First finds of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Prunus domestica</Emphasis> L. in Italy from the Phoenician and Punic periods (6th–2nd centuries <Emphasis Type="SmallCaps">bc</Emphasis>)

During the archaeological excavations in the Phoenician and Punic settlement of Santa Giusta (Oristano, Sardinia, Italy), dating back to the 6th–2nd centuries bc, several Prunus fruitstones (endocarps) inside amphorae were recovered. The exceptional state of preservation of the waterlogged remains allowed morphometric measurements to be done by image analysis and statistical comparisons made with modern cultivated and wild Prunus samples collected in Sardinia. Digital images of modern and archaeological Prunus fruitstones were acquired with a flatbed scanner and analysed by applying image analysis techniques to measure 26 morphometric features. By applying stepwise linear discriminant analysis, a morphometric comparison was made between the archaeological fruitstones of Prunus and the modern ones collected in Sardinia. These analyses allowed identification of 53 archaeological fruitstones as P. spinosa and 11 as P. domestica. Moreover, the archaeological samples of P. spinosa showed morphometric similarities in 92.5% of the cases with the modern P. spinosa samples currently growing near the Phoenician and Punic site. Likewise, the archaeological fruitstones identified as P. domestica showed similarities with the modern variety of P. domestica called Sanguigna di Bosa which is currently cultivated near the village of Bosa. Currently, these findings represent the first evidence of P. domestica in Italy during the Phoenician and Punic periods.     

Habitat loss exacerbates regional extinction risk of the keystone semiarid shrub <Emphasis Type="Italic">Ziziphus lotus</Emphasis> through collapsing the seed dispersal service by foxes (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Vulpes vulpes</Emphasis>)

Habitat loss and landscape degradation affect animal-mediated seed dispersal, often collapsing the regeneration of endangered plant species and habitats in anthropogenic landscapes. We first compared the role of red fox and other vertebrates as seed disperser for the keystone scrub Ziziphus lotus. Because it turned out that foxes are the major Z. lotus dispersers, we investigated how fox activity and dispersal service relate to habitat loss and landscape alteration in the threatened Ziziphus semiarid scrublands, a priority habitat for conservation in Europe. Considering its opportunistic behavior, we hypothesized that landscape features should affect moderately fox abundance, while influence in a large extent its dispersal service. Accordingly, we predicted that a substantial decline in Ziziphus fruit consumption rather than in disperser activity would be responsible for seed dispersal collapse under severe habitat loss. We evaluated fox activity and dispersal service in 17 populations of Z. lotus spread through the range of its habitat in Spain and found within landscapes with different land-use intensity. We certified the collapse of the dispersal service by fox under severe habitat loss and confirmed that fox activity was less affected by habitat loss or landscape alteration than consumption of Ziziphus fruits. Consequently, the decline of consumption of Ziziphus fruits under severe habitat loss triggers the collapse of its seed dispersal. Results suggest that without increase of the remnant areas other managements may not suffice to achieve seed dispersal and habitat restoring. Dispersal service and natural regeneration in many Ziziphus habitat remnants will possibly cease in the future if habitat loss continues.     

Geometric morphometric analysis of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Setaria italica</Emphasis> (L.) P. Beauv. (foxtail millet) and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Brachiaria ramosa</Emphasis> (L.) Stapf. (browntop millet) and its implications for understanding the biogeography of small millets

Setaria italica (L.) P. Beauv. (foxtail millet) was originally domesticated in northern China. The time and route of its introduction into South Asia is currently unclear due to the possible confusion with autochthonous Brachiaria ramosa (L.) Stapf. (browntop millet). Geometric morphometrics (GM) offer an alternative to traditional archaeobotanical methods to distinguish between these two small millet species. This study aims at finding a method to securely distinguish among charred caryopses of S. italica and B. ramosa, testing its validity on archaeobotanical assemblages and proposing a new approach for studying the dispersion of S. italica throughout Eurasia. Modern S. italica (n = 35) and B. ramosa (n = 34) caryopses and 15 archaeological specimens from a 5th millennium bp archaeological occupation site in northwestern India were analysed. Archaeological and modern caryopses (before and after charring) were photographed with a Leica EZ4D stereoscope, and TPSdig software was used to scale the photographs and manually apply a configuration of three landmarks and six semi-landmarks onto the contours of the embryos. Multivariate statistics were carried out to analyse the shape differences between modern S. italica and B. ramosa and to classify the archaeological specimens. The results show that the shape of the embryo of both species can be clearly distinguished using a GM-approach, both before and after charring. However, charring tends to smooth the shape differences between the two groups, which may affect the interpretation of archaeobotanical assemblages. The comparison between modern and archaeological caryopses suggests that S. italica was not present in northwestern India during the 5th millennium bp.     

