny, pseudopod, sperm development, spermatogenesis, sphaerularioidea, steinernematidae, tylenchomorpha, ultrastructure}, isbn = {0869-6918}, author = {Yushin, V. V. and Claeys, M. and Houthoofd, W.} } @article {73, title = {Diversity and incidence of plant-parasitic nematodes in Belgian turf grass}, journal = {NematologyNematology}, volume = {13}, year = {2011}, note = {Vandenbossche, Bart Viaene, Nicole de Sutter, Nancy Maes, Martine Karssen, Gerrit Bert, WimPart 2}, pages = {245-256}, abstract = {Eleven golf courses and eight football pitches, located in Belgium, were surveyed for plant-parasitic nematodes. This revealed a remarkably high diversity: 52 different species/taxa were identified morphologically, belonging to 23 genera and nine families. Among the most prevalent nematodes on both sports field types were Helicotylenchus pseudorobustus and Meloidogyne naasi (> 85\% and > 45\% of the analysed samples, respectively). Golf greens contained a higher density and diversity of cyst nematodes than football fields. Cyst nematode species included Punctodera punctata, Heterodera mani, H. ustinovi, H. bifenestra and H. hordecalis. Multivariate statistics of the first three species showed that they could be separated based on morphometrical characters of juveniles, but not on values based on the vulva! pattern. Several detected species, e.g., Meloidogyne minor, are a potential source of infestation of agricultural fields. This study shows the importance of plant-parasitic nematodes in turf grass in temperate Europe. In addition, a comparison between two extraction methods revealed that significantly more nematodes were extracted with the zonal centrifuge than after 2 weeks extraction with the Baermann method, except for juveniles of Meloidogyne spp. and cyst-forming species.}, isbn = {1388-5545}, author = {Vandenbossche, B. and Viaene, N. and de Sutter, N. and Maes, M. and Karssen, G. and Bert, W.} } @article {74, title = {Six new species of the genus Onyx Cobb, 1891 (Nematoda: Desmodoridae) from coastal areas in Vietnam}, journal = {Russian Journal of NematologyRussian Journal of Nematology}, volume = {19}, number = {1}, year = {2011}, note = {Nguyen Dinh Tu Smol, Nic Vanreusel, Ann Nguyen Vu Thanh}, pages = {1-20}, abstract = {Six new species of the genus Onyx are described from different coastal zones in Vietnam based on samples collected between 2004 and 2010. Onyx cangionensis sp. n. is characterised by the fact that males have 14-16 equal-sized and equal-distantly arranged sigmoidal precloacal tubular shaped supplements. Onyx blomei sp. n. is characterised by sexual dimorphism in the shape of the amphidial fovea. The male has an atypical amphid with posterior part spiral shaped with 2.5 turns and anterior part hook shaped, whereas the amphidial fovea in the female is simply multispiral with 2.25 turns. Onyx orientalis sp. n. is characterised by its very long cephalic setae and the presence of 18 light-refractive, slightly S-shaped, precloacal tubular supplements in the males. Onyx cobbi sp. n. is also characterised by its sexual dimorphism in the shape of the amphidial fovea: an elongated loop in the male and a multispiral in the female. There are 15 slightly S-shaped, precloacal supplements. The anterior supplement is half the size of the others. Onyx paradimorphus sp. n. is characterised by a multispiral amphidial fovea, spicules regularly bent, strongly cuticularised, 15 S-shaped supplements and 5 papillae with setae within the spicules region. Onyx mangrovi sp. n. is characterised by 17-23 supplements with a complex structure: anterior part is sigmoidal-shaped, posterior part is hook-shaped and by its very short tail with dorsally curved tip.}, isbn = {0869-6918}, author = {Tu, N. D. and Smol, N. and Vanreusel, A. and Thanh, N. V.} } @article {75, title = {Mononchoides composticola n. sp. (Nematoda: Diplogastridae) associated with composting processes: morphological, molecular and autecological characterisation}, journal = {NematologyNematology}, volume = {13}, year = {2011}, note = {Steel, Hanne Moens, Tom Scholaert, Annelies Boshoff, Magdalena Houthoofd, Wouter Bert, WimPart 3}, pages = {347-363}, abstract = {Mononchoides composticola n. sp. was isolated from compost and is described based on light and scanning electron microscopy, supplemented with SSU rDNA sequence data. It is characterised by the following features: a denticulate ridge in addition to the dorsal claw-like tooth, a small tooth-like swelling at the stegostom base, ca 26 longitudinal ridges on the female body, a uterine sac