Genome-wide relatedness shapes predatory behavior of Pristionchus pacificus

Nematodes of the family diplogastridae have acquired a morphological novelty in their mouthform, i.e. they develop teeth-like structures that allow them to predate and feed on other nematodes, including Caenorhabditis elegans. Interestingly, P. pacificus kill larvae of other Pristionchus species but not their own offspring, which indicates the presence of a self recognition system. We recently identified the micropeptide SELF-1 as the first component of this system, but numerous observations point at the existence of additional factors. Here, we examine predatory behavior in local populations of P. pacificus and test whether it can be explained by genome-wide relatedness.