Three new species of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Russula</Emphasis> from South China

Russula lotus, R. nivalis, and R. purpureoverrucosa are proposed here as new taxa based on morphological and molecular evidences. The new species are described with illustration photographs and line drawings, and compared against related species. Morphologically, R. lotus (subgenus Heterophyllidia, section Heterophyllae, subsection Cyanoxanthinae) is characterized by a medium-sized basidioma with a pale pink to purplish pink pileus whose center area is yellowish white, white to cream white lamellae occasionally forked with lamellulae, a cream white smooth stipe, broadly ellipsoid to ellipsoid basidiospores ornamented with disconnected amyloid warts and inamyloid suprahilar plage, dispersed sulphovanillin (SV)-negative pileocystidia, and the pileipellis with suprapellis cells claw-assembled. Russula nivalis (subgenus Russula, section Russula, subsection Russula) is characterized by a very small pure white basidioma with a pileus 7–12 mm in diameter, abundant clavate pileocystidia and caulocystidia changing purplish red in SV, and broadly ellipsoidal to ellipsoid basidiospores ornamented with strongly amyloid warts and ridges interconnected by fine lines in an uncompleted or completed reticulum, mostly with inamyloid suprahilar plage. Russula purpureoverrucosa (subgenus Incrustatula, section Lilaceinae, subsection Lilaceinae) is characterized by a medium-sized basidioma with a red to grayish magenta pileus slightly areolate in small irregular warts from center to margin, a stipe with the same color and warts as the pileus, white to cream white occasionally forked lamellae with lamellulae, broadly ellipsoidal to ellipsoid basidiospores ornamented with amyloid warts and ridges rarely connected, abundant clavate pleurocystidia covered with thick yellowish incrustations, and the pileipellis with suprapellis cells a typical trichoderm, some of which covered with yellowish incrustations, pileocystidia absent. Phylogenetic analysis of nucleotide sequences of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region provided further evidence that the described species belong to the subsections above respectively, and represent new taxa.     

Phylogeny and morphology of the <Emphasis Type="Italic">Peziza ammophila</Emphasis> complex (Pezizales,Ascomycota), with description of two new species and a new form

This study was focused on species of Peziza belonging to the “P. ammophila” complex, using both morphological and molecular approaches. Molecular and morphological analyses showed that several taxa are hidden under the name “ammophila” and, as a consequence, two additional species and one form are established: P. hellenica sp. nov., P. oceanica sp. nov. and P. ammophila f. megaspora f. nov. On the basis of the data that we have, these taxa seem to be related to some geographical areas; P. ammophila appears to be prevalent in northern, central and southern Europe, its f. megaspora is distributed in France and in the Netherlands, P. hellenica comes from Greece and P. oceanica from New Zealand. A cryptic species, not yet circumscribed satisfactorily, is described as P. deceptiva ad int. Moreover, the problem concerning the identification of P. ammophila is raised, the species is epitypified with a sequenced collection from Sicily (Italy) and a key to the species of the complex is provided.     

Long term changes in the communities of native ladybirds in Northern Italy: impact of the invasive species <Emphasis Type="Italic">Harmonia axyridis</Emphasis> (Pallas)

