Nematode Identification and Expert System Technology: (7 NATO Science Series A:)

The need to identify and name organisms is fundamental to any area of biological science, basic or applied. In order to study or conduct research on an organism, or to convey information on this organism to others, we must be able to attribute to it a consistent label. Attribution of an incorrect label may have dire consequences if dangerous plant parasites are wrongly identified as members of an innocuous genus. Traditional aids to nematode identification (dichotomous keys) use systematic criteria not always well adapted to practical identification. Their reliance on dichotomous principlesdoes not allow for intra-taxon variability or for missing characters. They are difficult to update and they cannot keep pace with rapidly changing classifications. As experts in everyday life, we recognize a horse or a dog wi thout referring to the taxonomic descriptions of the genera Equus or Canis and their respective species. Problems in identification arise when we are not experts in the recognition of a particular organism, or group of organisms. Then, frequently in considerable frustration, we reflect on the usefulness of having the advice of an expert in this group. Tradi tional identification aids are useful tools for the expert identifiers, and for teaching. Their use is often difficult for general practitioners in nematology, and they may lead to incorrect identification, even at the genus level.

Table of Contents:
Systematics and Identification of Plant-parasitic Nematode Genera.- The Use of Micro Computers for the Identification of Plant-parasitic Nematodes.- Using a Computer to Identify Nematodes.- Multiple Entry Identification Keys.- Pictorial Key to Genera of Plant-parasitic Nematodes.- A new Description of the Process of Identification of Plant-parasitic Nematode Genera.- Nemisys: An Expert-system for Nematode Identification.- Building a Knowledge base for Plant-parasitic Nematodes: Description and Specification of Metadata.- Identification of Tylenchids.- Identification of Dolichodorids.- Identification of Heteroderids.- Identification of Meloidogynids.- Identification of Criconematids.- Identification of Aphelenchids.- Identification of Trichodorids.- Identification of Dorylaims, Particularly Longidorids and Related Genera.- Morphometric Variability and Aberrations in Nematode Identification.- Morphological Characters and Methods for Preparing Nematodes.- Use of Habitat Data to Help with the Identification Process.- Practical Identification of Nematodes in Spain.- Identification of Nematodes in India.- Identification of Rare Forms using Examples from Australia.- Identification of Nematodes in Areas Where Nematology is Little Developed.- Free-living Terrestrial Nematodes Resembling Plant Parasitic Forms.- Free-living Aquatic Nematodes and their Resemblance to Plant-parasitic Forms.- Insect-parasitic Nematodes Resembling Plant-parasitic Forms.- Report of the Panel on Insect-parasitic, Free-living Terrestrial, and Free-living Aquatic Nematodes.- Use of Image Analysis for Automatic Recognition of Nematodes.- Use of the Scanning Electron Microscope for the Identification of Nematodes.- Teaching Nematology: to Read is to Learn.- Tylenchida: an Internationl Team Revision.- Classification of Tylenchida.- Conclusions of the Workshop.- Participants.- Annex: List of Features and Characters for Tylenchs.- Group Photo.- Nematode taxon Index.- Author Index.