First record of Talaromyces udagawae in soil related to decomposing human remains in Argentina.

The morphologic features of Talaromyces udagawae Stolk and Samson are here described and illustrated. This teleomorphic Ascomycota fungus was isolated from soil obtained in Buenos Aires province (Argentina) from beneath a human cadaver in an advanced state of decomposition. After washing and serial dilution of the soil along with moist-chamber techniques for fungal cultivation, T. udagawae formed very restricted colonies of bright yellow color on different growth media with 8-ascospored asci. The ascospores were ellipsoidal and ornamented. The anamorphic state was not observed. Molecular-genetic techniques identified the species. The present record is the first of the species in Argentina, pointing it as a tool to identify soils where cadaver decomposition occurs.

Native Argentinean cyclopoids (Crustacea: Copepoda) as predators of Aedes aegypti and Culex pipiens (Diptera: Culicidae) mosquitoes.

Copepods from La Plata, Argentina were investigated to characterize the local community of larvivorous copepods inhabiting mosquito breeding sites and to identify new predator species of the mosquitoes which occur in artificial containers, Aedes aegypti and Culex pipiens. Diversity of larvivorous cyclopoids was highest in permanent pools. Predation by sex and age, selectivity on mosquito species, and daily predation rate during five days were studied for Acanthocyclops robustus, Diacyclops uruguayensis, Macrocyclops albidus and Mesocyclops longisetus. Female copepods presented the highest predatory capacity. No predatory preference for mosquito species was found. According to overall predation potential, copepods were ranked as follows: D. uruguayensis < A. robustus < M. albidus < M. longisetus. Copepod tolerance to desiccation and capacity to survive in water from artificial containers were also evaluated. D. uruguayensis and A. robustus survived under dry conditions, but D. uruguayensis showed lower survival in water from cemetery flower vases. M. albidus did not survive under dry conditions and did not tolerate water extracted from artificial containers. M. longisetus survival was not severely reduced after desiccation or breeding in water from flower vases. The Neotropical cyclopoids D. uruguayensis and A. robustus can be considered good candidates and merit further research as biological control agents for mosquitoes.

Predation efficiency of indigenous larvivorous fish species on Culex pipiens L. larvae (Diptera: Culicidae) in drainage ditches in Argentina.

Two neotropical freshwater fish species, Cnesterodom decemmaculatus (Poeciliidae) and Jenynsia multidentata (Anablepidae), were collected from human-made ditches, a common habitat of the house mosquito Culex pipiens in La Plata, Argentina. Cnesterodom decemmaculatus was recorded in 62 of the 100 examined ditches, whereas J. multidentata was collected from only 21 ditches sympatrically with C. decemmaculatus. Culex pipiens was the only mosquito species collected, and its larvae and pupae were found in 38 of the 100 ditches. Fish and mosquito larvae and pupae were collected together in only two ditches and were significantly negatively correlated. Siphons of larval Culex and remnants of chironomid larvae, copepods, aquatic mites, and fish were present in the gut contents of two C. decemmaculatus from mosquito-positive ditches, while diatoms and filamentous algae were recorded in every fish dissected. Adult C. decemmaculatus and J. multidentata needed approximately 6.2 h to completely digest one Cx. pipiens 4th instar larva under laboratory conditions. When fish were confined with a density of 60 or fewer Cx. pipiens 4th instar larvae, C. decemmaculatus and J. multidentata adults consumed 100% of them in one day but only 35% and 42%, respectively, when confined with 150 larvae. Eradication of Cx. pipiens from a ditch, where densities had averaged 250 immatures per dip, was achieved 17 days after the introduction of 1,700 C. decemmaculatus.

Soil fungi: their potential use as a forensic tool.

As a grave is an anomalous environment and differs from its surroundings, criminal investigators employ different techniques for locating, recovering, and analyzing clandestine graves. In this study were identified the fungi found in the soil under corpses in decomposition with an aim at relating the copresence of human remains and different fungal species. Were isolated the fungi in three ways: soil washing, serial dilutions, and moist chamber growth. Dichotomomyces cejpii, Talaromyces trachyspermus, Talaromyces flavus, and Talaromyces sp. were the representative species found--with those belonging to the ammonia group, whose fungi are the first in the succession of cadaver decomposition directly in the ground. The mycobiota found at the present study area clearly differs to mycobiota identified in control sample and from previously described species for other areas of Buenos Aires Province, Argentina. Further forensic examples of this type are needed to develop fully the detailed use of mycology as a forensic tool.

