Prevalence of Harpellales from Chironomidae larvae in phytotelmata from Punta Lara Forest, Argentina

• DOI: 10.3852/07-036r
• Publication Date: 2008-10-21T19:47:39Z
• Authors: Augusto Siri; Gerardo A. Marti; Claudia C. López ...
• Keywords: Hindgut; Obligate; Omnivore

Harpellales (Zygomycota: Trichomycetes) fungi are cosmopolitan obligate inhabitants of the gut immature insects. A biweekly survey associated with chironomid (Chironomidae: Diptera) larvae living in impounded water from Eryngium cabrerae (Apiaceae) phytotelmata Punta Lara forest, Argentina, was done Jan 2003–Dec 2004. Two species were larvae, Smittium phytotelmatum hindgut Polypedilum sp. and Stachylina lentica midgut both Metriocnemus eryngiotelmatus. No statistically significant differences recorded prevalence these between seasons. Environmental variables (temperature, rainfall relative humidity), volume, pH larval density did not have an effect on Trichomycetes.