Pellioditis ciscaucasica n. sp. from Caucasian gastropods and a role of the invasive slug Krynickillus melanocephalus in dissemination of malacopathogenic nematodes

Invasive agriolimacid slug Krynickillus melanocephalus was found infected by several species of malacopathogenic nematodes of the genus Pellioditis. Now, this Caucasian slug is actively spreading across Europe. Pellioditis is a genus of nematodes capable of killing molluscs, and its two species have been developed into widely used biological control agents. As malacopathogenic nematodes can pose a threat to survival of native, susceptible gastropod species, the distribution of K. melanocephalus and examination of associated parasites are needed. All Pellioditis species found in association with K. melanocephalus were of Caucasian origin. The new Pellioditis species was found to belong to a different clade within the genus than the other five Caucasian species and is the first representative of the clade Papillosa in the Caucasus.