Molecular diversity of the microsporidium Kneallhazia solenopsae reveals an expanded host range among fire ants in North America

Ascunce, Marina S.; Valles, Steven M.; Oi, David H.; Shoemaker, DeWayne; Plowes, Robert M.; Gilbert, Lawrence E.; LeBrun, Edward G.; Sánchez‐Arroyo, Hussein; Sánchez-Peña, Sergio R.

doi:10.1016/j.jip.2010.07.008

Cited by 14 publications

(18 citation statements)

References 47 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…The second, intriguing possibility for the high frequency of both social forms is that most dispersal occurs from inter-island transport of polygyne colonies, and heterozygous polygyne queens are capable of producing homozygous monogyne populations. Genetic analyses among colonies on these islands could discern their relatedness and provide insight into the introduction and spread of S. invicta on these islands (Ascunce et al 2010). The answer to this question also would help establish whether long-distance transport of monogyne queens after mating flights has been an important mechanism in the invasion and dispersal of S. invicta across the West Indies.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Red Imported Fire Ant (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in the West Indies: Distribution of Natural Enemies and a Possible Test Bed for Release of Self-Sustaining Biocontrol Agents

Valles

Wetterer

Porter

2015

Florida Entomologist

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Sample collections of Solenopsis invicta Buren (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) were taken from 20 islands of the West Indies and evaluated for the presence of key pathogens and parasites of this invasive pest ant. We hypothesized that bottleneck events during the introduction of this ant species in the West Indies would have resulted in populations devoid, or nearly so, of natural enemies. Monogyne and polygyne social forms were found throughout the islands surveyed with monogyny being more prevalent (65%) compared with polygyny (35%). Among 254 samples, only 25 (~10%) tested positive for the presence of pathogens or parasites. The microsporidian Kneallhazia solenopsae was the most prevalent pathogen detected; it was found in 20 colonies. A second microsporidian species, Vairimorpha invictae, was shown to be present in a polygyne sample collected from St. Croix-the first detection of this pathogen outside South America. Similarly, Solenopsis invicta densovirus (SiDNV) was detected in one polygyne sample from Anguilla. SiDNV is not found in S. invicta U.S. populations, so this detection also represents the first geographic discovery outside of South America. Two species of Pseudacteon decapitating flies were found to have dispersed into the Bahamas. Utilization of the islands of the West Indies for release, establishment, and impact assessment of S. invicta natural enemies is discussed.

show abstract

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Red Imported Fire Ant (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in the West Indies: Distribution of Natural Enemies and a Possible Test Bed for Release of Self-Sustaining Biocontrol Agents

Valles

Wetterer

Porter

2015

Florida Entomologist

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…A few meiospores of K. solenopsae also had been found in some individuals of the myrmecophile N. parasigaster and the parasitic ant S. daguerrei [51,59], but infections in host tissue were not confirmed. More recently, empirical evidence of K. solenopsae infections on S. geminata and S. geminata × S. xyloni hybrid was reported from Texas and Mexico [69].…”

Section: Natural Enemiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Fire Ants (Solenopsisspp.) and Their Natural Enemies in Southern South America

Briano¹,

Calcaterra²,

Varone³

2012

Psyche: A Journal of Entomology

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

We review the fire ant research conducted by the ARS-South American Biological Control Laboratory (SABCL) since 1987 to find a complex of natural enemies in southern South America and evaluate their specificity and suitability for field release as self-sustaining biological control agents. We also include those studies conducted by the ARS-Center for Medical, Agriculture, and Veterinary Entomology in the United States with the SABCL collaboration. Ecological and biological information is reported on local fire ants and their microsporidia, nematodes, viruses, phorid flies, eucharitid wasps, strepsiptera, and parasitic ants. Their biology, abundance, distribution, detrimental effect, field persistence, specificity, and phenology are discussed. We conclude that the objectives of the ARS program in South America are being achieved and that the pioneering studies have served to encourage further investigations in the United States and other countries and advanced the implementation of biological control programs to decrease imported fire ant densities and damage. Still, several promising organisms should be further investigated for eventual field release in the near future.

show abstract

“…For example, K. solenopsae occurs across the entire native ranges of S. invicta and S. geminata and was shown to comprise multiple strains with genetic distances reaching 3% between clades (Ascunce, 2010). Thus genetic divergence since host acquisition continues to evolve (Ascunce et al, 2010;Moser et al, 2000). In some microsporidia, the 16s rDNA gene exhibits multiple alleles within a spore that may confound measures of evolutionary diversity (Ironside, 2007).…”

Section: Remarksmentioning

confidence: 99%

Myrmecomorba nylanderiae gen. et sp. nov., a microsporidian parasite of the tawny crazy ant Nylanderia fulva

Plowes

Becnel

LeBrun

et al. 2015

Journal of Invertebrate Pathology

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Molecular diversity of the microsporidium Kneallhazia solenopsae reveals an expanded host range among fire ants in North America

Cited by 14 publications

References 47 publications

The Red Imported Fire Ant (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in the West Indies: Distribution of Natural Enemies and a Possible Test Bed for Release of Self-Sustaining Biocontrol Agents

The Red Imported Fire Ant (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in the West Indies: Distribution of Natural Enemies and a Possible Test Bed for Release of Self-Sustaining Biocontrol Agents

Fire Ants (Solenopsisspp.) and Their Natural Enemies in Southern South America

Myrmecomorba nylanderiae gen. et sp. nov., a microsporidian parasite of the tawny crazy ant Nylanderia fulva

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About