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

Authors

  • Geraldo Salgado-Neto Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, Departamento de Defesa Fitossanitária
  • Ivair Valmorbida Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, Departamento de Defesa Fitossanitária
  • Jerson Vanderlei Carús Guedes Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, Departamento de Defesa Fitossanitária
  • Elena Blume Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, Departamento de Defesa Fitossanitária

Keywords:

Biological control, dissemination, entomopathogen, entomopathogenic fungi, natural infection, Controle biológico, disseminação, entomopatógeno, fungos entomopatogênicos, infecção natural

Abstract

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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Published

2015-06-01

How to Cite

Salgado-Neto, G., Valmorbida, I., Guedes, J. V. C., & Blume, E. (2015). First report of the occurrence of Ophiocordyceps melolonthae (Ascomycota: Hypocreales: Ophiocordycipitaceae) in larvae of Diloboderus abderus Sturm (Coleoptera: Melolonthidae) in Brazil. Biota Neotropica, 15(2). Retrieved from //www.biotaneotropica.org.br/BN/article/view/1299

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Short Communications
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