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

Biota Neotropica

Geraldo Salgado-neto¹  Ivair Valmorbida¹  Jerson Vanderlei Carús Guedes¹  Elena Blume¹ 

关键词: Biological control;    dissemination;    entomopathogen;    entomopathogenic fungi;    natural infection;    Controle biológico;    disseminação;    entomopatógeno;    fungos entomopatogênicos;    infecção natural;   

DOI  :  10.1590/1676-06032015010814

来源: SciELO

【 摘 要 】

This note is the first report on the infection of Diloboderus abderus Sturm (Coleoptera: Melolonthidae) larvae by the fungusOphiocordyceps 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.

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