Brachylaimus fuscatus metacercaria develops unencysled in the terrestrial snail Ponsadenia duplocincta. For the first time in a larval stage of the genus Brachylaimus a distinctive surface structure has been observed. This structure of net-like interconnected ridges of the tegument was present on the whole body surface with the exception of the anterior part. Beside this structure scanning electron microscopy revealed five types of papillae. Three types, dome-like papillae, papillae with a finger-like process, and hollow papillae with a short cilium, were localized mainly in the suckers. Hollow papillae without a cilium were arranged in groups or singly around the ventral sucker and genital pore. Ribbed papillae were observed on the ventral body surface.
Soil samples were collected from the whole territory of the Czech Republic, and the presence of entomopathogenic nematodes from the families Steinernematidae and Heterorhabditidae was evaluated by Galleria traps method. Of the 342 samples studied, 53.8% were positive for entomopathogenic nematodes with only one positive for the heterorhabditid, Heterorhabditis megidis Poinar, Jackson ct Klein. 1987. Of steinernematid species, Steinernema kraussei (Steiner, 1923), Steinernema felliae (Filipjev, 1934), Steinernema affine (Bovicn, 1937), Steinernema intermedium (Poinar, 1985), Steinernema bicornutum Tallosi, Peters et F.hlers, 1995, and Steinernema sp. belonging to “glaseri" group were recovered. With several exceptions the nematodes occurred in all the ecosystems, subecosystcms and habitats studied. They were more frequently found in samples from tree than open habitats, from light than heavy soil, and their incidence was ubiquitous, rather than patchy. Dependence of entomopathogenic nematodes on insect incidence seemed to be elementary for both their incidence and abundance. The sampling sites with moderate to severe insect abundance were 66.5 % positive for nematodes while those with slight or no visible insect abundance only 15 %.