Morphological, ultrastructural, and molecular identification of a new microsporidian pathogen isolated from Crepidodera aurata (Coleoptera, Chrysomelidae)

A new microsporidian pathogen isolated from Crepidodera aurata was identified based on morphological and ultrastructural characteristics, coupled with a molecular phylogenetic analysis. The spores of the microsporidian pathogen were slightly curved in shape, and measured 2.44–3.55 μm in length and 1.25–1.55 μm in width (n = 50). Its ultrastructure is characteristic of monokaryotic groups. All lifecycle stages of the pathogen, including meronts, sporonts, sporoblasts, and mature spores, are monokaryotic. The spore has 6–8 windings of the polar filament. Morphological and ultrastructural characteristics of the lifecycle stages place it within the family Unikaryonidae. However, the phylogenetic tree constructed on the 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis indicates that the pathogen is closely related to the Nosema/Vairimorpha clade of microsporidia. Therefore, we have classified the microsporidian of C. aurata in the tentative group Microsporidium in order to avoid creating an unnecessary or incorrect new genus/species

Distribution and occurrence of microsporidian pathogens of the willow flea beetle, Crepidodera aurata (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) in North Turkey

In this study, microsporidian pathogens in Crepidodera aurata populations were investigated. Totally 1,728 C. aurata adults were examined for microsporidian pathogens and 78 of them were found to be infected. Two species of microsporidia; Microsporidium sp.1 and Microsporidium sp.2 were observed in the C. aurata populations from ten localities in North Turkey. They show considerable difference from each other in the spore morphology and dimension, infection rate and host locality. The spores of Microsporidium sp.1 were oval in shape and measured from 3.66 to 5.66 µm in length and from 1.35 to 2.22 µm in width (n=50). The spores of Microsporidium sp. 2 were slightly curled and measured from 2.44 to 3.55 µm in length and from 1.25 to 1.55 µm in width (n=50). These microsporidia were recorded from C. aurata for the first time. Here we present occurrence and distribution of two microsporidia in C. aurata populations as natural potentially suppressing factors