Mycologia (2003) 95, 262-268

Ann E. Hajek, Annette Bruun Jensen, Lene Thomsen, Kathie T. Hodge and Jørgen Eilenberg (2003)
PCR-RFLP is used to investigate relations among species in the entomopathogenic genera Eryniopsis and Entomophaga
Mycologia 95 (2), 262-268
Abstract: The shape and nucleation of primary conidia are important characters in the classification of the Entomophthoraceae (Zygomycetes). The five species in the genus Eryniopsis vary in the shapes of primary conidia, although within most genera in the order Entomophthorales species have the same shapes of primary conidia. Using PCR-RFLP, we investigated two species in Eryniopsis, Ery. caroliniana with oblong-ovoid primary conidia and Ery. ptychopterae with pear-shaped primary conidia, with five species of Entomophaga, all having pear-shaped conidia. Molecular results merged with morphological data indicate that Ery. ptychopterae belongs in the genus Entomophaga while Ery. caroliniana clearly differs from Entomophaga. Ery. ptychopterae and Ery. transitans are transferred to the genus Entomophaga. Our results support the idea that morphology of primary conidia is of major importance in defining entomophthoralean genera. These results also show that such studies can be conducted with species that have not been isolated, if fungal-filled cadavers can be obtained.
(The abstract is excluded from the Creative Commons licence and has been copied with permission by the publisher.)
(original language: English)
Database assignments for author(s): Ann E. Hajek, Jørgen Eilenberg, Annette Bruun Jensen, Lene Thomsen

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
biocontrol - natural enemies
Research topic(s) for beneficials or antagonists:
identification/taxonomy

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
Entomophaga (genus - entomopathogens)