Entomophthora ferdinandii (Zygomycetes: Entomophthorales) causing natural infections of Musca domestica (Diptera: Muscidae) in Argentina.
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. Entomophthora caused natural infections between September 2001 and September 2003. Primary conidia of this fungus were on average 29.5 +/- 1.2 x 23.4 +/- 2.4 microm and contained, on average, 10.5 +/- 0.1 nuclei (range: 7-15) with an average diameter of 4.8 +/- 0.1 microm. 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.
CEPAVE Centro de Estudios Parasitológicos y de Vectores, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, calle 2 #584, 1900, La Plata, Argentina.
Claudia C López
CC
Lastra
Augusto
A
Siri
Juan J
JJ
García
Jørgen
J
Eilenberg
Richard A
RA
Humber
D000818:Animals; D001118:Argentina; D005658:Fungi / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D006793:Houseflies / Q000382:microbiology*