Metarhizium majus

Metarhizium majus
Remains of Oryctes rhinoceros adult infected with M. majus: Dipolog, Mindanao, Philippines (1977)
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Fungi
Division: Ascomycota
Class: Sordariomycetes
Order: Hypocreales
Family: Clavicipitaceae
Genus: Metarhizium
Species:
M. majus
Binomial name
Metarhizium majus
(J.R.Johnst.) J.F.Bisch., Rehner & Humber (2009)
Synonyms

Metarhizium anisopliae var. majus

Metarhizium majus[1] is the name given to a group of fungal isolates that are known to be virulent against Scarabaeidae, a family of beetles. Previously, this species has had variety status in Metarhizium anisopliae (var. majus) and its name is derived from characteristically very large spores (typically 2.5–4 μm x 10–14 μm long) for the genus Metarhizium. There has been considerable interest in developing isolates of this species into mycoinsecticides: especially against the coconut and oil palm beetle pest Oryctes in SE Asia, the Pacific region and Africa.

  • Metarhizium majus infected Oryctes rhinoceros larva with hyphal (whitish colour) and conidia sporulation/geminating (greenish colour) from its cuticle.
    Metarhizium majus infected Oryctes rhinoceros larva with hyphal (whitish colour) and conidia sporulation/geminating (greenish colour) from its cuticle.
  • Stages of Oryctes rhinoceros larva infected with M. majus. From left to right, 1st column: Infection symptom with "black dotes" or necrotic spots on integument; 2nd: Mummified; Mycelium (whitish colour) grow on integument; 3rd: Conidia (greenish colour) grow on integument; 4th: Decomposed grubs.
    Stages of Oryctes rhinoceros larva infected with M. majus. From left to right, 1st column: Infection symptom with "black dotes" or necrotic spots on integument; 2nd: Mummified; Mycelium (whitish colour) grow on integument; 3rd: Conidia (greenish colour) grow on integument; 4th: Decomposed grubs.

It is an anamorph, a suggested teleomorph was Cordyceps brittlebankisoides.[2]

Important isolates

References

  1. ^ Bischoff J.F., Rehner S.A. and Humber R.A. (2009). "A multilocus phylogeny of the Metarhizium anisopliae lineage". Mycologia. 101 (4): 512–530. doi:10.3852/07-202. PMID 19623931.
  2. ^ Liu, Z.; et al. (2002). "Molecular evidence for teleomorph-anamorph connections in Cordyceps based on ITS-5.8S rDNA sequences". Mycological Research. 106 (9): 1100–1108. doi:10.1017/S0953756202006378.