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PCR-RFLP is used to investigate relations among species in the entomopathogenic genera Eryniopsis and Entomophaga

     Department of Entomology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853-0901 USA

Annette Bruun Jensen
Lene Thomsen

     Department of Ecology, Zoology Section, Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University, Thorvaldsensvej 40, 1871 Frederiksberg C, Denmark

Kathie T. Hodge

     Department of Plant Pathology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853 USA

Jørgen Eilenberg

     Department of Ecology, Zoology Section, Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University, Thorvaldsensvej 40, 1871 Frederiksberg C, Denmark

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.

Key words: Entomophthorales, genetic variation, insect pathogenic fungi, Ptychopteridae, rDNA, Tipulidae

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