Sergi Santamaria

Ecto- and Endoparasitic Fungi on Ants from the Holarctic Region

The ant-specific fungi Aegeritella, Laboulbenia, Rickia, Hormiscium, and Myrmicinosporidium in the Holarctic region—nine species—are reviewed. Present knowledge is highly biased geographically, as shows the single record for Holarctic Asia, and this is to solve. The phylogenetic position of Aegeritella, Hormiscium, and Myrmicinosporidium is unknown. Hosts seem to be also skewed phylogenetically although this may be a true pattern.

Zygospores as evidence of sexual reproduction in the genus Orphella

The presence of zygospores in the genus Orphella is newly described. We found zygospores in three species of the genus, O. catalaunica, O. coronata and O. helicospora, which are all the species of the genus known from the Iberian territory. Zygospores are associated with a heterothallic conjugating sexual process in O. coronata, whereas in O. catalaunica and O. helicospora, they form homothallically. In all instances, zygospores are consistently associated with an organized pattern of sterile cells, forming structures comparable to those present with asexual trichospores. We compare the ontogeny of Orphella zygospores with that found in the harpellid Genistellospora homothallica and discuss the possible close relationship of Orphella with Kickxellales (Zygomycetes). We report O. coronata in Spain for the first time, replacing all previous records of O. haysii. Results are supported with line drawings and photographs.

The genus Smittium (Trichomycetes, Harpellales) in the Iberian Peninsula

A study of larval Diptera (Chironomidae, Culicidae and Simuliidae) from Spain has been carried out to fulfill a catalogue of species of the genus Smittium (Harpellales: Legeriomycetaceae) present within these hosts. Among the reported taxa, eight are new species: Smittium brevisporum, S. bulbosporo-phorus, S. gracilis, S. hecatei, S. heterosporum, S. inex-pectans, S. prostratum and S. pseudodimorphum. We also report six previously described species, which are new for the Iberian Peninsula: S. alpinum, S. dipterorum, S. megazygosporum, S. pusillum, S. typhellum and S. fecundum. Three other species (S. simulii, S. culicis and S. culisetae) previously were reported from Spain. In two of them (S. fecundum and S. culicis), we describe for the first time the presence of zygospores. Some of the included species have been artificially cultured as well as ultrastructurally studied using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), with the purpose of observing the surface of both trichospores and the trichospore collar and the morphology of the trichospore appendage.

Bojamyces transfuga sp. nov. and new records of Trichomycetes from mayfly larvae in Spain

The new species Bojamyces transfuga is described. It was found growing in the hindgut of mayfly nymphs and in their shed abdominal exoskeleton lumen. Bojamyces transfuga shows single appendaged trichospores and zygospores of type I, unlike Bojamyces repens, where appendages and zygospores are unknown. The generic description of Bojamyces is emended to accommodate this new taxon. Bojamyces repens, known only from the United States, has been found for the first time in the Iberian Peninsula on mayfly molts. We also note the presence of Legeriomyces rarus in Europe, on the Iberian Peninsula and Balearic Islands. Previously it was known only in Western Australia.

Tectimyces , a new genus of Harpellales on mayfly nymphs ( Leptophlebiidae ) in Spain

The genus Tectimyces gen. nov. (Harpellales: Legeriomycetaceae) is described with two species, T. leptophlebiidarum and T. robustus spp. nov., collected on the hindgut of the mayfly nymph Habroleptoides confusa (Ephemeroptera: Leptophlebiidae) in northern Spain. This is the second report of a trichomycete inhabiting a member of this family of ephemerids. Diagnostic for the new genus are type II zygospores and unappendaged trichospores, borne on long generative cells and carrying a very short collar after release. The position and morphological traits of the newly described taxa are discussed and compared with other genera and species, such as Bojamyces repens and Orphella spp.

Laboulbeniales on millipedes: the genera Diplopodomyces and Troglomyces

The genera Diplopodomyces and Troglomyces (Laboulbeniales, Ascomycota) parasitizing millipedes (Diplopoda) are reviewed. We describe four new species: D. lusitanipodos parasitic on Lusitanipus from Portugal and on Cyphocallipus from Spain, D. veneris on Lusitanipus from Portugal, T. botryandrus on Leptoiulus from Italy and T. rossii on Ophyiulus, Leptoiulus and Typhloiulus from Italy. Diplopodomyces veneris is a dimorphic species, with different morphotypes growing on the male copulatory organs and on the surroundings of the female gonopore respectively. The type species of both genera also have been studied, their descriptions are revised and a neotype for T. manfrediae is designated. New records from Italy are given for D. callipodos and T. manfrediae.

