TAXONOMIC VALIDITY AND ECOLOGICAL RELATIONS OF XIPHINEMA-PACHTAICUM AND XIPHINEMA-SIMILE (NEMATODA, DORYLAIMIDA), 2 MEMBERS OF THE XIPHINEMA-AMERICANUM GROUP OCCURRING IN SLOVAKIA

Morphological and morphometrical data clearly distinguished specimens of Xiphinema pachtaicum and X. simile collected from populations in Sl ovakia. These two species are morphologically similar and can successf ully exist together at the same biotope. Also, they are frequently rec orded from biotopes in association with two or more other longidorid s pecies. The presence of these two species in Slovakia appears to be th e limit of the northern geographical boundary of their occurrence in t he area of the Carpathian ''bow'' and Central Europe.