Mating Clusters in the Mosquito Parasitic Nematode, Strelkovimermis Spiculatus ⇑ Limin Dong A,B,C, Manar Sanad D, Yi Wang C, Yanli Xu A,B, , Muhammad S.M
Journal of Invertebrate Pathology 117 (2014) 19–25 Contents lists available at ScienceDirect Journal of Invertebrate Pathology journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/jip Mating clusters in the mosquito parasitic nematode, Strelkovimermis spiculatus ⇑ Limin Dong a,b,c, Manar Sanad d, Yi Wang c, Yanli Xu a,b, , Muhammad S.M. Shamseldean d, Randy Gaugler c a Northeast Agricultural University, 59 Mucai Street, Xiangfang District, Harbin 150030, PR China b Key Laboratory of Mollisols Agroecology, Northeast Institute of Geography and Agroecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 138 Haping Road, Harbin 150081, PR China c Center for Vector Biology, Rutgers University, 180 Jones Avenue, New Brunswick, NJ 08901-8536, USA d Department of Zoology and Agricultural Nematology, Faculty of Agriculture, Cairo University, 12613 Giza, Egypt article info abstract Article history: Mating aggregations in the mosquito parasitic nematode, Strelkovimermis spiculatus, were investigated in Received 26 November 2013 the laboratory. Female postparasites, through their attraction of males and, remarkably, other females, Accepted 23 January 2014 drive the formation of mating clusters. Clusters may grow in size by merging with other individual or Available online 31 January 2014 clusters. Female molting to the adult stage and reproductive success are enhanced in larger clusters. Male mating behavior is initiated when the female begins to molt to the adult stage by shedding dual juvenile Keywords: cuticles posteriorly. Males coil their tail around the adult cuticle, migrating progressively along the Strelkovimermis spiculatus female in intimate synchrony with the molting cuticle until the vulva is exposed and mating can occur. Aggregation The first arriving male is assured of access to a virgin female, as his intermediate location between the Copulatory plug Male–male competition vulva and subsequently arriving males blocks these competitors.
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