Steinernema fabii Abate, Malan, Tiedt, Wingfield, Slippers & Hurley, 2016
Summary: Steinernema fabii was isolated by trapping with wax moth (Galleria
mellonella) larvae from soil in an
Acacia mearnsii plantation in the
characterised by the length of the infective
juvenile (IJ) of 641 (590-697) μm,
by a tail length of 58 (52-64) μm,
ratio a = 24 (21-41),
H% = 53 (37-61) and E% = 93 (83-105). The
pattern of the IJ
lateral field = 2, 5, 2 ridges (3, 6, 3
incisures). The first generation
male can be recognised by the long spicule of 90
(79-106) μm and
gubernaculum of 66 (56-77) μm; D% = 64 (52-75)
and GS% = 73
(63-86). The first generation female can be
recognised by a protruding
vulva with short, double-flapped epiptygmata,
and the lack of a postanal
swelling, while the second generation differs in
having a postanal
swelling and a conical, sharply pointed tail.
Analysis of DNA sequences
for the ITS (KR527216) and D2-D3 (KR527217) gene
regions showed
S. fabii differed from all other Steinernema species and belonged
to a new monophyletic group, the Cameroonense-clade,
consisting
of S.
cameroonense, S. nyetense, S. sacchari and S. fabii, all from
the African continent. This group is closely
related to species in the
feltiae-group.