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Showing papers by "Richard A. Humber published in 2006"


Journal ArticleDOI
19 Oct 2006-Nature
TL;DR: It is indicated that there may have been at least four independent losses of the flagellum in the kingdom Fungi, and the enigmatic microsporidia seem to be derived from an endoparasitic chytrid ancestor similar to Rozella allomycis, on the earliest diverging branch of the fungal phylogenetic tree.
Abstract: The ancestors of fungi are believed to be simple aquatic forms with flagellated spores, similar to members of the extant phylum Chytridiomycota (chytrids). Current classifications assume that chytrids form an early-diverging clade within the kingdom Fungi and imply a single loss of the spore flagellum, leading to the diversification of terrestrial fungi. Here we develop phylogenetic hypotheses for Fungi using data from six gene regions and nearly 200 species. Our results indicate that there may have been at least four independent losses of the flagellum in the kingdom Fungi. These losses of swimming spores coincided with the evolution of new mechanisms of spore dispersal, such as aerial dispersal in mycelial groups and polar tube eversion in the microsporidia (unicellular forms that lack mitochondria). The enigmatic microsporidia seem to be derived from an endoparasitic chytrid ancestor similar to Rozella allomycis, on the earliest diverging branch of the fungal phylogenetic tree.

1,682 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Based on morphological and molecular evidence it is concluded that ‘‘M. anisopliae var. frigidum’’ is distinct from M. flavoviride and the taxon M. frigIDum sp.
Abstract: The anamorph genus Metarhizium is composed of arthropod pathogens, several with broad geographic and host ranges. Members of the genus, including "M. anisopliae var. frigidum" nomen nudum and Metarhizium flavoviride, have been used as biological insecticides. In a recent revision of the genus the variety "M. anisopliae var. frigidum" was suggested to be a synonym of M. flavoviride based largely on ITS sequence phylogenetic analysis. In this study we conducted morphological evaluations and multigene phylogenetic analyses with EF-1alpha, RPB1 and RPB2 for strains of M. flavoviride and "M. anisopliae var. frigidum." Included in these evaluations were the ex-type of M. flavoviride var. flavoviride and what likely would be considered the "ex-type' of the invalidly published taxon "M. anisopliae var. frigidum". Based on morphological and molecular evidence we conclude that "M. anisopliae var. frigidum" is distinct from M. flavoviride and the taxon M. frigidum sp. nov. is described.

108 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: This work reports the first record of Clonostachys rosea as an entomopathogenic fungus of two leafhoppers pest, Oncometopia tucumana and Sonesimia grossa, in Argentina and evaluates the pathogenicity of C. rosea against them.

84 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: A Cordyceps species was found with a Beauveria anamorph state on larval insect cadavers on Obong mountains in Gangwon Provinces, Republic of Korea, and the connection was confirmed by the in vitro production of fertile aseomata from conidial cultures with morphology like that of lield-eolleeted specimen.
Abstract: A Cordyceps species was found with a Beauveria anamorph state on larval insect cadavers on Obong mountains in Gangwon Provinces, Republic of Korea. Cultures from discharged ascospores formed an anamorph identifiable as Beauveria bassiana. This teleomorph-anamorph connection was also confirmed by the in vitro production of fertile ascomata from conidial cultures with morphology like that of field-collected specimen. This is the first report of in vitro production of a teleomorph for any Beauveria species. The Cordyceps species has been conspecified as Cordyceps bassiana, a species described from China with B. bassiana anamorph.

26 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The identity and activity of an entomopathogenic fungus belonging to the Entomophthora muscae species complex and infecting Musca domestica in poultry houses from La Plata, Argentina, is reported.
Abstract: The identity and activity of an entomopathogenic fungus belonging to the Entomophthora muscae species complex and infecting Musca domestica in poultry houses from La Plata, Argentina, is reported. Entomophthora caused natural infections between September 2001 and September 2003. Primary conidia of this fungus were on average 29.5 ± 1.2 × 23.4 ± 2.4 µm and contained, on average, 10.5 ± 0.1 nuclei (range: 7–15) with an average diameter of 4.8 ± 0.1 µm. This fungus is identified as E. ferdinandii Keller (this specific epithet includes a nomenclaturally required spelling correction); this is a first record of E. ferdinandii in South America and of any member of the E. muscae species complex from flies in Argentina.

19 citations