Βacterial flora isolated from the oesophageal bulb of the olive fruit fly Dacus oleae (Gmelin)

In a study of the bacterial flora occurring in the adults of the olive fruit fly, Dacus oleae (Gmelin) (Diptera: Tephritidae), oesophageal diverticulum, a total of 28 strains were obtained. Six of them were Gram – negative and identified as Pseudomonas niendocina, Morarella nonliquefasciens (2), Alcaligenes sp., Enterobacter cloacae (2) and 22 Gram-positive classified as Kurthia sp., Staphylococcus subgroup VI, Micrococcus roseus, Bacillus pumilus, B. licheniformis (3) and B. subtilis(15). None of the above bacteria are strictly fixed and constantly present in the oesophageal diverticulum, suggesting that the bacterial flora associated with D. oleae depends on environmental factors, and could be used as a nutrient source for the insect apart from its possible other symbiotic role.

Biology and predatory attributes of a diplogasterid nematode, Fictor composticola Khan et al., 2008

Summary Biology of Fictor composticola has been studied on Aphelenchus avenae in vitro. It reproduces by amphimixis, embryonic development is completed in 24 - 27 h and life cycle in 3 - 4 days. Fusion of sperm and egg pronuclei occurs in the uteri. Pulsation of median oesophageal bulb and pressing of lips against egg shell is seen just prior to hatching but teeth seem to play no role in this process. No moulting occurs inside the egg shell and the first stage juvenile hatches out. Female and male undergo mating upon addition of water in the culture plates and continue to swim in copula for a considerable time. A female lays 1.6 - 4.0 eggs in 24 h while feeding upon A. radicicolus. Predation and reproduction is affected by the temperature and 25 - 35 °C is the optimum range for these phenomena. Process of feeding as recorded with a CCTV attached to a compound microscope is described. F. composticola engulfs small preys; sucks the intestinal contents while holding them or cuts the body wall of large-sized preys and then feeds on prolapsed organs. Two sexes differ in their efficiencies of predation, a female on an average kills 53 A. avenae as compared to 11 by a male in 24 h. F. composticola feeds and reproduces on mycophagous nematodes and juveniles of root- knot, cyst and citrus nematodes but does not prey upon adult nematodes having coarsely annulated cuticle. Cannibalism in this species is also observed. F. composticola and Seinura paratenuicaudata prey upon each other. Biocontrol potential of F. composticola for managing nematode problems in button mushroom and agricultural crops has also been discussed.

New species of free-living marine Sabatieriinae (Nematoda: Monhysterida: Comesomatidae) from

Four new species from the subfamily Sabatieriinae Filipjev, 1934 are described from the south and west coast of South Korea: three new species of Laimella Cobb, 1920 and one new species of Cervonema Wieser, 1954. Two further species of Cervonema are informally described owing to the absence of male specimens. In addition, Laimella filicaudata Ward, 1974 is formally reinstated as an extant species. Sabatieriinae are relatively character poor, defined by a striate cuticle, closely spaced cephalic setae, small buccal cavity, simple arcuate spicules and precloacal supplements minute or absent. However, we have found that the de Man's ratios a, b and c, the comparable lengths of the anterior and posterior cephalic setae, the position of the amphid, shape and length of the oesophageal bulb, and the proportion of the cylindrical tail part are all species informative. Laimella ferreroi sp. nov. is most distinctive species described here, having the largest de Man's ratios a and b, the longest gubernaculum (as abd) and the longest, truly filiform, tail so far recorded in the genus. Laimella socotris sp. nov. has a distinct rounded posterior oesophageal bulb similar only to L. longicauda Cobb, 1920 and L. filicaudata Ward, 1974; in combination with the tail length and the relative length of the anterior and cephalic setae this defines the species. Laimella tongyeongensis sp. nov. is defined by a combination of characters, principally the de Man's ratios a, b, c and c', the oesophageal bulb length and with regards to the length ratio between the anterior and posterior cephalic setae. Cervonema pseudodeltensis sp. nov. is the only species of the genus so far described which appears to have the anterior cephalic setae marginally longer than the posterior cephalic setae. It is also defined by the amphid position and the relative size of the oesophageal bulb. Cervonema sp. A , described only as females, is defined by the total body length and the relative length of the oesophagus and tail (de Man’s b and c). Cervonema sp. B, on the other hand, is distinct with respect to the de Man's ratios a and b, the R2:R3 sensilla length ratio, and the amphid directly behind the cephalic setae. It also has not been fully described here owing to the lack of male specimens.