Primer registro de Talaromyces udagawae relacionado con cuerpos humanos en descomposición, en suelo de la Argentina / First record of Talaromyces udagawae in soil related to decomposing human remains in Argentina

The morphologic features of Talaromyces udagawae Stolk and Samson are here described and illustrated. This teleomorphic Ascomycota fungus was isolated from soil obtained in Buenos Aires province (Argentina) from beneath a human cadaver in an advanced state of decomposition. After washing and serial dilution of the soil along with moist-chamber techniques for fungal cultivation, T. udagawae formed very restricted colonies of bright yellow color on different growth media with 8-ascospored asci. The ascospores were ellipsoidal and ornamented. The anamorphic state was not observed. Molecular-genetic techniques identified the species. The present record is the first of the species in Argentina, pointing it as a tool to identify soils where cadaver decomposition occurs.

Se describen e ilustran las características morfológicas de Talaromyces udagawae Stolk y Samson. Se aisló el estado teleomórfico de este hongo Ascomycota de suelo obtenido en la provincia de Buenos Aires (Argentina), por debajo de un cadáver humano en avanzado estado de descomposición. Las muestras de suelo fueron analizadas mediante lavado, dilución seriada y cámaras húmedas, técnicas ampliamente usadas para el estudio de hongos de suelo. T. udagawae formó colonias muy restringidas de color amarillo brillante en diferentes medios de cultivo, con ascos con 8 ascosporas. Las ascosporas eran elipsoidales y ornamentadas. No fue hallado el estado anamórfico. La especie también fue identificada mediante técnicas moleculares. El presente registro es el primero de la especie en la Argentina y el único que la postula como herramienta para identificar suelos donde ocurre una descomposición cadavérica.

Native Argentinean cyclopoids (Crustacea: Copepoda) as predators of Aedes aegypti and Culex pipiens (Diptera: Culicidae) mosquitoes

Copepods from La Plata, Argentina were investigated to characterize the local community of larvivorous copepods inhabiting mosquito breeding sites and to identify new predator species of the mosquitoes which occur in artificial containers, Aedes aegypti and Culex pipiens. Diversity of larvivorous cyclopoids was highest in permanent pools. Predation by sex and age, selectivity on mosquito species, and daily predation rate during five days were studied for Acanthocyclops robustus, Diacyclops uruguayensis, Macrocyclops albidus and Mesocyclops longisetus. Female copepods presented the highest predatory capacity. No predatory preference for mosquito species was found. According to overall predation potential, copepods were ranked as follows: D. uruguayensis < A. robustus < M. albidus < M. longisetus. Copepod tolerance to desiccation and capacity to survive in water from artificial containers were also evaluated. D. uruguayensis and A. robustus survived under dry conditions, but D. uruguayensis showed lower survival in water from cemetery flower vases. M. albidus did not survive under dry conditions and did not tolerate water extracted from artificial containers. M. longisetus survival was not severely reduced after desiccation or breeding in water from flower vases. The Neotropical cyclopoids D. uruguayensis and A. robustus can be considered good candidates and merit further research as biological control agents for mosquitoes. Rev. Biol. Trop. 57 (4): 1059-1068. Epub 2009 December 01.

Se hizo una prospección de copépodos en La Plata, Argentina, con los objetivos de caracterizar la comunidad local de copépodos larvívoros en sitios de cría de mosquitos, e identificar nuevas especies depredadoras de los mosquitos de contenedores artificiales Aedes aegypti y Culex pipiens. La diversidad de ciclopoides larvívoros fue máxima en charcos permanentes. Se examinó la depredación por sexos y edad, la selectividad por especies de mosquito, y la tasa de depredación diaria durante cinco días en Acanthocyclops robustus, Diacyclops uruguayensis, Macrocyclops albidus y Mesocyclops longisetus. Los copépodos hembra presentaron la capacidad depredadora más alta. No se encontró preferencia por alguna especie de mosquito. De acuerdo al potencial de depredación en general, los copépodos se ordenan así: D. uruguayensis < A. robustus < M. albidus < M. longisetus. También se evaluó la tolerancia a la desecación del hábitat y la capacidad de resistir en agua de contenedores artificiales. D. uruguayensis y A. robustus sobrevivieron en condiciones de sequía, pero D. uruguayensis presentó menor supervivencia en agua de floreros de cementerio. M. albidus no sobrevivió condiciones de sequía y no toleró el agua extraída de contenedores artificiales. Los ciclopoides neotropicales D. uruguayensis and A. robustus son buenos candidatos y merecen investigación ulterior como agentes de control biológico de mosquitos.

First record of Aedes aegypti L. (Diptera: Culicidae) infected by the parasite Ascogregarina culicis (Ross) (Apicomplexa: Lecudinidae) in Argentina

In a survey for parasites and pathogens of Aedes aegypti conducted in La Plata, Argentina, an aseptate gregarine was found parasitizing larvae, pupae and adults of this mosquito species. This gregarine species was identified as Ascogregarina culicis based on the morphology and size of gamonts, gametocysts and oocysts. It is the first record of gregarine infections in culicids from Argentina.