Since the mid-2000s, the exotic coccinellid species Harmonia axyridis (Pallas) has established itself in Northern Italy, raising serious concerns about possible repercussions on native ladybirds. In this study we compared the ladybird assemblages in 2015–2016 with those sampled in 1995–1996, before the arrival of H. axyridis. Surveys were carried out in the same sites and with the same methods for both periods. Aphidophagous ladybirds were sampled in hedgerows and herbaceous habitats at field margins by mechanical knockdown and sweeping net, respectively. The changes in the structure of ladybird communities after the arrival of H. axyridis were significantly different between arboreal and herbaceous habitats. Harmonia axyridis is currently the dominant species in shrubs and trees, and all the native ladybird species taken together account for only approximately one third of the total individuals sampled in 2015–2016. On the other hand, the relative abundance of the exotic species in herbaceous habitats was low, and it has had a negligible relevance on the structure of ladybird communities on grasslands. Among native species, Adalia bipunctata (L.), whose ecological niche largely overlaps with that of H. axyridis, suffered the largest decline between 1995–1996 and 2015–2016. The co-occurrence of H. axyridis invasion and the regression of A. bipunctata suggest a direct impact of the exotic species, because no other major modifications occurred in the studied areas between sampling periods.     

Genetic diversity among eight <Emphasis Type="Italic">Dendrolimus</Emphasis> species in Eurasia (Lepidoptera: Lasiocampidae) inferred from mitochondrial COI and COII,and nuclear ITS2 markers

Background

Moths of genus Dendrolimus (Lepidoptera: Lasiocampidae) are among the major pests of coniferous forests worldwide. Taxonomy and nomenclature of this genus are not entirely established, and there are many species with a controversial taxonomic position. We present a comparative evolutionary analysis of the most economically important Dendrolimus species in Eurasia.

Results

Our analysis was based on the nucleotide sequences of COI and COII mitochondrial genes and ITS2 spacer of nuclear ribosomal genes. All known sequences were extracted from GenBank. Additional 112 new sequences were identified for 28 specimens of D. sibiricus, D. pini, and D. superans from five regions of Siberia and the Russian Far East to be able to compare the disparate data from all previous studies. In total, 528 sequences were used in phylogenetic analysis. Two clusters of closely related species in Dendrolimus were found. The first cluster includes D. pini, D. sibiricus, and D. superans; and the second, D. spectabilis, D. punctatus, and D. tabulaeformis. Species D. houi and D. kikuchii appear to be the most basal in the genus.

Conclusion

Genetic difference among the second cluster species is very low in contrast to the first cluster species. Phylogenetic position D. tabulaeformis as a subspecies was supported. It was found that D. sibiricus recently separated from D. superans. Integration of D. sibiricus mitochondrial DNA sequences and the spread of this species to the west of Eurasia have been established as the cause of the unjustified allocation of a new species: D. kilmez. Our study further clarifies taxonomic problems in the genus and gives more complete information on the genetic structure of D. pini, D. sibiricus, and D. superans.

     

Recent Emergence of a Chytrid Fungal Pathogen in California Cascades Frogs (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Rana cascadae</Emphasis>)

The pathogenic fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) has been associated with global amphibian declines, but it is often difficult to discern the relative importance of Bd as a causal agent in declines that have already occurred. Retrospective analyses of museum specimens have allowed researchers to associate the timing of Bd arrival with the timing of past amphibian declines. Cascades frogs (Rana cascadae) have experienced dramatic declines in northern California, but it is not clear whether the onset of these declines corresponds to the arrival of Bd. We used quantitative real-time PCR assays of samples collected from museum specimens to determine historical Bd prevalence in the northern California range of Cascades frogs. We detected Bd in 13 of 364 (3.5%) Cascades frog specimens collected between 1907 and 2003, with the first positive result from 1978. A Bayesian analysis suggested that Bd arrived in the region between 1973 and 1978, which corresponds well with the first observations of declines in the 1980s.     

Intraspecific Variation in Mitogenomes of Five <Emphasis Type="Italic">Crassostrea</Emphasis> Species Provides Insight into Oyster Diversification and Speciation

