''Paratrichodorus'' is a genus of terrestrial root feeding (stubby-root)
nematode
The nematodes ( or ; ; ), roundworms or eelworms constitute the phylum Nematoda. Species in the phylum inhabit a broad range of environments. Most species are free-living, feeding on microorganisms, but many are parasitic. Parasitic worms (h ...
s in the
Trichodoridae
Trichodoridae (stubby-root nematodes, trichodorids) is a Family (biology), family of terrestrial root feeding nematodes, being one of two that constitute suborder Triplonchida.family
Family (from ) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). It forms the basis for social order. Ideally, families offer predictabili ...
(trichorids), being one of five genera.Order Triplochida: Paratrichodorus Nemaplex: Nematode-Plant Expert Information System. University of California, Davis. Version October 9, 2012. They are economically important plant parasites and virus vectors. The females are didelphic (two genital tracts), and are distributed worldwide.
Taxonomy
Historically, ''
Trichodorus
''Trichodorus'' is a genus of terrestrial root feeding (stubby-root) nematodes in the Trichodoridae family (trichorids), being one of five genera.Trichodoridae
Trichodoridae (stubby-root nematodes, trichodorids) is a Family (biology), family of terrestrial root feeding nematodes, being one of two that constitute suborder Triplonchida.Decraemer, W. 1980. Systematics of the Trichodoridae (Nematoda) with keys to their species. Revue. Nematol. 3(1): 81-99. /ref> While the latter approach has not been accepted by some authorities, Siddiqi elevated them to genus status in 1980, an approach that few other authors have followed, but maintained by that author, and now receiving some support from modern molecular approaches to
taxonomy
image:Hierarchical clustering diagram.png, 280px, Generalized scheme of taxonomy
Taxonomy is a practice and science concerned with classification or categorization. Typically, there are two parts to it: the development of an underlying scheme o ...
. At least in the case of ''Nanidorus'',
phylogenetic analysis
In biology, phylogenetics () is the study of the evolutionary history of life using observable characteristics of organisms (or genes), which is known as phylogenetic inference. It infers the relationship among organisms based on empirical data ...
has supported its recognition as a separate genus, although clustering with ''Trichodorus'' rather than its parent ''Paratrichodorus''.
Plant pathology
Trichorids became of interest in 1951.CHRISTIE, J. R. & PERRY, V. G. (1951). Removing nematodes from soil. Proc. helm. Soc. Wasb. 18: 106-108. At that time ''Trichodorus christie'' (=''
Paratrichodorus minor
''Paratrichodorus minor'' is a species of nematode in the family Trichodoridae, the stubby-root nematodes.Crow, W. T''Paratrichodorus minor''.EENY-339. University of Florida, IFAS. 2004. It occurs in tropical and subtropical regions of the world ...