JOURNAL OF INVERTEBRATE PATHOLOGY 68, 293-298 (1996) ARTICLE NO. 0099

An Investigation of Harpellales (Trichomycetes) in New York State Blackflies (Diptera: Simuliidae)

ESTELLE S. LABEYRIE,* DANIEL P. MOLLOY,*^,1 AND ROBERT W. LICHTWARDT²

*Biological Survey, New York State Museum, Cultural Education Center, Room 3132, Albany, New York 12230; and

2Department of Botany, University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas 66045-2106

Received March 1, 1996; accepted July 5, 1996

This research project investigates the distribution and prevalence of trichomycete fungi present in blackfly larvae and adults in the region of Cambridge, New York. In blackfly larvae, two genera of Harpellaceae, Stachylina and Harpella, were observed in midguts, and four genera of Legeriomycetaceae, Pennella, Genistellospora, Simuliomyces, and Smittium-in hindguts, with a total of seven species recorded. This is the first published report of Stachylina spp. in blackflies. Field data indicated that sampling date, host species, and location were all important variables affecting trichomycete prevalence in larvae. We report the successful laboratory infection of blackfly larvae with in vitro cultured Smittium simulii, and production of H. melusinae and G. homothallica trichospores from cysts dissected from the ovaries of infected flies.

© 1996Academic Press, Inc.

KEY WORDS: Trichomycetes; Harpellales; fungi; Simuliidae; ovarian cysts.

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