<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><p>Native and invasive stink bugs (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) and the closely related invasive <italic>Megacopta cribraria</italic> (Hemiptera: Plataspidae) are agricultural pests in the southeastern United States. Natural enemies, from various phyla, parasitize these pests and contribute to population regulation. We specifically investigated Nematoda infections in pentatomid and plataspid pests in one soybean field in South Carolina in 2015. Nematodes were identified through molecular and morphological methods and assigned to family Mermithidae, genus <italic>Agamermis.</italic> This study reports mermithid nematode infection in immature <italic>M. cribraria</italic> for the first time and provides the first mermithid host record for the stink bugs <italic>Chinavia hilaris, Euschistus servus,</italic> and another <italic>Euschistus</italic> species, and a grasshopper (Orthoptera: Acrididae) in South Carolina. The same <italic>Agamermis</italic> species infected all hosts. The broad host range and prevalence suggests that <italic>Agamermis</italic> may be an important contributor to natural mortality of pentatomid and plataspid pests. Previous mermithid host records for the Pentatomidae and Plataspidae worldwide are summarized. Further work is needed to assess the impact of infection on populations over a broader range of agricultural fields and geographic localities.</p></abstract>

Native and invasive stink bugs (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) and the closely related invasive Megacopta cribraria (Hemiptera: Plataspidae) are agricultural pests in the southeastern United States. Natural enemies, from various phyla, parasitize these pests and contribute to population regulation. We specifically investigated Nematoda infections in pentatomid and plataspid pests in one soybean field in South Carolina in 2015. Nematodes were identified through molecular and morphological methods and assigned to family Mermithidae, genus Agamermis. This study reports mermithid nematode infection in immature M. cribraria for the first time and provides the first mermithid host record for the stink bugs Chinavia hilaris, Euschistus servus, and another Euschistus species, and a grasshopper (Orthoptera: Acrididae) in South Carolina. The same Agamermis species infected all hosts. The broad host range and prevalence suggests that Agamermis may be an important contributor to natural mortality of pentatomid and plataspid pests. Previous mermithid host records for the Pentatomidae and Plataspidae worldwide are summarized. Further work is needed to assess the impact of infection on populations over a broader range of agricultural fields and geographic localities.

<italic>Agamermis</italic> (Nematoda: Mermithidae) Infection in South Carolina Agricultural Pests

Journal of Nematology

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

 (Nematoda: Mermithidae) Infection in South Carolina Agricultural Pests

Native and invasive stink bugs (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) and the closely related invasive Megacopta cribraria (Hemiptera: Plataspidae) are agricultural pests...

Agamermis (Nematoda: Mermithidae) Infection in South Carolina Agricultural Pests

Published Online: Jul 21, 2017

Page range: 290 - 296

Received: May 26, 2016

Accepted: Oct 08, 2021

DOI: https://doi.org/10.21307/jofnem-2017-037

© 2016 Francesca L. Stubbins et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.