Fungi Recorded on Folivorous Lepidoptera: High Diversity Despite Moderate Prevalence
The knowledge about the diversity and ecological role of entomopathogenic fungi is primarily based on agroecosystems whereas information derived from natural insect populations is much more limited. To contribute to filling this gap, we recorded the prevalence of fungal infections in laboratory rear...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2021-01-01
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| Series: | Journal of Fungi |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2309-608X/7/1/25 |
| _version_ | 1827698386685394944 |
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| author | Robin Gielen Hendrik Meister Toomas Tammaru Kadri Põldmaa |
| author_facet | Robin Gielen Hendrik Meister Toomas Tammaru Kadri Põldmaa |
| author_sort | Robin Gielen |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The knowledge about the diversity and ecological role of entomopathogenic fungi is primarily based on agroecosystems whereas information derived from natural insect populations is much more limited. To contribute to filling this gap, we recorded the prevalence of fungal infections in laboratory rearing experiments with five species of Lepidoptera, and in a field rearing experiment including one of these moths. The diversity of detected fungi was found to be high; we isolated 25 species of fungi from insects that had died in the course of these experiments. Six species belonged to the family Cordycipitaceae known to include unambiguous insect pathogens. The trophic niche of the representatives of other taxa is less clear and requires further studies. Regarding the most abundant species, <i>Cordyceps farinosa,</i> in which this question could be addressed, there was no indication of specialization on particular insect hosts, whereas several of the less common species may have been recorded from lepidopteran hosts for the first time. Across the subsets of the data, the prevalence of fungal infections generally remained below 5%. Our results are thus consistent with the idea that entomopathogenic fungi are always present in insect populations but rarely reach epizootic levels. The detected species richness shows that much is to be gained from mapping the diversity of fungal species associated with folivorous insects in natural populations. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T13:28:38Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-01ed38d38fc746528813adb5d142ad49 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2309-608X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T13:28:38Z |
| publishDate | 2021-01-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Fungi |
| spelling | doaj.art-01ed38d38fc746528813adb5d142ad492023-11-21T08:14:52ZengMDPI AGJournal of Fungi2309-608X2021-01-01712510.3390/jof7010025Fungi Recorded on Folivorous Lepidoptera: High Diversity Despite Moderate PrevalenceRobin Gielen0Hendrik Meister1Toomas Tammaru2Kadri Põldmaa3Entomology Unit, Department of Zoology, Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Tartu, Vanemuise 46, Tartu 51014, EstoniaEntomology Unit, Department of Zoology, Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Tartu, Vanemuise 46, Tartu 51014, EstoniaEntomology Unit, Department of Zoology, Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Tartu, Vanemuise 46, Tartu 51014, EstoniaMycology Unit, Department of Botany, Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Tartu, Ravila 14a, Tartu 50411, EstoniaThe knowledge about the diversity and ecological role of entomopathogenic fungi is primarily based on agroecosystems whereas information derived from natural insect populations is much more limited. To contribute to filling this gap, we recorded the prevalence of fungal infections in laboratory rearing experiments with five species of Lepidoptera, and in a field rearing experiment including one of these moths. The diversity of detected fungi was found to be high; we isolated 25 species of fungi from insects that had died in the course of these experiments. Six species belonged to the family Cordycipitaceae known to include unambiguous insect pathogens. The trophic niche of the representatives of other taxa is less clear and requires further studies. Regarding the most abundant species, <i>Cordyceps farinosa,</i> in which this question could be addressed, there was no indication of specialization on particular insect hosts, whereas several of the less common species may have been recorded from lepidopteran hosts for the first time. Across the subsets of the data, the prevalence of fungal infections generally remained below 5%. Our results are thus consistent with the idea that entomopathogenic fungi are always present in insect populations but rarely reach epizootic levels. The detected species richness shows that much is to be gained from mapping the diversity of fungal species associated with folivorous insects in natural populations.https://www.mdpi.com/2309-608X/7/1/25GeometridaeHypocrealesmortalitymothlarvapupa |
| spellingShingle | Robin Gielen Hendrik Meister Toomas Tammaru Kadri Põldmaa Fungi Recorded on Folivorous Lepidoptera: High Diversity Despite Moderate Prevalence Journal of Fungi Geometridae Hypocreales mortality moth larva pupa |
| title | Fungi Recorded on Folivorous Lepidoptera: High Diversity Despite Moderate Prevalence |
| title_full | Fungi Recorded on Folivorous Lepidoptera: High Diversity Despite Moderate Prevalence |
| title_fullStr | Fungi Recorded on Folivorous Lepidoptera: High Diversity Despite Moderate Prevalence |
| title_full_unstemmed | Fungi Recorded on Folivorous Lepidoptera: High Diversity Despite Moderate Prevalence |
| title_short | Fungi Recorded on Folivorous Lepidoptera: High Diversity Despite Moderate Prevalence |
| title_sort | fungi recorded on folivorous lepidoptera high diversity despite moderate prevalence |
| topic | Geometridae Hypocreales mortality moth larva pupa |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2309-608X/7/1/25 |
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