Diversity and Trapping Efficiency of Nematophagous Fungi from Oman

Abstract

A survey of the nematophagous mycobiota biodiversity of 82 soil and leaf-litter samples in the Sultanate of Oman yielded ten species of nematode trapping fungi belonging to three genera. The species are: Arthrobotrys eudermata, A. thaumasia, A. musiformis, A. oligospora, A. oligospora var. oligospora, A. oudemansii, A. multiformis, A. javanica, Drechslerella brochopaga and Gamsylella geophyropaga. This is the first record of these species in Oman. Arthobotrys multiformis represents the second record of this species worldwide. A systematic study showed that A. oudemansii, A. multiformis and A. javanica were morphologically more variable than was so far known. In four days, A. oligospora, A. thaumasia, D. brochopaga and A. eudermata trapped all nematodes added to the Petri dishes (Panagrellus redivivus, 100 specimens per dish). No significant differences were found in the trapping efficiency among the species tested.