A large number of Crassostrea oysters are found in Asia-Pacific. While analyses of interspecific variation have helped to establish historical relationships among these species, studies on intraspecific variation are necessary to understand their recent evolutionary history and current forces driving population biology. We resequenced 18 and analyzed 31 mitogenomes of five Crassostrea species from China: Crassostrea gigas, Crassostrea angulata, Crassostrea sikamea, Crassostrea ariakensis, and Crassostrea hongkongensis. Our analysis finds abundant insertions, deletions, and single-nucleotide polymorphisms in all species. Intraspecific variation varies greatly among species with polymorphic sites ranging from 54 to 293 and nucleotide diversity ranging from 0.00106 to 0.00683. In all measurements, C. hongkongensis that has the narrowest geographic distribution exhibits the least sequence diversity; C. ariakensis that has the widest distribution shows the highest diversity, and species with intermediate distribution show intermediate levels of diversity. Low sequence diversity in C. hongkongensis may reflect recent bottlenecks that are probably exacerbated by human transplantation. High diversity in C. ariakensis is likely due to divergence of northern and southern China populations that have been separated without gene flow. The significant differences in mitogenome diversity suggest that the five sister species of Crassostrea have experienced different evolutionary forces since their divergence. The recent divergence of two C. ariakensis populations and the C. gigas/angulata species complex provides evidence for continued diversification and speciation of Crassostrea species along China’s coast, which are shaped by unknown mechanisms in a north–south divide.     

Neogene phasianids (Aves: Phasianidae) of Central Asia: 1. Genus <Emphasis Type="Italic">Tologuica</Emphasis> gen. nov.

A new genus, Tologuica, with two species (T. aurorae sp. nov. and T. karhui sp. nov.), from the Middle Miocene of the Sharga locality (western Mongolia) is described. The new genus shares some characters with the extinct genera Palaeocryptonyx, Palaeortyx, and Plioperdix and with extant Coturnix. The foot structure suggests that Tologuica resembled in ecology the European genus Palaeortyx and was probably adapted to an arboreal mode of life, in contrast to the terrestrial Coturnix and Plioperdix.     

The secret of Pianosa island: an Italian native population of European brown hare (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Lepus europaeus meridiei</Emphasis> Hilzheimer, 1906)

Given its relevance as a game species, the brown hare (Lepus europaeus Pallas, 1778) is one of the most managed and translocated mammals in Europe. In Italy, the species shows a genepool consisting of a mix of native and exotic lineages, due to translocations and introductions for hunting purposes. Some authors argued that the introduction of exotic brown hares could have caused the extinction of an endemic subspecies, L. e. meridiei Hilzheimer 1906, once present in central and northern Italy. Here we genetically characterized for the first time the brown hare population living in Pianosa island (part of the Tuscan Archipelago National Park) using 13 STR loci and a fragment of the mtDNA control region. All individuals analyzed share a unique haplotype, the L. europaeus haplotype Leu2, recognized as the ancestral mitochondrial lineage corresponding to the subspecies L. e. meridiei. Furthermore, considering autosomal markers, Pianosa brown hare population and current Italian peninsular population are genetically distinct. The discovery of this ancient population in a protected area, isolated and not affected by recent translocation/restocking events, has a great relevance in conservation and confirms the current presence of the endemic subspecies L. e. meridiei in Italy.     

Updates on East Asian <Emphasis Type="Italic">Asterostroma</Emphasis> (Russulales,Basidiomycota): new species and new records from Thailand and China

Two new species from northern Thailand, Asterostroma bambusicola and A. vararioides, are described and illustrated. Asterostroma bambusicola is characterized by globose, echinulate, and amyloid basidiospores and growing on rotten bamboo. Asterostroma vararioides is distinguished by the presence of Vararia-like dichohyphae, subglobose, smooth, and amyloid basidiospores and growing on bark of living angiosperm trees. In the phylogenetic tree inferred from a combined dataset of ITS and nLSU sequence data of Peniophoraceae, A. bambusicola forms a distinct lineage in the sect. Asterostroma clade, whereas A. vararioides and A. laxum form the sect. Laevispora clade. Asterostroma andinum, reported from China for the first time, forms a distinct lineage sister to Gloiothele spp. and Scytinostroma portentosum group. Asterostroma muscicola is reported from Thailand and China for the first time. A key to the species of Asterostroma from Thailand and China is provided.     

A review of the genus <Emphasis Type="Italic">Deporaus</Emphasis> (Coleoptera,Rhynchitidae) from the Russian fauna: 1. Subgenera <Emphasis Type="Italic">Pseudapoderites</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Japonodeporaus</Emphasis>

The genus Deporaus from the Russian fauna is revised. Four species (D. pacatus, D. azarovae, D. septentrionalis, and D. hartmanni) of the subgenera Pseudapoderites and Japonodeporaus are found. Keys to the subgenera and to the species of the subgenus Pseudapoderites are given. The genus Deporaus, subgenera Pseudapoderites and Japonodeporaus, and four species are redescribed. The distribution of these species in Russia is discussed.     

