Molecular characterisation of the new strain of Steinernema vulcanicum Clausi, Longo, Rappazzo, Tarasco & Vinciguerra, 2011

The sequences of ITS rDNA and D2-D3 expansion segment of LSU rDNA were obtained for the new strain of Steinernema vulcanicum Clausi, Longo, Rappazzo, Tarasco & Vinciguerra, 2011 isolated near Salto-del-Cane on the Etna slope, Italy. The phylogenetic analysis of these two loci revealed contradicting topologies: according to the analysis of ITS rDNA, S. vulcanicum was very close to S. arenarium, whereas in the D2-D3 LSU rDNA analysis S. apuliae was the closest. The relationships with the other species of the 'glaseri'-group are discussed.