History studies of the hermaphrodite nematode Acrobeloides sp. with Pseudomonas cepacia as a food source on agar

Abstract

AbstractThe life cycle and reproduction of a species of Acrobeloides isolated from native North American prairie soil was studied in monoxenic cultures with Pseudomonas cepacia as a food source at 23°C. The demographic parameters were calculated from cultures for the period from 0 to 15 days. The intrinsic rate of natural increase (rm) was 0.38 days, mean total productivity of Acrobeloides sp. without predation (R0) in 15 days was 87.7, and capacity of increase (rc) was 0.36. The minimum generation time (Tmin) was 10 days, cohort generation time (Tc) 6.8 days and mean generation time (T) 18.5 days. The age of an adult female at median egg laying (T) was 7.9 days, and mortality (lx) 0.4. The estimation of consumption of Acrobeloides sp. by nematophagous mites, expressed in organic carbon content, was 0.22 μg day-1. Based on laboratory experiments, this Acrobeloides sp. from native prairie soil does not have a high ability for population growth with Pseudomonas cepacia as food source at 23°C.