A review of the genus <Emphasis Type="Italic">Deporaus</Emphasis> (Coleoptera,Rhynchitidae) from the Russian fauna: 2. Subgenera <Emphasis Type="Italic">Roelofsideporaus</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Deporaus</Emphasis>

The subgenera Roelofsideporaus and Deporaus s. str. of the genus Deporaus with four species (D. affectatus, D. unicolor, D. nidificus, and D. betulae) recorded from the Russian fauna are revised. Keys to the species of the subgenus Roelofsideporaus and to the females of the subgenera Roelofsideporaus and Deporaus s. str. are given. The distribution of D. nidificus in Russia is not confirmed.     

Genetic structure of populations and natural hybridization between <Emphasis Type="Italic">Dactylorhiza salina</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">D. incarnata</Emphasis> (Orchidaceae)

The results of studying the polymorphism and genetic structure of populations of D. salina and D. incarnata growing in Zabaykalsky krai and Buryatia are represented according to the data of allozyme analysis of eight genetic loci (PGI, NADHD, SKDH, GDH, PGM, DIA, ADH, and IDH). The specificity of the allelic structure of loci SKDH, PGM, and IDH is established, for which D. salina and D. incarnata reliably differ from each other. It is shown that interspecies introgressive hybrid complexes with different genetic structures were formed in Transbaikalia. Places of mass growth of D. incarnata were observed to have single plants of D. salina, the interspecies hybrids of the first and subsequent generations. Places of mass growth of D. salina were observed to contain only the hybrids that are not hybrids of the first generation. They were heterozygous not for three loci with differentiating alleles of both parents, SKDH, PGM, and IDH, but for only one of them. The degree of genetic differentiation among five populations of D. salina was on average 7.5% and that of D. incarnata was 7.1%, which in accordance with Wright’s estimation relates to mean values. The average value of FST for all studied populations of the two related species of the genus Dactylorhiza was 0.478, indicating a very high degree of genetic differentiation between D. salina and D. incarnata growing in Transbaikalia. The greatest differences between the species are for the allelic structure of loci SKDH, PGM, and IDH (FST was equal to 0.705, 0.976, and 0.762, respectively). Analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) showed that populations of D. salina and D. incarnata in the zone where their ranges in Zabaykalsky krai and Buryatya overlap have essential differences both for the variation of alleles frequencies of eight loci (71%, d.f. = 9) and for the variability of genotypes (61%, d.f. = 9). Despite the fact that D. salina and D. incarnata explicitly share a gene flow as a result of interspecies hybridization, the genetic differentiation of populations of these related species remains at a high level.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Diplazium</Emphasis> hybrids involving <Emphasis Type="Italic">D. plantaginifolium</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">D</Emphasis>. <Emphasis Type="Italic">ternatum</Emphasis> from Mexico and Central America

Here we evaluate the origins and relationships of Mexican and Central American Diplazium hybrids derived from crosses involving either D. plantaginifolium or D. ternatum. Based on study of live plants and herbarium specimens, we distinguish D. ×verapax from the similar D. riedelianum and present evidence that the former is a sterile hybrid derived from a cross between D. plantaginifolium and D. werckleanum. We also describe new hybrids, D. ×torresianum and D. ×subternatum from Mexico and northern Central America. Both involve D. ternatum as one parent. Diplazium. cristatum is the other putative parent of D. ×torresianum, and D. plantaginifolium is the second parent of D. ×subternatum. We also designate lectotypes for D. cordovense and D. dissimile.     

Unexpected presence of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Fagus orientalis</Emphasis> complex in Italy as inferred from 45,000-year-old DNA pollen samples from Venice lagoon

Background

Phylogeographic analyses on the Western Euroasiatic Fagus taxa (F. orientalis, F. sylvatica, F. taurica and F. moesiaca) is available, however, the subdivision of Fagus spp. is unresolved and there is no consensus on the phylogeny and on the identification (both with morphological than molecular markers) of Fagus Eurasiatic taxa.For the first time molecular analyses of ancient pollen, dated at least 45,000 years ago, were used in combination with the phylogeny analysis on current species, to identify the Fagus spp. present during the Last Interglacial period in Italy.In this work we aim at testing if the trn L-trn F chloroplast DNA (cpDNA) region, that has been previously proved efficient in discriminating different Quercus taxa, can be employed in distinguishing the Fagus species and in identifying the ancient pollen.

