First report of the occurrence of Ophiocordyceps melolonthae (Ascomycota: Hypocreales: Ophiocordycipitaceae) in larvae of Diloboderus abderus Sturm (Coleoptera: Melolonthidae) in Brazil

Abstract

This note is the first report on the infection of Diloboderus abderus Sturm (Coleoptera: Melolonthidae) larvae by the fungus Ophiocordyceps melolonthae (Hypocreales: Ophiocordycipitaceae) in subtropical Brazil. Identification was made possible by extraction and sequencing of the fungal DNA that was covering the larvae's mouthparts, prothorax, cuticle, and digestive tract (alimentary canal). Amplification, sequencing and comparison of the ITS region of the ribosomal DNA with voucher sequences of GenBank were performed and were 95% similar to Ophiocordyceps melolonthae. The fungus is an entomopathogen which attacks Melolonthidae larvae, having scientific and economic importance because of the need for increased knowledge on its distribution and on alternatives for biological control of white grubs. Keywords: Biological control, dissemination, entomopathogen, entomopathogenic fungi, natural infection.SALGADO-NETO, G., VALMORBIDA, I., GUEDES, J.V.C., BLUME, E. Primeiro registro da ocorrência de Ophiocordyceps melolonthae (Ascomycota: Hypocreales: Ophiocordycipitaceae) em larvas de Diloboderus abderus Sturm (Coleoptera: Melolonthidae) no Brasil. http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/1676-06032015010814Resumo: Esta nota é o primeiro registro da infecc¸ã o de larvas de Diloboderus abderus Sturm pelo fungo Ophiocordyceps melolonthae na regiã o subtropical do Brasil. A identificac¸ã o foi possível grac¸as à extrac¸ã o e sequenciamento do DNA do fungo que cobria o aparelho bucal, protó rax, cutícula e aparelho digestivo (canal alimentar) das larvas. Amplificac¸ã o, sequenciamento e comparac¸ã o da regiã o ITS com sequências voucher do GenBank foram realizados, mostrando 95% de similaridade com Ophiocordyceps melolonthae. O fungo é um entomopató geno que ataca larvas Melolonthidae, tendo importâ ncia científica e econô mica devido à necessidade de aumento do conhecimento sobre sua distribuic¸ão e de alternativas de controle biológico de coró s. Palavras-chave: Controle biológico, disseminac¸ão, entomopatógeno, fungos entomopatogênicos, infecc¸ão natural.

An exceptional family: Ophiocordyceps‐allied fungus dominates the microbiome of soft scale insects (Hemiptera: Sternorrhyncha: Coccidae)

“…Ophiocordyceps —the largest genus of hypocrealean fungi—comprises many species that parasitize insects (Pontoppidan, Himaman, Hywel‐Jones, Boomsma, & Hughes, ; Salgado‐Neto, Valmorbida, Guedes & Blume, ; Sasaki, Miyamoto, Yamamoto, Tamai, & Yajima, ; Wang & Yao, ). The family Ophiocordycipitaceae, together with two more entomopathogenic families—Clavicipitaceae and Cordycipitaceae—collectively represent the most diverse clade of arthropod pathogens in Hypocreales, with a relatively ancient origin (Araújo & Hughes, ; Sung et al., ).…”

Fusarium oxysporum dispersion by larvae of Cyclocephala modesta, Dyscinetus gagates and Diloboderus abderus in Brazil

“…Afterwards, larvae parts in saline solution were added to petri dishes with PDA (Potato Dextrose Agar) media and incubated in a growth chamber at 25.6ºC and photoperiod of 12h for seven days (SALGADO-NETO et al, 2015). Extraction of the isolated DNA was performed according to the method employing CTAB reagent (Cetyltrimethylammonium Bromide) described by DOYLE & DOYLE (1987).…”