First records of mermithid nematodes (Nematoda: Mermithidae) parasitising stick insects (Insecta: Phasmatodea)

Yeates, G. W.; Buckley, Thomas R.

doi:10.1080/03014220909510137

Cited by 12 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 16 publications

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“…The maximum‐likelihood phylogeny confirmed that the Timema endoparasitic nematodes are indeed closely related to species from the family Mermithidae of Nematoda (Clade I; Fig. A), and are closely related to the single mermithid ever collected from another stick insect ( Clitarchus ; Yeates and Buckley ; Fig. S1).…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 57%

“…In this study we identified a new group of endoparasitic nematodes, infecting at least nine species of Timema stick insects throughout California, as relatives of mermithid nematodes. This is only the second report of mermithid (or mermithid‐like) nematodes infecting stick insects, after Yeates and Buckley () found a mermithid nematode infecting a Clitarchus stick insect in New Zealand. We found that this mermithid is closely related to Timema endoparasites, suggesting few or perhaps even only a single colonization of phasmatodean hosts by mermithids.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 87%

“…We also tested whether Timema endoparasites are closely related to the Clitarchus stick insect endoparasite found by Yeates and Buckley () by adding the 18S sequence portion from that species to the sequence set described above and running the same phylogenetic analyses. However, because the Clitarchus 18S sequence portion was much smaller (781 bp) than the amplified portion in Timema (1200 bp) and thus less informative, we did not use this sequence for any further analyses.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Nematode endoparasites do not codiversify with their stick insect hosts

Larose

Schwander

2016

Ecology and Evolution

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Host–parasite coevolution stems from reciprocal selection on host resistance and parasite infectivity, and can generate some of the strongest selective pressures known in nature. It is widely seen as a major driver of diversification, the most extreme case being parallel speciation in hosts and their associated parasites. Here, we report on endoparasitic nematodes, most likely members of the mermithid family, infecting different Timema stick insect species throughout California. The nematodes develop in the hemolymph of their insect host and kill it upon emergence, completely impeding host reproduction. Given the direct exposure of the endoparasites to the host's immune system in the hemolymph, and the consequences of infection on host fitness, we predicted that divergence among hosts may drive parallel divergence in the endoparasites. Our phylogenetic analyses suggested the presence of two differentiated endoparasite lineages. However, independently of whether the two lineages were considered separately or jointly, we found a complete lack of codivergence between the endoparasitic nematodes and their hosts in spite of extensive genetic variation among hosts and among parasites. Instead, there was strong isolation by distance among the endoparasitic nematodes, indicating that geography plays a more important role than host‐related adaptations in driving parasite diversification in this system. The accumulating evidence for lack of codiversification between parasites and their hosts at macroevolutionary scales contrasts with the overwhelming evidence for coevolution within populations, and calls for studies linking micro‐ versus macroevolutionary dynamics in host–parasite interactions.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 57%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 87%

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Nematode endoparasites do not codiversify with their stick insect hosts

Larose

Schwander

2016

Ecology and Evolution

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“…The species has been reported from New Zealand only in passing, with MacFarlane (2011) and Thomas (1989) each offering personal observations that M. subnigrescens is common in earwigs in Canterbury; M. subnigrescens was synonymized with M. nigrescens by Nickle (1972). Other reports of mermithid genera from New Zealand include unidentified mermithid species in Ephemeroptera, Coleoptera, Phasmatodea and Orthoptera (Barker et al, 1989;Ward, 1998;Williams et al, 2001;Bell et al, 2005;Yeates & Buckley, 2009), Agamomermis sp. in midges (Craig, 1963), Aranimermis giganteus Poinar & Early, 1990 in mygalomorph spiders (Poinar & Early, 1990), Thaumamermis zealandica Poinar, Latham & Poulin, 2002 in supralittoral amphipods (Poinar et al, 2002), Psammomermis canterburiensis Poinar & Jackson, 1992 in scarabid beetle larvae (Hoy, 1952;Poinar & Jackson, 1992), and Austromermis namis Poinar, 1990 and Blepharomermis craigi Poinar, 1990 in blackfly and midge larvae (Poinar, 1990).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 96%

Morphological and molecular characterization ofMermisnigrescensDujardin, (Nematoda: Mermithidae) parasitizing the introduced European earwig (Dermaptera: Forficulidae) in New Zealand

et al. 2014

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Parasitic nematodes of the family Mermithidae were found to be infecting the introduced European earwig Forficula auricularia (Dermaptera: Forficulidae) in Dunedin, South Island, New Zealand. Adult females were later collected from various garden plants while depositing eggs. These mermithid specimens were identified morphologically as Mermis nigrescens Dujardin, 1842. A genetic distance of 0.7% between these specimens and a M. nigrescens isolate from Canada (18S rRNA gene), suggests that they have diverged genetically, but there are currently no available comparable sequences for the European M. nigrescens. Two additional nuclear fragments were also amplified, the 28S rRNA and the ribosomal DNA first internal transcribed spacer (ITS1), providing a basis for future studies. Bearing in mind the morphological similarity with other reported M. nigrescens and the lack of sequence data from other parts of the world, we retain the name M. nigrescens, and suggest that the species may be found to represent a complex of cryptic species when more worldwide data are available. Herein, we present a brief description of the post-parasitic worms and adult females, along with an inferred phylogeny using 18S rRNA gene sequences.

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“…Although the species of mermithid was not identified, it is believed the same species attacked various species of collected. Yeates and Buckley [61] also describe records of mermithid nematodes attacking phasmids. Table 3 provides an overview of potential biological control agents.…”

Section: Potential For Biological Controlmentioning

confidence: 99%

The worldwide status of phasmids (Insecta: Phasmida) as pests of agriculture and forestry, with a generalised theory of phasmid outbreaks

Baker

2015

Agric & Food Secur

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Stick insects have been reported as significant phytophagous pests of agricultural and timber crops since the 1880s in North America, China, Australia and Pacific Islands. Much of the early literature comes from practical journals for farmers, and even twentieth Century reports can be problematic to locate. Unlike the plaguing Orthoptera, there has been no synthesis of the pest status of this enigmatic order of insects. This paper provides a literature synthesis of those species known to cause infestation or that are known to damage plants of economic importance; summarises historical and modern techniques for infestation management; and lists known organisms with potential for use as biological control agents. A generalised theory of outbreaks is presented and suggestions for future research efforts are made.

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First records of mermithid nematodes (Nematoda: Mermithidae) parasitising stick insects (Insecta: Phasmatodea)

Cited by 12 publications

References 16 publications

Nematode endoparasites do not codiversify with their stick insect hosts

Nematode endoparasites do not codiversify with their stick insect hosts

Morphological and molecular characterization ofMermisnigrescensDujardin, (Nematoda: Mermithidae) parasitizing the introduced European earwig (Dermaptera: Forficulidae) in New Zealand

The worldwide status of phasmids (Insecta: Phasmida) as pests of agriculture and forestry, with a generalised theory of phasmid outbreaks

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