title: Morphological and molecular characterisation of an isolate of Steinernema diaprepesi Nguyen & Duncan, 2002 (Rhabditida: Steinernematidae) from Argentina and identification of its bacterial symbiont.
abstract: Entomopathogenic nematodes of the families Heterorhabditidae Poinar, 1976 and Steinernematidae Chitwood & Chitwood, 1937 are used for biological control of insect pests. An isolate of Steinernema diaprepesi Nguyen & Duncan, 2002 was recovered from a carrot field in the locality of Santa Rosa de Calchines (Santa Fe Province, Argentina). These nematodes were characterised based on morphological, morphometric and molecular studies. Their symbiotic bacterium was identified as Xenorhabdus doucetiae Tailliez, Pagès, Ginibre & Boemare, 2006 by sequencing the 16S rRNA gene. The isolate of S. diaprepesi studied exhibits some morphometric differences with the original description, especially in the first generation adults. This is the first description of the species in Argentina.
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Diversidad y Ecología Animal (CONICET-UNC) and Centro de Zoología Aplicada, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Rondeau 798, X5000AVP, Córdoba, Argentina.
authors.forename: Milena
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Caccia
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio de Biología Molecular, Pabellón CEPROCOR, Santa María de Punilla, X5164, Córdoba, Argentina.
authors.forename: Juan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rondan Dueñas
authors.affiliation: Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias, Universidad Nacional del Litoral, 3080, Esperanza, Santa Fe, Argentina.
authors.forename: Eleodoro
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Del Valle
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Diversidad y Ecología Animal (CONICET-UNC) and Centro de Zoología Aplicada, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Rondeau 798, X5000AVP, Córdoba, Argentina.
authors.forename: Marcelo E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Doucet
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Diversidad y Ecología Animal (CONICET-UNC) and Centro de Zoología Aplicada, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Rondeau 798, X5000AVP, Córdoba, Argentina. laxpaola@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Paola
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lax
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001118:Argentina; D012335:RNA, Ribosomal / Q000235:genetics; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / Q000235:genetics; D017168:Rhabditida / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics / Q000382:microbiology*; D013045:Species Specificity; D020593:Xenorhabdus / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D012335:RNA, Ribosomal; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S