First report of Bursaphelenchus hellenicus Skarmoutsos, Braasch, Michalopoulou 1998 (Nematoda: Aphelenchoididae) from Turkey

A survey was conducted in forest sites of the Mula Regional Forest Directorates for the presence of the pinewood nematode, Bursaphelenchus xylophilus. Wood samples were collected from declining pine and cedar trees. A total of 207 samples were taken, and nematodes were extracted, observed and identified. The pinewood nematode was not detected, but another Bursaphelenchus species was recovered from the wood of a Pinus brutia tree in Een-Karadere location in Fethiye, which strongly resembled the original description of B.hellenicus. It was identified as this species by morphology and ITS-RFLP. Measurements and diagnostic features are presented. This is the first report of B.hellenicus from Turkey.