General-purpose genotypes for host species utilization in a nematode parasite of Drosophila

Abstract

The nematode Howardula aoronymphium parasitizes several species of mushroom-feeding Drosophila. A survey of isofemale strains of H. aoronyrnphium and a 25-generation selection experiment revealed that this species does not comprise host races, and that it harbors little heritable variation for adaptation to specific hosts. No tradeoffs in performance on the different host species were evident. General-purpose genotypes, which can utilize all host species, characterize H. aoronymphium. An important feature of the natural history of these nematodes - correlated epidemiology across host species - is postulated to be both a cause and a consequence of the evolution of general-purpose genotypes in this species.