A new microsporidian pathogen, Vairimorpha gastrophysae sp. nov., isolated from Gastrophysa viridula (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae).

Gastrophysa viridula DeGeer 1775, the green dock leaf beetle, belongs to a group of beneficial insects, which can be used as a classical biological control agent against sorrels (Rumex sp., Polygonaceae). Therefore, any infection by pathogenic organisms in this beetle is undesirable. In the present study, a new microsporidian pathogen isolated from G. viridula was identified based on morphological and ultrastructural characteristics, supported with a molecular phylogenetic analysis. Light and transmission electron microscopy studies indicated that the microsporidium was polymorphic throughout its life cycle. Sporulation stages were not all in direct contact with the host-cell cytoplasm. The fresh single diplokaryotic spores of the secondary sporulation cycle had a long narrow morphology, measuring about 5 × 2.1 µm (n = 50). Octospores produced in the secondary sporulation cycle were also observed. Morphological and ultrastructural characteristics of the life cycle stages place it within the genus Vairimorpha. The phylogenetic tree constructed on the 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis supports the morphological and ultrastructural characteristics and indicates that the pathogen is closely related to the Vairimorpha clade of microsporidia. The pathogen is named Vairimorpha gastrophysae sp. nov.

A microsporidian pathogen of the predatory beetle Rhizophagus grandis (Coleoptera: Rhizophagidae).

A new Microsporidium sp. infects Rhizophagus grandis Gyllenhall, a beetle which preys on the bark beetle Dendroctonus micans Kugellan in Turkey. Mature spores are single, uninucleate, oval in shape (3.75 +/- 0.27 microm in length by 2.47 +/- 0.13 microm in width), with a subapically fixed polar filament. The polar filament is anisofilar, coiled in 7-8 normal and 3-4 reduced coils. Other characteristic features of the microsporidium are the four/five nuclear divisions to form 16/32 (commonly 16) spores, subpersistent sporophorous vesicles (pansporoblasts) remaining till formation of the endospore, and the vesicles dissolved with free mature spores. The polaroplast is divided into three zones: an amorphous zone, dense layers, and a lamellartubular area extending to the central part of the spore.

Distribution of Nosema phyllotretae (Microspora, Nosematidae) Weiser, 1961 in populations of Phyllotreta atra (Coleoptera, Chrysomelidae) in Turkey.

The distribution of Nosema phyllotretae infection of Phyllotreta atra populations in Turkey is reported for the first time. In total, 48 of the 1668 beetles from 24 samples collected in five localities were infected by the parasite. Nosema infection was found in P. atra adults from only one of the five localities studied. The infection average was 2.8% and it reached 42.5% in some samples. The results showed that N. phyllotretae infection occurs in P. atra populations in restricted localities within Turkey.

First record of the insect pathogenic alga Helicosporidium sp. (Chlorophyta: Trebouxiophyceae) infection in larvae and pupae of Rhizophagusgrandis Gyll. (Coleoptera, Rhizophaginae) from Turkey.

The predator beetle Rhizophagus grandis Gyll. (Coleoptera, Rhizophaginae) is one of the most important biological control agents, mass-bred and used to suppress populations of an important pest: the great spruce bark beetle, Dendroctonus micans. The achlorophyllous alga Helicosporidium sp. was first discovered in the pest. Later it was also found in the predator, but only in the adults. In this study, the pathogenic alga Helicosporidium sp. was discovered in larvae and early pupae of R. grandis for the first time. The morphological characteristics of the pathogenic alga were revealed by light and electron microscopy. Infection rates of Helicosporidium sp. in the larvae and pupae of R. grandis were 23.5% and 6.25%, respectively.

Parasites of Phyllotreta atra (Fabricius, 1775) (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) in Trabzon.

In this study, the parasites of Pyllotreta atra (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) in Trabzon were investigated. Samples of P. atra were collected in different localities of Trabzon. Three different types of parasites from P. atra observed are as follows: Gre-garine (Apicomplexa), Nematode (Tylenchida: Allantonematidae) and larvae of certain parasitoids. The most abundant infection found in this study was gregarine infection followed by nematode infection with total infection rates 37.8% and 7.6%, respectively. The gre-garine and the nematode parasites were identified as Gregarina phyllotretae and Howardula phyllotretae, respectively.