Life history of Rhabdontolaimus psacotheae (Diplogasterida: Diplogasteroididae) and its habitat segregation from Bursaphelenchus conicaudatus (Aphelenchida: Aphelenchoididae)

摘要

The life history of Rhabdontolaimus psacotheae was examined and compared with that of a species of mycetophagous nematode Bursaphelenchus conicaudatus, which shares its vector and habitat with R. psacotheae. The third stage dauer juveniles of R. psacotheae enter the reproductive tracts of male and female yellow-spotted longicorn beetles, Psacothea hi-laris, and were transmitted from one Moraceae tree to another. The dauer juveniles of R. psacotheae enter a trees through the oviposition marks of theirvector beetles, molt into adults then feed on bacteria proliferaing around the beetle tunnels made in the tree. Although, R. psacotheae was found to be sympatric to B. conicaudatus, R. psacotheae was segregated from B. conicaudatus because of the differences in the food resources in trees and in the organ of the vector beetle where they infest.