DAUER JUVENILES OF <I>POIKILOLAIMUS FLORIDENSIS</I> (RHABDITIDA: RHABDITIDAE) ISOLATED FROM DRYWOOD TERMITES (KALOTERMITIDAE)

Abstract

Kanzaki, N., R. M. Giblin-Davis, R. H. Scheffrahn, and B. J. Center. 2009. Dauer juveniles of Poikilolaimus floridensis (Rhabditida: Rhabditidae) isolated from drywood termites (Kalotermitidae). Nematropica 39:305-310. The dauer juvenile of Poikilolaimus floridensis is described and illustrated. The dauer juveniles were isolated from the foregut of Incisitermes schwarzi (nymphs), I. milleri (alates and workers) and Cryptotermes cavifrons (alates) collected from the upper Florida Keys and identified as P. floridensis using an SSU molecular barcode sequence. The dauers isolated from the termites have a closed stoma and degenerative digestive system, suggesting that the dauer juvenile stage is phoretic and not parasitic. The number of nematodes per infected termite and the infection ratio of termites were low, i.e., three or fewer and 0-33%, respectively. These low numbers and association ratios appear relatively weak for maintenance of the termite-nematode association without local extinctions. Further studies on the life history are needed to understand the dynamics of the association between P. floridensis and kalotermitid termites.