Rhachomyces (Ascomycota, Laboulbeniales) parasites on cave-inhabiting Carabid beetles from the Pyrenees

The species of Rhachomyces parasitizing species of the cave-dwelling genera Aphaenops, Geotrechus and Hydraphaenops (Trechini) from the Pyrenees (France and Spain) are studied. Examination of many collections and revision of literature reveal that five species of Rhachomyces are involved. Rhachomyces aphaenopsis is the most common and a fairly variable species, including the synonyms R. dedyi and R. jeannelii. Previous reports of other taxa like R. hypogaeus, R. stipitatus, R. stipitatus var. pallidus and R. maublancii must be removed from the list of Pyrenean parasites of Trechini beetles as they also refer to R. aphaenopsis. The status of R. girardii is validated by addition of a Latin diagnosis. Rhachomyces pyrenaeus, which was only known from the type, was collected again on another host and locality. Additionally, two new species are described: R. ilerdensis on Geotrechus seijasi from Spain and R. spadiceus on Aphaenops spp. from France. The characteristics of extant species are discussed and defined, with special emphasis on R. aphaenopsis. Other taxa are compared when necessary to eliminate the confusion accumulated by old records in the literature. Hosts and localities are also reviewed to offer up-to-date information for all species studied of Rhachomyces occurring in the Pyrenees.

Infectious intimacy and contaminated caves—three new species of ectoparasitic fungi (Ascomycota: Laboulbeniales) from blaniulid millipedes (Diplopoda: Julida) and inferences about their transmittal mechanisms

Laboulbeniales is an order of more than 2000 species of small ascomycete fungi which are ectoparasites of insects, millipedes and mites. They are often highly host-specific and often are also highly specific with regard to which body parts they infect. Laboulbeniales from millipedes are particularly poorly known—only 12 species have been described until now, mostly from Europe. Here, we describe the first laboulbeniaceous parasites from blaniulid millipedes: Troglomyces bilabiatus from Acipes spp., Troglomyces pusillus from Iberoiulus cavernicola Ceuca, 1967 and Troglomyces triandrus from Archiboreoiulus palidus (Brade-Birks, 1920). The generic description of Troglomyces is emended. Different types of site specificity of the three new parasites, as well as of previously described species, are explained in terms of aspects of host biology: mating behaviour and habitat. Species from epigean hosts tend to show a high degree of site specificity suggesting transfer during host copulation, whereas most species from cave hosts show no pronounced site specificity and are probably transferred via the substrate. Possible roles of host defensive secretions and parthenogenesis in relation to infection with Laboulbeniales are briefly discussed.

New species and new records of trichomycetes from Italy

We present the results obtained from a short survey in central Italy to broaden the poorly known diversity of trichomycetous gut symbionts, members of the Kickxellomycotina, in this country. Among the reported fungi, two new species of Harpellales are described: Harpellomyces aprutinus and Orphella italica, as well as 14 other species that are new for Italy. Among these, the remarkable and rare species Gauthieromyces microsporus is included, previously known only from the type locality in France. One species of Asellariales, Asellaria gramenei, also is reported. Taxonomic and biogeographic implications of these records are discussed.

Isolation and virulence of entomopathogenic fungi against larvae of hazelnut weevil Curculio nucum (Coleoptera, Curculionidae) and the effects of combining Metarhizium anisopliae with entomopathogenic nematodes in the laboratory

Abstract An approach to ensure effective pest biocontrol would be to select native isolates of biological control agents (BCAs). A survey to isolate entomopathogenic fungi (EPF) from a hazelnut growing area has been carried out. EPF were recovered from 133 of the 295 soil samples. The main species isolated were Metarhizium anisopliae sensu lato (36%) and Beauveria bassiana sensu lato (42.8%). With regard to controlling abiotic factors, altitude had an effect on the distribution of B. bassiana, but not on M. anisopliae. Cropping system did not have an effect on the occurrence of these EPF, while pH appeared as a predictive variable for both. In addition, we tested the virulence of six of these isolates: three M. anisopliae and three of B. bassiana against larvae of Curculio nucum L. The highest larval mortality (reaching 80%) was due to M. anisopliae (strain 34) when applied in simultaneous combination with four entomopathogenic nematode species: Steinernema carpocapsae (strain B14), Steinernema feltiae (strain D114), Steinernema. sp. (strain D122) and Heterorhabditis bacteriophora (strain DG46). The effect of nematodes was greater and no antagonistic or synergistic effects were observed.