Selection for Enhanced Host-Finding of Scarab Larvae (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) in an Entomopathogenic Nematode

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Abstract
The G13 strain of Steinernema carpocapsae (Weiser), previously selected for enhanced host-finding of waxmoth larvae, Galleria mellonella L., was subjected to selection for the same trait against scarab larvae. Twenty rounds of selection produced a 3.7-fold increase, from 18.4 to 68.7%, in nematode (S20 strain) location of nondiapausing larvae of the Japanese beetle, Popillia japonica Newman. However, the overall improvement over wild-types (Foundation and All strains), after 33 rounds (13 against G. mellonella and 20 against scarabs) was 153- and 72-fold, respectively. Infective juveniles had difficulty locating diapausing P. japonica larvae, and selection did not result in any enhancement in finding these larvae. Selection for host-finding of scarabs resulted in a 24.6% gain in host-finding of G. mellonella , suggesting selection was for a general feature present at different levels in different hosts. The use of KOH to absorb CO 2 resulted in the complete inhibition of S20 strain response to insect hosts, verifying that nematodes have been selected for enhanced sensitivity to CO 2 . S20 nematodes were significantly less storage stable than the Foundation strain.

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