Plant parasitic nematodes (Tylenchida: Nematoda) found on sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) growing in the Mediterranean region of Turkey were examined faunistically and taxonomically. This study was carried out in two provinces (Antalya and İçel) important for the cultivation of sesame during the summer of 1998. Samples were taken from 20 different sesame fields and examined in the laboratory. By the end of our research 23 species were identified. Two of these (Helicotylenchus abunaamai Siddiqi and Paratylenchus rotundicephalus Bajaj) are species which have never been recorded in Turkey. Their identification, distribution in the Mediterranean region, and morphological and morphometric characteristics are described. The hosts and regions of plant parasitic nematodes previously determined in the sesame cultivation areas in Turkey were collected as literature records. No record was found on the plant parasitic nematodes occurring in sesame cultivation areas in Turkey. In this first research the most common species are Tylenchorhynchus tritici Golden, Maqbool & Hondoo, Scutylenchus lenorus Brown and Pleciorotylenchus striaticeps Volvas, Castillo & Lamberti.

Plant parasitic nematodes (Tylenchida: Nematoda) found on sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) growing in the Mediterranean region of Turkey were examined faunistically and taxonomically. This study was carried out in two provinces (Antalya and İçel) important for the cultivation of sesame during the summer of 1998. Samples were taken from 20 different sesame fields and examined in the laboratory. By the end of our research 23 species were identified. Two of these (Helicotylenchus abunaamai Siddiqi and Paratylenchus rotundicephalus Bajaj) are species which have never been recorded in Turkey. Their identification, distribution in the Mediterranean region, and morphological and morphometric characteristics are described. The hosts and regions of plant parasitic nematodes previously determined in the sesame cultivation areas in Turkey were collected as literature records. No record was found on the plant parasitic nematodes occurring in sesame cultivation areas in Turkey. In this first research the most common species are Tylenchorhynchus tritici Golden, Maqbool & Hondoo, Scutylenchus lenorus Brown and Pleciorotylenchus striaticeps Volvas, Castillo & Lamberti.