Steinernematidae (beneficial pathogens)
Steinernematidae (beneficial pathogens)
This family contains important beneficial species of entomopathogenic nematodes which are commercial produced and used against various insect pests. The species are obligatory insect parasites. The infective juveniles carry symbiotic bacteria of the genus Xenorhabdus in a bacterial chamber of the intestine. Both males and females are necessary for reproduction.
The family is characterized by several morphological features, e.g. the six lips are partly or completely fused, each lip has one labial papilla. Additional papilla-like structures may be present near the labial papillae.
See Nguyen and Smart, 1996 for a review of this family.
See also the family Heterorhabditidae, the second important group of entomopathogenic nematodes.
The following genera are currently entered under this family:
