Revised 05/10/24
Rhabditida
Rhabditoidea
Heterorhabditidae Poinar, 1975
Obligate insect parasites. Infective juveniles carry symbiotic bacteria in the bacterial chamber of the intestine.
Both hermaphrodites and amphimictic females and males occur (Nguyen and Smart, 1996).
Nematodes feed on the bacteria proliferating
in the insect body..
They
complete one to three generations within the cadaver.
In the Heterorhabditidae, the IJs develop into self-fertile hermaphrodites
which produce the next generation. The secomd and subsequent genertaions in the
cadaver are amphimictic and offspring are produced by cross fertilization
involving males and females.
References
Hunt, D.J. and Nguyen, K.B. 2016. Advances in Entonmopathogenic Nematode Taxonomy and Phylogeny. Nematology Monographs and Perspecives 12 Brill, Leiden.
Nguyen, K.B. and Smart, G.C. 1996. Identification of entomopathogenic nematodes in the Steinernematidae and Heterorhabditidae. J. Nemtology 28:286-300.
Poinar, G.O. Jr. 1975. Description and biology of a new insect parasitic Rhabditoid, Heterorhabditis bacteriophora N. Gen., N. Sp.(Rhabditida; Heterorhabditidae N. Fam.).Nematologica 21:463-470.
Stock, S.P and Reid, A.P. 2004. Biosystematics of entomopathogenic nematodes (Steinernematidae, Heterorhabditidae): current status and future directions. Nematology Monographs and Persdectives 2:435-446.