Observations on a parasitic nematode (Tetradonematidae) of fire ants, solenopsis (Formicidae), from Mato Grosso.

Parasitic nematodes, Tetradonema sp. (Mermithoidea: Tetradonematidae) were obwserved in the fire ant. Solenopsis invicta Buren, for the first time. Five colonies in a sample of 14 colonies from one site in Mato Grosso were infected. The infection rate among adult workers was 12..5% in one colony and less than 5% in each of the remaining colonies. Adult reproductive males and females, eggs, and juvenile nematodes were observed in the haemocoel of male and worker ants. The infected worker ants often can be recognized by their slightly enlarged gasters, the dorsal scierites of which vable changes in behavior: infected adult males contained normal sperm. An attempt to transmit the nematode to colonies of S. invicta in the United States was unsuccessful.Título em português: Observações sobre um nematóide parasito (Tetradonematidae) da formiga lava-pé, Solenopsis (Formicidae), em Mato Grosso

Metatranscriptomics and Pyrosequencing Facilitate Discovery of Potential Viral Natural Enemies of the Invasive Caribbean Crazy Ant, Nylanderia pubens

BACKGROUND: Nylanderia pubens (Forel) is an invasive ant species that in recent years has developed into a serious nuisance problem in the Caribbean and United States. A rapidly expanding range, explosive localized population growth, and control difficulties have elevated this ant to pest status. Professional entomologists and the pest control industry in the United States are urgently trying to understand its biology and develop effective control methods. Currently, no known biological-based control agents are available for use in controlling N. pubens. METHODOLOGY AND PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Metagenomics and pyrosequencing techniques were employed to examine the transcriptome of field-collected N. pubens colonies in an effort to identify virus infections with potential to serve as control agents against this pest ant. Pyrosequencing (454-platform) of a non-normalized N. pubens expression library generated 1,306,177 raw sequence reads comprising 450 Mbp. Assembly resulted in generation of 59,017 non-redundant sequences, including 27,348 contigs and 31,669 singlets. BLAST analysis of these non-redundant sequences identified 51 of potential viral origin. Additional analyses winnowed this list of potential viruses to three that appear to replicate in N. pubens. CONCLUSIONS: Pyrosequencing the transcriptome of field-collected samples of N. pubens has identified at least three sequences that are likely of viral origin and, in which, N. pubens serves as host. In addition, the N. pubens transcriptome provides a genetic resource for the scientific community which is especially important at this early stage of developing a knowledgebase for this new pest

Fire Ant Decapitating Fly Cooperative Release Programs (1994–2008): Two Pseudacteon Species, P. tricuspis and P. curvatus, Rapidly Expand Across Imported Fire Ant Populations in the Southeastern United States

Natural enemies of the imported fire ants, Solenopsis invicta Buren S. richteri Forel (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), and their hybrid, include a suite of more than 20 fire ant decapitating phorid flies from South America in the genus Pseudacteon. Over the past 12 years, many researchers and associates have cooperated in introducing several species as classical or self-sustaining biological control agents in the United States. As a result, two species of flies, Pseudacteon tricuspis Borgmeier and P. curvatus Borgmeier (Diptera: Phoridae), are well established across large areas of the southeastern United States. Whereas many researchers have published local and state information about the establishment and spread of these flies, here distribution data from both published and unpublished sources has been compiled for the entire United States with the goal of presenting confirmed and probable distributions as of the fall of 2008. Documented rates of expansion were also used to predict the distribution of these flies three years later in the fall of 2011. In the fall of 2008, eleven years after the first successful release, we estimate that P. tricuspis covered about 50% of the fire ant quarantined area and that it will occur in almost 65% of the quarantine area by 2011. Complete coverage of the fire ant quarantined area will be delayed or limited by this species' slow rate of spread and frequent failure to establish in more northerly portions of the fire ant range and also, perhaps, by its preference for red imported fire ants (S. invicta). Eight years after the first successful release of P. curvatus, two biotypes of this species (one biotype occurring predominantly in the black and hybrid imported fire ants and the other occurring in red imported fire ants) covered almost 60% of the fire ant quarantined area. We estimate these two biotypes will cover almost 90% of the quarantine area by 2011 and 100% by 2012 or 2013. Strategic selection of several distributional gaps for future releases will accelerate complete coverage of quarantine areas. However, some gaps may be best used for the release of additional species of decapitating flies because establishment rates may be higher in areas without competing species

