Clonostachys spp., natural mosquito antagonists, and their prospects for biological control of Aedes aegypti.

Aedes aegypti (Linnaeus, 1762) is an important vector of arboviruses in the tropics and subtropics. New control strategies based on natural enemies such as entomopathogenic fungi are of utmost importance, and the present study reports the first isolation of Clonostachys spp. (Hypocreales: Bionectriaceae) from mosquitoes and their activity against A.

Occurrence of entomopathogenic hypocrealean fungi in mosquitoes and their larval habitats in Central Brazil, and activity against Aedes aegypti.

Collecting entomopathogenic fungi associated with mosquitoes and studies on their activity against mosquito developmental stages will improve the understanding of their potential as agents to control important mosquito vectors. Twenty-one strains of entomopathogenic fungi affecting mosquitoes in Central Brazil were studied: 7 of Beauveria bassiana, 7 of Metarhizium humberi, 3 of M. anisopliae, 2 of Cordyceps sp.

Metarhizium humberi sp. nov. (Hypocreales: Clavicipitaceae), a new member of the PARB clade in the Metarhizium anisopliae complex from Latin America.

A new species, Metarhizium humberi, from the M. anisopliae complex and sister lineage of the M. anisopliae s.

Metarhizium alvesii sp. nov.: A new member of the Metarhizium anisopliae species complex.

A strain within the Metarhizium anisopliae species complex was isolated in 2009 from a soil sample in a banana plantation in the municipality of Quixeré, Northeastern region of Brazil. Previous studies showed that this insect-pathogenic strain does not fit with any current taxon within the M. anisopliae species complex, as determined by both genomic and by mass spectrometric analyses.

Conidiobolus macrosporus (Entomophthorales), a mosquito pathogen in Central Brazil.

A new fungal pathogen of Culicinae (Diptera: Culicidae) adults, Conidiobolus macrosporus (Entomophthorales: Ancylistaceae), was detected and isolated during a survey of mosquito pathogens close to the city of Aruanã, Goiás State, in December 2014. The morphological characteristics of C. macrosporus are presented, and reasons for some uncertainty about this identification are discussed.

A natural fungal infection of a sylvatic cockroach with Metarhizium blattodeae sp. nov., a member of the M. flavoviride species complex.

A wild, forest-dwelling cockroach from the subfamily Ectobiidae (order Blattodea) in a nature reserve in Cavalcante, in the state of Goiás, Brazil, was found to be infected by a new, genetically distinct species in the Metarhizium flavoviride species complex that we describe here as Metarhizium blattodeae. The status of this fungus as a new species is supported by both multigenic sequence comparisons and protein profiles generated by MALDI-TOF (matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight) mass spectrometry. This is one of the first reports of a naturally occurring fungal pathogen affecting any sylvatic (forest-dwelling) cockroach from any part of the world.

First report of Leptolegnia chapmanii (Peronosporomycetes: Saprolegniales) affecting mosquitoes in central Brazil.

Numerous isolates of an oomycete 'fungus', Leptolegnia chapmanii, are reported from Brazil for the first time. This aquatic pathogen was baited with Aedes aegypti sentinel larvae from stagnant, temporary bodies of water in selected locations under secondary tropical forest in and near the central Brazilian city of Goiânia and from more distant sites in the western and northern regions of the state of Goiás. Isolates were identified based on their morphological and developmental characters, comparative sequence data for the ITS and TEF loci, as well as their rapid activity against A.

Morphology and molecular taxonomy of Evlachovaea-like fungi, and the status of this unusual conidial genus.

The entomopathogenic anamorphic genus Evlachovaea was described to differ from other fungi in forming its conidia obliquely to the axis of the conidiogenous cell and with successive conidia having alternate orientations with a zipper- or chevron-like arrangement resulting in flat, ribbon-like chains. Morphological and molecular studies of six Evlachovaea-like isolates baited from Central Brazilian soils using Triatoma infestans (a vector of Chagas disease) and of other entomopathogens with Evlachovaea-like conidiogenesis led to a re-evaluation of the status of this little known fungal genus. The Brazilian isolates formed two distinct groups based on gene sequences for both the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) and translation elongation factor (EF-1α) genes, morphology, and growth patterns; both groups also differed from the type species, Evlachovaea kintrischica.

Occurrence of Metarhizium spp. in Central Brazilian soils.

The biodiversity of entomopathogenic fungi in tropical ecosystems is still little investigated, and the objective of this study was to isolate and identify fungi of the entomopathogenic genus Metarhizium (Hypocreales: Clavicipitaceae) present in undisturbed soils of the Central Brazilian Cerrado. A total of 107 Metarhizium isolates was obtained from soils collected from Cerrado sites in the state of Goiás; gene sequences from 63 of these were obtained and compared. Among these, one was confirmed to be M.

Diatomaceous earth and oil enhance effectiveness of Metarhizium anisopliae against Triatoma infestans.

Entomopathogenic fungi, especially Metarhizium anisopliae, have potential for integrated control of peridomestic triatomine bugs. However, the high susceptibility of these vectors to fungal infection at elevated ambient humidities decreases in the comparatively dry conditions that often prevail in their microhabitats. A formulation adapted to this target pest that induces high and quick mortality can help to overcome these drawbacks.

