Steinernema neocurtillis n. sp. (Rhabditida: Steinernematiclae) and a Key to Species of the Genus Steinernema

Authors

  • Khuong B. Nguyen
  • Grover C. Smart, Jr.

Abstract

Steinernema neocurtillis n. sp. isolated from the mole cricket Neocurtilla hexadactyla Perty can be distinguished from other members of the genus by characteristics of the first-generation male and the third-stage infective juvenile (IJ). In the male, the distance from the anterior end to the excretory pore (DAE) is less than the body width at the excretory pore; D% (DAE divided by length of esophagus x 100) is low at 19. The gubernaculum legth is greater than three-fourths the spicule length. Range of the ratio gubernaculum length divided by spicule length is 0.82-0.93 in the first-generation male and 0.92-1.00 in the second-generation male. In the IJ, the distance from the anterior end to the excretory pore is extremely short (18 [mu]m), causing the D% and E% (DAE divided by tail length x 100) to be low (D% = 23 and E% = 12). Average body length of the IJ is 885 [mu]m. Key words: entomopathogenic nematode, mole cricket parasite, morphology, nematode, new species, Neocurtilla hexadactyla, Steinernema neocurtillis n. sp., taxonomy.

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Published

1992-12-15

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Section

Articles