Beauveria caledonica is a naturally occurring pathogen of forest beetles.
In New Zealand, two introduced scolytid beetles, Hylastes ater and Hylurgus ligniperda (Curculionidae: Scolytinae) are pests in pine plantations. Investigation of the naturally occurring pathogens of these exotic pests revealed that both are attacked by Beauveria caledonica, a species originally isolated and described from soil in Scotland. The isolates in New Zealand were identical in morphology and conserved DNA region (rDNA, elongation factor alpha) sequence to isolates held in the USDA-ARS insect pathogens culture collection. In bioassay, the B. caledonica isolates were highly pathogenic to adults of H. ligniperda and larvae of Tenebrio molitor. Sporulation was observed on cadavers, confirming the species can utilise the cadavers. As both species were likely to have been introduced to New Zealand from Europe, a search was made for B. caledonica in the northern UK and Ireland. The fungus was found as a naturally-occurring pathogen of the weevil pest, Hylobius abietis (Curculionidae: Scolytinae), developing in spruce and other beetles in forests in both regions.
Glare
Travis R
TR
AgResearch, Private Bag 4749, Christchurch, New Zealand. travis.glare@agresearch.co.nz
Reay
Stephen D
SD
Nelson
Tracey L
TL
Moore
Roger
R
D000818:Animals; D052982:Beauveria / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D001517:Coleoptera / Q000254:growth & development / Q000382:microbiology*; D004271:DNA, Fungal / Q000235:genetics; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal / Q000235:genetics; D021903:DNA, Ribosomal Spacer / Q000235:genetics; D005060:Europe; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009520:New Zealand; D020648:Peptide Elongation Factor 1 / Q000235:genetics; D010802:Phylogeny
D004271:DNA, Fungal; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal; D021903:DNA, Ribosomal Spacer; D020648:Peptide Elongation Factor 1