Seasonal Fluctuation of Dorylaimid Population in Banana Plantation of West Bengal, India

During an ecological investigation from March 2004 to February 2006, 8 nematode species belonging to the order Dorylaimida have been encountered from rhizosphere of a banana plantation in Paschim Medinipur district of West Bengal, India. Amongst these, 5 species viz., Dorylaimus innovatus, Prodorylaimus sukuli, Aporcelaimellus subhasi, Oriverutus lobatus and Paractinolaimus aruprus were found all round the year in large numbers. The remaining 3 species viz., Laimydorus siddiqii, Thonus garhwaliensis and Promumtazium elongatum were found during some months of the year and their number were very low. All the species exhibited a bimodal pattern of population fluctuation. They maintained a high level of population during monsoon and in the spring but low level occurred at the time of winter and summer season.