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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Beltsville, Maryland (BARC) » Beltsville Agricultural Research Center » Sustainable Perennial Crops Laboratory » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #363995
Research Project: Develop Pest Management Technologies and Strategies to Control the Coffee Berry Borer

Location: Sustainable Perennial Crops Laboratory

Title: Entomopathogenic fungi (Hypocreales: Ophiocordycipitaceae) infecting bark lice (Psocoptera) in Dominican and Baltic amber

Author
item Vega, Fernando
item PIONAR, GEORGE - Oregon State University

Submitted to: Mycology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 11/4/2020
Publication Date: 1/1/2020
Citation: Vega, F.E., Pionar, G. 2020. Entomopathogenic fungi (Hypocreales: Ophiocordycipitaceae) infecting bark lice (Psocoptera) in Dominican and Baltic amber. Mycology. 11:71–77.

Interpretive Summary: Two new fungal entomopathogens of bark lice are described from Dominican Republic and Baltic amber. Both the Dominican amber species, Paleocionus dominicanus, and the Baltic amber species, Phagocera baltica, represent extinct lineages that add to our understanding of the evolution of fungal entomopathogens. These fossils add to our knowledge of the morphological diversity of this fascinating group.

Technical Abstract: The anamorphic, synnematous fungi, Paleocionus dominicanus Poinar & Vega gen. et sp. nov. in Dominican Republic amber and Phagocera baltica Poinar & Vega gen. et sp. nov. (Hypocreales: Ophiocordycipitaceae) in Baltic amber, are described as fungal entomopathogens of bark lice (Psocoptera). The specimens several features unknown in extant synnematous fungal entomopathogens such as a tubular dark synnema with a straight, pointed tip bearing spores over the entire surface in P. dominicus, and a globular yellowish synnema developing on the tip of the host’s antenna in P. baltica. These are the only known fossil fungal entomopathogens of bark lice, making them unique not only for their characters, but also in respect to their selection of developmental sites on their hosts.