associated with two dumb-bell-shaped pouches, relatively small spicules (30-38 mu m long), a simple gubernaculum shorter than half the spicule length, the genital subventral papillae (v6) consisting of three very small papillae, and a long filiform tail (female: 391-550 mu m, 18-26 anal body diam.; male: 304-548 mu m, 19-30 anal body diam.). Phylogenetic analyses placed the new species together with M. striatus, sister to Tylopharynr foetida. Since the use of nematodes as functional indicators often relies on the allocation of nematodes to feeding groups, experiments were performed to elucidate the feeding strategy of the new species. Both its ability to move actively to bacterial food sources and to prey on other compost nematodes were tested. Mononchoides composticola n. sp. actively moved towards the compost bacterium Achromobacter, a taxis that was temperature dependent, and also preyed on other nematodes. Predation was selective, with a higher predation rate on the relatively small and slow-moving Rhabditella sp. than on the considerably larger and more motile Rhabditis (Poikilolaimus) sp. Adults of M. composticola n. sp. have a dual feeding behaviour and can apparently alternate between bacterial and nematode prey.}, isbn = {1388-5545}, author = {Steel, H. and Moens, T. and Scholaert, A. and Boshoff, M. and Houthoofd, W. and Bert, W.} } @article {76, title = {Biodiversity of compost mesofauna and its potential as an indicator of the composting process status}, journal = {Dynamic Soil, Dynamic PlantDynamic Soil, Dynamic Plant}, volume = {5}, year = {2011}, pages = {362-275}, type = {invited mini review}, author = {Steel, H. and Bert, W.} } @article {77, title = {The importance of feeding status and desiccation rate in successful anhydrobiosis of Panagrolaimus detritophagus}, journal = {NematologyNematology}, volume = {13}, year = {2011}, note = {Salehian, Shakiba Braeckman, Bart P. Beladjal, Lynda Bert, Wim Clegg, James S. Mertens, JohanPart 2}, pages = {185-191}, abstract = {We examined the effect of nutritional status and desiccation rate on the ability of Panagrolaimus detritophagus to undergo anhydrobiosis, as well as to survive high temperatures in the dried state. Both nutrition and drying rate were found to be important, with starvation and slow drying providing better success at anhydrobiosis. The upper temperature for survival of dried animals in laboratory studies was 80 degrees C. Starved worms recovered from drying more successfully when the starvation period was followed by a smooth, gradual dry period prior to undergoing desiccation. Thus, the ability of these worms to enter and leave anhydrobiosis is dependent on critical stress signals.}, isbn = {1388-5545}, author = {Salehian, S. and Braeckman, B. P. and Beladjal, L. and Bert, W. and Clegg, J. S. and Mertens, J.} } @article {78, title = {Megadraconema cornutum, a new genus and species from Korea, with a discussion of its classification and relationships within the Family Draconematidae (Nematoda, Desmodorida) based on morphological and molecular characters}, journal = {Zoological ScienceZoological Science}, volume = {28}, number = {1}, year = {2011}, note = {Rho, Hyun Soo Decraemer, Wilfrida Sorensen, Martin Vinther Min, Won Gi Jung, Jongwoo Kim, Won}, month = {Jan}, pages = {68-84}, abstract = {A new genus and species of Draconematidae Filipjev, 1918, Megadraconema cornutum gen. nov., sp. nov., inhabiting subtidal sediments in Jejudo, Korea is described. Megadraconema cornutum gen. nov., sp. nov. is mainly characterized by a long body (1630-2220 mu m), presence of a transverse circle of well-developed papillae-like cuticular protrusions at the base of the lip region, a head capsule with reticular structure of subcuticle, an amphid with a pore-like opening, and an internal, bar-shaped fovea. The diagnosis of the family Draconematidae is emended and a key to genus is provided based on their major differential diagnostic characteristics, summarized in a table. Phylogenetic relationships of all the genera within the Draconematidae are discussed for the first time, based on molecular analyses and morphological features. The phylogenetic position of the new genus and relationships within the family Draconematidae based on analysis of molecular sequence data are examined. Analysis of 18S rRNA gene sequences does not support the currently accepted classification, and indicates paraphyly of the subfamily Draconematinae.}, isbn = {0289-0003}, author = {Rho, H. S. and Decraemer, W. and Sorensen, M. V. and Min, W. G. and Jung, J. and Kim, W.} }