Activity of Metarhizium spp. and Isaria spp. from the Central Brazilian Cerrado against Triatoma infestans nymphs.

Entomopathogenic fungi attack Chagas disease vectors, and there is a need of effective isolates for development of biological control. Ten isolates of Metarhizium spp., four of Isaria cateniannulata and two of an Isaria sp.

Activity of some hypocrealean fungi collected in a Cerrado ecosystem against Rhodnius spp. (Hemiptera: Reduviidae) under laboratory conditions.

The hypocrealean invertebrate-pathogenic fungi Lecanicillium psalliotae, Paecilomyces lilacinus and Pochonia chlamydosporia isolated from soils in Central Brazil were tested against palm-dwelling Rhodnius neglectus, R. nasutus, R. prolixus, and R.

Pathogenicity of some hypocrealean fungi to adult Aedes aegypti (Diptera: Culicidae).

The pathogenicity of 19 hypocrealean entomopathogenic fungi from seven different genera in adult Aedes aegypti was tested. All fungi proved to be pathogenic, and Isaria fumosorosea, Lecanicillium muscarium, Lecanicillium psalliotae, Metarhizium anisopliae, Metarhizium lepidiotae, Metarhizium majus, Metarhizium frigidum, Paecilomyces carneus, and Paecilomyces lilacinus caused total mortality within 15 days of exposure of mosquitoes to the fungal culture. All fungi developed on dead individuals.

A new resting trap to sample fungus-infected mosquitoes, and the pathogenicity of Lecanicillium muscarium to culicid adults.

Some soil-dwelling entomopathogenic fungi that are widely used in pest control are also able to reduce the survival of adult mosquito vectors under laboratory conditions. However, there is still little information about the naturally occurring fungal pathogens affecting culicid mosquitoes. As such, we hypothesized that fungi that already kill mosquitoes in realistic domestic environments could be effective against these vectors in human habitations.

Utility of six fungicides for selective isolation of Evlachovaea sp. and Tolypocladium cylindrosporum.

The effects of the fungicides dodine, benomyl, thiabendazole, mancozeb, cupric sulfate, and copper oxychloride were examined in vitro upon germination and further development of Evlachovaea sp. and Tolypocladium cylindrosporum. Fungicidal activity depended on concentrations and varied among products, fungi and the strains tested.

In vitro susceptibility to fungicides by invertebrate-pathogenic and saprobic fungi.

The effect of five fungicides, benomyl (1 mg/l), dodine (50 mg/l), manzate (100 mg/l), cupric sulphate (200 mg/l) and thiabendazole (4 mg/l) was tested under in vitro conditions on development of 15 isolates of fungi pathogenic for insects and other invertebrates (Beauveria brongniartii, Culicinomyces clavisporus, Duddingtonia flagrans, Hirsutella thompsonii, two Metarhizium anisopliae, Nomuraea rileyi, two Isaria/Paecilomyces spp., and Sporothrix insectorum) and 13 isolates of contaminant fungi (five Aspergillus spp., Cladosporium cladosporioides, Cunninghamella echinulata, Fusarium roseum, Gliocladium sp.

Impact of moisture on in vitro germination of Metarhizium anisopliae and Beauveria bassiana and their activity on Triatoma infestans.

The in vitro germination of 11 Metarhizium anisopliae and 11 Beauveria bassiana isolates originating from substrates collected in rural peridomestic areas in Central Brazil where triatomines are common was tested. Conidia completed germination up to 24 h after exposure to water activity of > 0.99 aw in all isolates tested.

Activity of oil-formulated Beauveria bassiana against Triatoma sordida in peridomestic areas in Central Brazil.

Field tests were carried out during the rainy season of 2001/2002 in São Luís de Montes Belos, Goiás, Brazil, to evaluate the potential of the entomopathogenic fungus, Beauveria bassiana, against peridomestic Triatoma sordida. An oil-water formulation of the isolate CG 14 (Embrapa) was applied in triatomine infested hen houses of four farms at a final concentration of 10(6) conidia/cm2. Numbers of T.

Pathogenicity of Evlachovaea sp (Hyphomycetes), a new species isolated from Triatoma sordida, in Chagas' disease vectors.

Evlachovaea sp was tested on nymphs of 5 Triatoma spp 5 Rhodnius spp, Panstrongylus herreri and Dipetalogaster maximus at 25 degrees C, 75% humidity and humidity >98%. Most species showed susceptibility to fungal infection at high humidity. Mortality was reduced at 75% humidity.

Record of Evlachovaea sp. (Hyphomycetes) on Triatoma sordida in the state of Goiás, Brazil, and its activity against Triatoma infestans (Reduviidae, Triatominae).

A fungal isolate was detected on a dead Triatoma sordida (Stål) collected in a peridomestic area in central Brazil. The fungus belongs to Evlachovaea Borisov and Tarasov, a new genus that was recently described in Russia. The isolate seems to be a third species and the second new and undescribed species from Brazil.