Fundamentals of Plant-Parasitic Nematode Diagnostics, Systematics, and Classification

Fundamentals of Plant-Parasitic Nematode Diagnostics, Systematics and Classification offers a comprehensive and authoritative resource for researchers, students, and professionals engaged in nematode biosystematics. The microscopic size, morphological plasticity, and broad ecological diversity have long complicated the efforts to accurately identify nematode species and reconstruct their evolutionary relationships. Unlike many other animal groups, the full extent of nematode species richness remains largely unknown, and aside from rare fossilized specimens preserved in amber, paleontological evidence is minimal.This book confronts these challenges by integrating recent advances in molecular systematics with traditional taxonomic frameworks to build a unified reference dataset. It critically surveys the historical classification models and establishes a solid foundation for advancing research on nematode evolution and phylogeny. Rather than concentrating on isolated taxa, it presents a broad conceptual toolkit-encompassing diagnostic techniques, hierarchical organizations, and evolutionary analyses-that directly supports the management of character data and robust taxonomic publications. With its interdisciplinary scope and emphasis on both theoretical and practical diagnostics, this book is poised to become an essential reference for those working in agriculture, plant protection, and nematology. - Presents foundational concepts in taxonomy, systematics, phylogeny, and classification- Guides in the identification of economically important plant-parasitic nematodes- Offers strategies for selecting appropriate tools in phylogenetic analysis and evolutionary lineage reconstruction- Traces the historical development of nematode classification toward a coherent and natural framework