Notes for genera: basal clades of Fungi (including Aphelidiomycota, Basidiobolomycota, Blastocladiomycota, Calcarisporiellomycota, Caulochytriomycota, Chytridiomycota, Entomophthoromycota, Glomeromycota, Kickxellomycota, Monoblepharomycota, Mortierellomycota, Mucoromycota, Neocallimastigomycota, Olpidiomycota, Rozellomycota and Zoopagomycota)

Compared to the higher fungi (Dikarya), taxonomic and evolutionary studies on the basal clades of fungi are fewer in number. Thus, the generic boundaries and higher ranks in the basal clades of fungi are poorly known. Recent DNA based taxonomic studies have provided reliable and accurate information. It is therefore necessary to compile all available information since basal clades genera lack updated checklists or outlines. Recently, Tedersoo et al. (MycoKeys 13:1--20, 2016) accepted Aphelidiomycota and Rozellomycota in Fungal clade. Thus, we regard both these phyla as members in Kingdom Fungi. We accept 16 phyla in basal clades viz. Aphelidiomycota, Basidiobolomycota, Blastocladiomycota, Calcarisporiellomycota, Caulochytriomycota, Chytridiomycota, Entomophthoromycota, Glomeromycota, Kickxellomycota, Monoblepharomycota, Mortierellomycota, Mucoromycota, Neocallimastigomycota, Olpidiomycota, Rozellomycota and Zoopagomycota. Thus, 611 genera in 153 families, 43 orders and 18 classes are provided with details of classification, synonyms, life modes, distribution, recent literature and genomic data. Moreover, Catenariaceae Couch is proposed to be conserved, Cladochytriales Mozl.-Standr. is emended and the family Nephridiophagaceae is introduced

An Evaluation of the Straw Itch Mite, Pyemotes Tritici, for Control of the Red Imported Fire Ant

The straw itch mite, Pyemotes tritici (LaGreze-Fossat and Montagne) was proposed by Bruce and LeCato (1980) as a potential biological control agent for the red imported fire ant, Solenopsis invicta Buren

First Report of a Parasitic Fly from a Red Imported Fire Ant Alate Female

A number of phorid flies are known to parasitize various life stages of bees and wasps, including reproductives (Kistner 1982). Several genera of phorids are known or assumed to be parasitic on worker ants but not on reproductives (Borgmeier 1963; Borgmeier and Prado 1975). Williams (1980) summarized the known data on phorids attacking and parasitizing fire ants sens. str., Solenopsis (Solenopsis) spp., in South America. To date, only one species is definitely known to parasitize fire ant workers, although other species are assumed to be parasitic on fire ants (Williams 1980). None of these species are present in the United States (Borgmeier 1963)

Antioxidants for Corncob Grit-Soybean Oil Bait Used to Control Imported Fire Ants

Antioxidants were evaluated for their potential for retarding the development of rancidity, a major factor affecting field life of fire ant bait. In a modification of the method of Lofgren et al. (1961. Imported fire ant toxic bait studies: the evaluation of various food materials

Specificity of the Trail Pheromones of Four Species of Fire Ants

The species specificity of trail pheromones of fire ants, Solenopsis spp., has been studied by Wilson (1962; Anim. Behav. 10: 137-47) and Barlin, Blum, and Brand (1976; J, Insect Physiol. 22: 839-44). Our study, stimulated by taxonomic advances since Wilson\u27s work and conducted concurrently with that of Barlin et al., is presented here to confirm and supplement the latters\u27 observations, and to report some differences in results