Heterorhabditidae (beneficial pathogens)

beneficial nematodes • Diseases of pests • Beneficials/natural enemies

Heterorhabditis bacteriophora infecting the greater wax moth (Galleria mellonella)
Author: Peggy Greb, USDA Agricultural Research Service
Source:IPM Images

Heterorhabditidae (beneficial entomopathogens)

This family contains important beneficial species of entomopathogenic nematodes which are commercial produced and used against insect pests. The species are obligatory insect parasites and produces both hermaphroditic (self fertilizing) and amphimictic (requiring fertilization by males) females. The amphimictic females are usually smaller than the hermaphroditic females.

The family is characterized by several morphological features, e.g. the six lips are conical and well separated.

See Nguyen and Smart, 1996 for a review of this family.

See also the family Steinernematidae, the second important group of entomopathogenic nematodes.

The following genera are currently entered under entomopathogenic Heterorhabditidae:

• Heterorhabditis (genus - entomopathogens)