STUDIES IN THE ENTOMOPHTHORACEAE. I. Observations on the genus Conidiobolus

Abstract

A comparative morphological and biometrical study on artificial media, has been made of strains of Conidiobolus villosus obtained from the Farlow Herbarium, the Centraalbureau door Schimmel-cultures, and isolated directly from termites in Cuba. Furthermore, infection experiments have shown that the fungus which has hitherto been considered a saprophyte may adapt itself to a parasitic habit, especially on termites. The Derx strain from Holland, in contrast to the others, appears to be strictly sapro phytic. Moreover, in the life-history of the species in question an additional stage has been observed which consists of the production of minute conidia borne at the tips of the spiny appendages of the villose conidia or "resting spores". For these reasons a new combination, Entomophthora coronata (Cost.) bas been made and Delacroixia coronata and Conidiobolus villosus have been reduced to synonomy. Department of Botany and Plant Pathology, College of Agriculture, Mayagüez, Puerto Rico.