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Ex vivo development of Phasmarhabditis spp. associated with terrestrial molluscs

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  11 January 2022

A. Pieterse ,
S. Haukeland ,
V. Půža ,
J.L. Ross Open the ORCID record for J.L. Ross [Opens in a new window]  and
A.P. Malan
A. Pieterse
Affiliation:
Department of Conservation Ecology and Entomology, Faculty of AgriSciences, Stellenbosch University, Private Bag X1, Matieland7602, South Africa
S. Haukeland
Affiliation:
International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (icipe), PO Box 30772-00100, Nairobi, Kenya Norwegian Institute of Bioeconomy Research (NIBIO), PO Box 115, NO-1431 Ås, Norway
V. Půža
Affiliation:
Laboratory of Entomopathogenic Nematodes, Biology Centre CAS, Institute of Entomology, Branišovská 1160/31, 370 05České Budějovice, Czech Republic
J.L. Ross*
Affiliation:
Department of Conservation Ecology and Entomology, Faculty of AgriSciences, Stellenbosch University, Private Bag X1, Matieland7602, South Africa School of Biological Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, AB24 3UU, UK
A.P. Malan
Affiliation:
Department of Conservation Ecology and Entomology, Faculty of AgriSciences, Stellenbosch University, Private Bag X1, Matieland7602, South Africa
*
Author for correspondence: J.L. Ross, E-mail: jenna.ross@abdn.ac.uk
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Abstract

The success of Phasmarhabditis hermaphrodita (Schneider) Andrássy (Rhabditida: Rhabditidae) as a biological control agent of molluscs has led to a worldwide interest in phasmarhabditids. However, scant information is available on the lifecycle development of species within the genus. In the current study, the development of P. hermaphrodita, Phasmarhabditis papillosa, Phasmarhabditis bohemica and Phasmarhabditis kenyaensis were studied using ex vivo cultures, in order to improve our understanding of their biology. Infective juveniles (IJs) of each species were added to 1 g of defrosted homogenized slug cadavers of Deroceras invadens and the development monitored after inoculated IJ recovery, over a period of eight–ten days. The results demonstrated that P. bohemica had the shortest development cycle and that it was able to produce first-generation IJs after eight days, while P. hermaphrodita, P. papillosa and P. kenyaensis took ten days to form a new cohort of IJs. However, from the perspective of mass rearing, P. hermaphrodita has an advantage over the other species in that it is capable of forming self-fertilizing hermaphrodites, whereas both males and females are required for the reproduction of P. papillosa, P. bohemica and P. kenyaensis. The results of the study contribute to the knowledge of the biology of the genus and will help to establish the in vitro liquid cultures of different species of the genus.

Keywords

Deroceras invadenslife cyclemolluscnematodePhasmarhabditis
Type
Research Paper
Information
Journal of Helminthology , Volume 96 , 2022 , e6
Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s), 2022. Published by Cambridge University Press

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Footnotes

*

Current address: Crop Health and Protection (CHAP), York Biotech Campus, Sand Hutton, York. YO41 1LZ. UK

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