The effect of temperature on infection, development and reproduction of heterorhabditids

Autor: J.M. Mason, William M. Hominick
Rok vydání: 1995
Předmět:
Zdroj: Journal of Helminthology. 69:337-345
ISSN: 1475-2697
0022-149X
DOI: 10.1017/s0022149x00014929
Popis: The effect of temperature on infection, development and reproduction of five Heterorhabditis isolates was examined in Galleria mellonella larvae. Infectivity was examined at six temperatures (5,10, 15,20,25 and 30°C). The proportion of Galleria infected remained relatively constant, only dropping at extremes of the temperature range tested. However, the mean number of nematodes per host produced a different trend, with each isolate displaying optimal infectivity at 25°C. The temperature range over which the juveniles could infect differed between the isolates. This is thought to be related to the geographic origins of the species. Development and reproduction occurred over a slightly narrower temperature range than that allowing infection to occur. Differences between the isolates at which development and reproduction occurred were noted. There were also differences in the mean number of juveniles produced per cadaver following either infection in sand (10 nematodes/larva) or the injection of one juvenile per larva, suggesting that reproduction is tightly regulated by density-dependent constraints.
Databáze: OpenAIRE