Results

86 populations from 4 Western Euroasistic taxa were sampled, and sequenced for the trn L-trn F region to verify the efficiency of this cpDNA region in identifying the Fagus spp.. Furthermore, Fagus crenata (2 populations), Fagus grandifolia (2 populations), Fagus japonica, Fagus hayatae, Quercus species and Castanea species were analysed to better resolve the phylogenetic inference.Our results show that this cpDNA region harbour some informative sites that allow to infer relationships among the species within the Fagaceae family. In particular, few specific and fixed mutations were able to discriminate and identify all the different Fagus species.Considering a short fragment of 176 base pairs within the trn L intron, 2 transversions were found able in distinguishing the F. orientalis complex taxa (F. orientalis, F. taurica and F. moesiaca) from the remaining Fagus spp. (F. sylvatica, F. japonica, F. hayataea, F. crenata and F. grandifolia). This permits to analyse this fragment also in ancient samples, where DNA is usually highly degraded.The sequences data indicate that the DNA recovered from ancient pollen belongs to the F. orientalis complex since it displays the informative sites characteristic of this complex.

Conclusion

The ancient DNA sequences demonstrate for the first time that, in contrast to current knowledge based on palynological and macrofossil data, the F. orientalis complex was already present during the Tyrrhenian period in what is now the Venice lagoon (Italy).This is a new and important insight considering that nowadays West Europe is not the natural area of Fagus orientalis complex, and up to now nobody has hypothesized the presence during the Last Interglacial period of F. orientalis complex in Italy.

     

Free-living nematodes of the genus <Emphasis Type="Italic">Alaimella</Emphasis> Cobb 1920 (Nematoda: Leptolaimidae): A description of <Emphasis Type="Italic">A. macramphis</Emphasis> sp. n. from the White Sea and a revision of the genus

Alaimella cincta Cobb 1920 and Alaimella macramphis sp. n. are described and illustrated. Both the species were first recorded for the White Sea in northern Russia. A. cincta occurs in the shells of the agglutinated foraminiferan Reophax curtus, as well as freely in bottom sediments. A. macramphis sp. n. is described from a single male sampled from bottom sediments. A. macramphis sp. n. is distinguished from two previously known species of Alaimella (A. cincta Cobb 1920 and A. truncate Cobb 1920) by having a longer body, longer cephalic setae, and a wide amphid equal to the respective body diameter. The new species also differs from A. truncate by the distinct striation of the cuticular annulations. The Alaimella species are additionally characterized by having a posterior glandular widening of the esophagus. An emended diagnosis of the genus Alaimella Cobb 1920 and a key for species identification are provided.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Hexamermis popilliae</Emphasis> n. sp. (Nematoda: Mermithidae) parasitizing the Japanese beetle <Emphasis Type="Italic">Popillia japonica</Emphasis> Newman (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) in Italy

A new species of mermithid nematode, Hexamermis popilliae n. sp. (Nematoda: Mermithidae) is described from the Japanese beetle Popillia japonica Newman in Italy, an area of new introduction for this invasive pest. The combination of the following characters separates H. popilliae from other members of the genus Hexamermis Steiner, 1924: adult head obtuse; amphidial pouches slightly posterior to lateral head papillae in female but adjacent to lateral head papillae in males; amphidial openings large, well developed; amphidial pouches elliptical in females and oblong in males; cuticular vulvar cone well developed, vulvar lips greatly reduced or lacking, vagina curved at tip where meeting uteri, without reverse bend (not S-shaped), spicules slightly curved, with a slight bend in the basal portion, approximately equal to body width at cloaca. This is the first record of a species of Hexamermis parasitizing the Japanese beetle Popillia japonica. The only previous mention of mermithid nematodes from P. japonica was an undescribed species of Psammomermis in North America. Hexamermis popilliae will be evaluated as a potential biological control agent in an integrated control program of the Japanese beetle in Italy.