''Heterorhabditis'' is a
genus
Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family (taxonomy), family as used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In bino ...
of
nematode
The nematodes ( or ; ; ), roundworms or eelworms constitute the phylum Nematoda. Species in the phylum inhabit a broad range of environments. Most species are free-living, feeding on microorganisms, but many are parasitic. Parasitic worms (h ...
s belonging to the order
Rhabditida
Rhabditida is an order of free-living, parasitic and microbivorous nematodes living in soil.
The Cephalobidae, Panagrolaimidae, Steinernematidae, and Strongyloididae seem to be closer to the Tylenchia, regardless of whether these are merg ...
. All species of this genus are obligate
parasite
Parasitism is a Symbiosis, close relationship between species, where one organism, the parasite, lives (at least some of the time) on or inside another organism, the Host (biology), host, causing it some harm, and is Adaptation, adapted str ...
s of
insect
Insects (from Latin ') are Hexapoda, hexapod invertebrates of the class (biology), class Insecta. They are the largest group within the arthropod phylum. Insects have a chitinous exoskeleton, a three-part body (Insect morphology#Head, head, ...
s, and some are used as
biological control
Biological control or biocontrol is a method of controlling pests, whether pest animals such as insects and mites, weeds, or pathogens affecting animals or plants by using other organisms. It relies on predation, parasitism, herbivory, or o ...
agents for the control of pest insects.
''Heterorhabditis'' nematodes are hosts for the ''
Photorhabdus
''Photorhabdus'' is a genus of bioluminescent, gram-negative bacilli which lives symbiotically within entomopathogenic nematodes, hence the name ''photo'' (which means light producing) and ''rhabdus'' (rod shape). ''Photorhabdus'' is known to be ...
''
bacteria
Bacteria (; : bacterium) are ubiquitous, mostly free-living organisms often consisting of one Cell (biology), biological cell. They constitute a large domain (biology), domain of Prokaryote, prokaryotic microorganisms. Typically a few micr ...
l
symbiont
Symbiosis (Ancient Greek : living with, companionship < : together; and ''bíōsis'': living) is any type of a close and long-term biological interaction, between two organisms of different species. The two organisms, termed symbionts, can fo ...
.
Species
The recognized species in this genus are:
* ''
Heterorhabditis amazonensis
''Heterorhabditis'' is a genus of nematodes belonging to the order Rhabditida. All species of this genus are obligate parasites of insects, and some are used as biological pest control, biological control agents for the control of pest insects.
...
''
Andaló, Nguyen & Moino, 2007
* ''
Heterorhabditis bacteriophora''
Poinar, 1976
* ''
Heterorhabditis baujardi''
Phan, Subbotin, Nguyen & Moens, 2003
* ''
Heterorhabditis downesi''
Stock, Griffin & Burnell, 2002
* ''
Heterorhabditis floridensis''
Nguyen, Gozel, Koppenhöfer & Adams, 2006
* ''
Heterorhabditis georgiana''
Nguyen, Shapiro-Ilan and Mbata, 2008
* ''
Heterorhabditis heliothidis''
(Khan, Brooks & Hirschmann, 1976)
* ''
Heterorhabditis indica''
Poinar, Karunakar & David, 1992
* ''
Heterorhabditis marelatus''
Liu & Berry, 1996
* ''
Heterorhabditis megidis''
Poinar, Jackson & Klein, 1987
* ''
Heterorhabditis mexicana''
Nguyen, Shapiro-Ilan, Stuart, McCoy, James & Adams, 2004
* ''
Heterorhabditis safricana''
Malan, Nguyen, de Waal and Tiedt, 2008
* ''
Heterorhabditis taysearae''
Shamseldean, El-Sooud, Abd-Elgawad & Saleh, 1996
* ''
Heterorhabditis zealandica''
Poinar, 1990[Poinar, G.O., Jr. (1990) "Taxonomy and biology of Steinernematidae and Heterorhabditidae." In: R. Gaugler and H.K. Kaya (eds) "Entomopathogenic Nematodes in Biological Control." CRC Press: Boca Raton, FL, pp. 23-60.]
References
External links
Entomopathogenic nematodeson the
UF /
IFAS Featured Creatures website.
{{Authority control
Rhabditida genera
Parasites of insects
Biological control agents of pest insects
Taxa named by George Poinar Jr.