Entomophthora ferdinandii (Zygomycetes: Entomophthorales) causing natural infections of Musca domestica (Diptera: Muscidae) in Argentina

CLAUDIA CRISTINA LOPEZ LASTRA; SIRI, A.; GARCÍA, J. J.; EILENBERG, J.; HUMBER, R. A.

MYCOPATHOLOGIA

Springer

Año: 2006 vol. 161 p. 251 - 254

0301-486X

  Abstract: The identity and activity of an entomopathogenic fungus belonging to the Entomophthora muscae species complex and infecting Musca domestica in poultry houses from La Plata, Argentina, is reported. Two years of surveys on the natural prevalence of entomopathogenic fungi in house flies documented that the fungus from the genus Entomophthora caused infections between September 2001 and September 2003. Primary conidia of this fungus were on average 29.5 ± 1.2 x 23.4 ± 2.4 µm and contained, on average, 10.5 ± 0.1 nuclei (range: 7-15) with an average diameter of 4.8 ± 0.1 µm. This fungus is identified as E. ferdinandii Keller (this specific epithet includes a nomenclaturally required spelling correction); this is a first record of E. ferdinandii in South America and of any member of the E. muscae species complex from flies in Argentina. Key words: Entomophthora muscae species complex, entomopathogenic fungi, house flies, new geographical record, poultry house.