A survey of aphelenchid nematodes (Nematoda: Aphelenchida) associated with
maritime pine, Pinus pinaster, was conducted in Portugal in 1996 and 1999.
A Bursaphelenchus species has been identified for the first time in the Ibe
rian Peninsula. B. xylophilus is reported for the first time in Europe. It
was found in very high numbers - up to 38 000 per 10 g of pine wood inside
a few declining tr ces infested with curculionid, cerambycid and scolytid b
eetles. Morphological observations, including shape of spicules. bursa, vul
va, female tail end and stylet as well as morphometrics, were in accordance
with the species description. Species-specific DNA fragment patterns were
obtained using ITS-RFLP analysis, with five different restriction enzymes T
he importance and implications of this finding are discussed.