Abstract

In order to study the nematode species of Criconematidae in Iran, 250 soil and root samples were collected from different field crops, orchards, forests and pastures in Iran, during 2004-2005 years. The nematode specimens were extracted from the soil by using the centrifugal-flotation technique and were processed to glycerin by modified Seinhorst method (De Grisse, 1969). The extracted nematodes were mounted in permanent slides by using the paraffin ring. Also cross sections from head and vulva region were prepared. In this study three criconematid species were found that are new records for Iran. These species are Xenocriconemella macrodorus (Taylor, 1936) De Grisse & Loof, 1965., Mesocriconema solivagum (Andrássy, 1962) Loof & De Grisse, 1989 and Criconema annuliferum (de Man, 1921) Micoletzky, 1925. The first two species were isolated from soil samples around the roots of alder in Olang forest and the latter species was isolated from soil samples collected from rhizospheres of oak and osier in sepidan and Damavand respectively.