Green fluorescent protein (GFP)-labeling of enterobacteria associated with fruit flies (Diptera: Tephritidae) and persistence in their natural hostRhagoletis completaCresson.

Fruit flies (Diptera: Tephritidae) are a highly successful, widespread group of insects that cause economic damage in agriculture. Data available so far on the composition of the bacterial community associated with their digestive tract indicate that members of Enterobacteriaceae are the species most often isolated. Bacteria naturally occurring in insect guts may be engineered and used to study the spatial and functional interactions of microbes within the insect system and offer one route to meet the demand for novel insect pest management strategies. With this aim we introduced by conjugation the gfp gene carried by the suicide plasmid pTn5gfpmut1 into Klebsiella oxytoca and Raoultella (formerly Klebsiella ) spp. strains isolated from the oesophageal bulb of the fruit flies Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann) and Rhagoletis completa Cresson, respectively. The GFP-encoding gene was stably maintained in two tested transgenic strains, both originally isolated from R. completa. In one case, GFP-labeled bacterial cells were used to feed larvae and adults of the original host. Genetically modified bacteria were able to colonize the gut of larvae and persisted through all larval instars to pupal stage.

Two new species of Manunema (Plectida: Peresianidae) from the Arabian Gulf, with notes on the phylogeny of the genus

Two new species of Manunema are described from the coast of Kuwait, one from the intertidal in Kuwait Bay and one found at shallow subtidal sites in the Arabian Gulf. Like other species of Manunema, the two species described here are characterised by coarse striation of the cuticle; a tapered, trunk-like cervical region; a large, elongate oesophageal bulb and corresponding swelling of the body; absence of cervical setae; pedunculate somatic setae; paired outstretched ovaries in females, tubular precloacal supplements in males and a pair of simple, curved spicules in males. Manunema kithara sp. nov. differs from other species in the genus by its characteristic, elongate, double oesophageal bulb which resembles a guitar in shape, being broader in the posterior half, and by the shape and form of the two precloacal supplements in the males. Manunema kuwaitiensis sp. nov. is similar to both M. proboscidis and M. annulata in having a weakly double oesophageal bulb, but differs in the morphology and position of the single precloacal supplement in males.

New species of Terschellingia (Nematoda: Linhomoeidae) from the Tamar estuary, England and the Maldive Islands

A new species of free-living marine nematode, Terschellingia gourbaultae sp. nov., from the Tamar estuary, south-west England, is described and illustrated. This species has also been recorded from Brittany, France. T. daviger, sensu Gerlach (1963) nec Wieser (1956) is a junior homonym and is re-named T. maldivensis sp. nov. Five Terschellingia species including the new species are distinguished by their lack of a distinctly offset, rounded oesophageal bulb; a table and figures are given to aid identification of these species.

Megalobatrachonema (Chabaudgolvania) waldeni n.sp. (Nematoda: Kathlaniidae) from the intestine of the northwestern salamander, Ambystoma gracile (Baird)

A new species of kathlaniid nematode, Megalobatrachonema waldeni, from the intestine of the northwestern salamander, Ambystoma gracile, in British Columbia is described. The new species is placed in the subgenus Megalobatrachonema (Chabaudgolvania) as it lacks valves in the oesophageal bulb. Megalobatrachonema waldeni differs from the two other members of this subgenus, M. elongatum (Baird, 1958) and M. terdentatum (Linstow, 1890), in having large cervical alae and distinctly separate lips, and in lacking hypodermal lip peduncles and a pseudosucker. Megalobatrachonema waldeni has simpler onchia, smaller spicules, and a more prominent swelling at the base of the oesophageal corpus than M. elongatum, and differs from M. terdentatum by its distinct corpus swelling, more anterior excretory pore, fewer caudal papillae, and longer tail.

Redescription of Megalobatrachonema (Chabaudgolvania) elongata (Baird, 1858) n. comb. (Nematoda: Kathlaniidae) parasitic in North American salamanders

Megalobatrachonema (Chabaudgolvania) elongata (Baird, 1858) n. comb, is redescribed based on specimens from Ambystoma tigrinum, A. lacustris, Ambystoma sp., and Rhyacosideron altamirani (Ambystomatidae) from various localities in Mexico. The species is transferred to Megalobatrachonema from Falcaustra because the oesophagus lacks valves and the oesophageal bulb is reduced in size. Megalobatrachonema (C.) elongata may be differentiated from the only other species in the same subgenus, M. (C.) terdentatum (Linstow, 1890), from Triturus spp. (Salamandridae) of Europe, by differences in oesophageal and cephalic morphology, and the distribution of caudal papillae in males.