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

Abstract

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