Akanthomyces lecanii (entomopathogen)

Akanthomyces entomopath. • Hypocreales • Sordariomycetes • Ascomycota • entomopath. fungi • Diseases of pests • Beneficials

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Phencacoccus fraxinus infected by Akanthomyces lecanii (= Lecanicillium lecanii) (click on image to enlarge it)
Authors: Gao Y, Xie YP, Xiong Q, Liu WM, Xue JL
Source: Wikimedia Commons

Akanthomyces lecanii (Zimm.) Spatafora, Kepler & B. Shrestha 2017 (insect pathogen)

Akanthomyces lecanii has entomopathogenic as well as mycoparasitic strains (for antagonistic strains see Akanthomyces lecanii antagonist). A. lecanii infects mainly aphids, mealybugs, whiteflies, and soft scales (all Sternorrhyncha), but has been also reported from other insect groups.

The species is closely related to Akanthomyces muscarius. Both species can only be separated by analyzing their DNA structure. When Zare & Gams (2001) established Lecanicillium muscarium and the genus Lecanicillium, separating it from the plant pathogenic genus Verticillium, they suggested that many strains previously identified as Verticillium lecanii actually belonged to the species muscarium.

Synonym
Cephalosporium lecanii
Cordyceps confragosa
Lecanicillium lecanii
Torrubiella confragosa
Verticillium lecanii