title: Heterorhabditidoides rugaoensis n. sp. (Rhabditida: Rhabditidae), a Novel Highly Pathogenic Entomopathogenic Nematode Member of Rhabditidae.
abstract: A novel entomopathogenic nematode species, Heterorhabditidoides rugaoensis n. sp. RG081015, collected from Rugao, China, is described. The new species is morphologically very similar to H. chongmingensis but can be distinguished from it on the basis of some morphological characteristics, combined with molecular data and a cross-hybridization test. Males of the new species can be recognized on the basis of body length averaging 1396.2 μm; lateral field with one ridge; metastome isoglottoid with one hemispherical swellings comprised of two to three well-developed warts; asymmetric spicules; peloderan bursa. In IJs, EP = 134.5 μm; ES = 149.3 μm; tail length = 82.5 μm; and a = 20.5. Hermaphroditic females have four to five lateral ridges. The 18S rDNA and ITS sequences of the two nematodes share 99% and 98% identity, respectively. Phylogenetic trees of 18S rDNA and ITS indicate that the new species is most closely related to H. chongmingensis; thus, the two nematodes belong to the same genus. Failure of cross-hybridization between them indicates that nematode strain RG081015 is a novel species and is described herein as H. rugaoensis n. sp. The LC50 of the novel species against Galleria mellonella were 24.35 IJs / ml within 48 hours of infection. Morphological characteristics, genetic similarity analyses, and phylogenetic relationships provide strong evidence that some species of Oscheius/Insectivora-group should be reassigned to the genus Heterorhabditidoides.
authors.affiliation: Department of Zoology, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China. ; Key Laboratory of Monitoring and Management of Crop Diseases and Pest Insects, Ministry of Agriculture, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China.
authors.forename: Ke Y
authors.initials: KY
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Xiu H
authors.initials: XH
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Jin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tan
authors.forename: Ying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Lei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Qiao
authors.forename: Gabriel
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Yedid
authors.forename: Chen S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Dai
authors.forename: Ru L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Qiu
authors.forename: Xiu W
authors.initials: XW
authors.lastname: Yan
authors.forename: Hao W
authors.initials: HW
authors.lastname: Tan
authors.forename: Zhen Y
authors.initials: ZY
authors.lastname: Su
authors.forename: Ren
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Lai
authors.forename: Guo F
authors.initials: GF
authors.lastname: Gao
keywords: Entomopathogenic nematode; Heterorhabditidoides rugaoensis n. sp.; Insectivora-group; Oscheius; new nematode species; pathogenicity; phylogeny; taxonomy