2025/12/18 by Ryan Greenway, Loel Dalan, Christian Braendle +2 · 1 voice
Agricultural and Biological Sciences · Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology · #Biological dispersal #Entomopathogenic Microorganisms in Pest Control #Genetics, Aging, and Longevity in Model Organisms #Habitat #Host (biology) #Invertebrate #Nematode #Nematode management and characterization studies #Sympatric speciation
paper · doi:10.64898/2025.12.16.694592
openalex publication_date 2025/12/18 · openalex created_date 2025/12/19 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/22
Abstract Little is known about the natural history of many Caenorhabditis nematodes, despite their relationship to the model species C. elegans . While these nematodes rely on invertebrate vectors to disperse to new habitats (phoresy), vector use for most species has not been characterized. We surveyed the invertebrate community of a habitat containing three sympatric Caenorhabditis in southwestern Germany, determining differential and specific vector use for each of these co-occurring species. We documented a specific association between C. apta n. sp. and two species of invasive nitidulid beetles, and a particularly strong association of the nematode with the beetle Stelidota geminata , where we recovered more nematodes per individual beetle and a higher proportion of beetles carrying nematodes compared to the co-occurring Epuraea ocularis . Our results provide evidence for group dispersal using beetles in C. apta , supporting previous observations of collective dispersal behavior in this species, and establish a starting point for further dissecting the evolutionary and mechanistic causes and consequences of interactions between Caenorhabditis nematodes and their vector species in ecologically relevant conditions.