This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Services Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Beard, C. E. Articles by Adler, P. H. Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by Beard, C. E. Articles by Adler, P. H. Agricola Articles by Beard, C. E. Articles by Adler, P. H.

Prevalence of the trichomycete fungus Harpella melusinae (Harpellales: Harpellaceae) in larval black flies (Diptera: Simuliidae) across a heterogeneous environment

     Department of Entomology, Box 340365, Clemson University, Clemson, South Carolina 29634-0365

John W. McCreadie

     Department of Biological Sciences, University of South Alabama, Mobile, Alabama 36688

Peter H. Adler

     Department of Entomology, Box 340365, Clemson University, Clemson, South Carolina 29634-0365

A total of 2063 mid- to late-instar larval black flies were collected from 64 stream sites in South Carolina and screened for the presence of the trichomycete fungus Harpella melusinae. Sixteen of 18 host species were colonized by H. melusinae on at least one occasion. Prevalence of H. melusinae in larvae of Simulium tuberosum cytospecies "A" was highest in acidic streams with low conductivity, whereas H. melusinae colonized larvae of Simulium verecundum most frequently in slower-moving streams. Ecological conditions, therefore, can serve as predictors of the prevalence of H. melusinae. Prevalence in host larvae was significantly lower in the Piedmont ecoregion than in the Mountain ecoregion. Prevalence did not differ in the host species S. verecundum across ecoregions, suggesting that different prevalences among host species might indicate some host preference. The prevalence of H. melusinae differed significantly between two univoltine host species (Simulium venustum and Prosimulium magnum) at the same site but not between two multivoltine host species (S. tuberosum cytospecies "FG" and S. tuberosum cytospecies "CDE"), suggesting that host life history could be important in determining fungal prevalence.

Key words: aquatic insects, fungi, Simulium, symbiosis, Zygomycota

This article has been cited by other articles:

				S.-K. Kim and P. H. Adler Size variation of trichospores of Harpella melusinae in larval black flies Mycologia, May 1, 2007; 99(3): 351 - 355. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. Vojvodic and J. W. McCreadie The effect of temperature and host species on the development of the trichomycete Smittium culisetae (Zygomycota) Mycologia, May 1, 2007; 99(3): 412 - 420. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. P. Nelder, J. W. McCreadie, and C. E. Beard Laboratory investigations of trichomycete prevalence, abundance and fecundity in a Smittium-simuliid model Mycologia, March 1, 2005; 97(2): 338 - 345. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]