Abstract
During a survey for entomopathogenic nematodes in citrus orchards throughout
South Africa, a new species of Steinernema was isolated
from a citrus orchard on Rietkloof farm, near the town of Piketberg in the
Western Cape Province, South Africa. The nematode was isolated from soil
using the Galleria-baiting technique. Steinernema
citrae n. sp. is characterised by the following morphological
characters: third-stage infective juvenile with a body length of 754
(623-849) μm, distance from head to excretory pore of 56
(49-64) μm, tail length of 71 (63-81) μm,
and ratio E value of 110 (85-132). The lateral pattern for the new species
is 2, 7, 8, 6, 4, 2 and is not typical for the genus. Steinernema
citrae n. sp. is closely related the
feltiae-group. The body length of the IJ is close to that
of S. texanum and S. weiseri, though it
differs in body diam., the length of the pharynx and E%. The male of
S. citrae n. sp. differs from S.
feltiae in the length and shape of the spicule and body diam.
Steinernema citrae n. sp. differs from all species in
the feltiae-group in the morphology of the vulva, as it has
a single flapped, low, epiptygma. It also differs from the most closely
related species, S. feltiae, as there is no interbreeding
between the two species. In addition, the new nematode differs from other
species of the feltiae-group by characteristics of the ITS
and D2D3 regions of its rDNA.