Alicea-Cruz, Gamalier

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    Distribution of Harpellales (Kickxellomycotina) in Culicidae and Chironomidae in Urban sites in Mayagüez and Arecibo, Puerto Rico
    (2020-05-29) Alicea-Cruz, Gamalier; Cafaro, Matías J.; College of Arts and Sciences - Sciences; Vargas, María M.; Acosta-Martínez, Jaime A.; Department of Biology; Morales, José P.
    Harpellales fungi are obligate symbionts. They need a live host in order to grow and reproduce. They are found in the digestive tract of various arthropods (including insects), attached without penetration to the gut lining. The majority of insects that are associated with Harpellales live in freshwater habitats such as streams and lakes. Common host families include Chironomidae, Simuliidae and Culicidae within the order Diptera and other insect orders such as Ephemeroptera and Plecoptera. In this investigation, we established the occurrence of Harpellales in the Culicidae and Chironomidae families in Puerto Rico. We sampled mosquito (Culicidae) and bloodworm (Chironomidae) larvae in urban sites in Arecibo and Mayaguez. After sampling and dissecting the collected larvae, we found three species of Harpellales. The first report for Arecibo was an unidentified Smittium species in the mosquito Aedes sp. In Chironomus sp. (Chironomidae) larvae, we found two Stachylina species attached to the peritrophic membrane in the midgut, Stachylina lentica and Stachylina grandispora. These species represent new records for the island. Based on the frequency analysis, we were able to conclude that in Puerto Rico, there is a higher prevalence of Harpellales in Chironomidae larvae in comparison to Culicidae larvae.