Strongwellsea Tigrinae
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''Strongwellsea'' is a
genus Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family (taxonomy), family as used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In bino ...
of
fungi A fungus (: fungi , , , or ; or funguses) is any member of the group of eukaryotic organisms that includes microorganisms such as yeasts and mold (fungus), molds, as well as the more familiar mushrooms. These organisms are classified as one ...
within the order
Entomophthorales The Entomophthorales are an order of fungi that were previously classified in the class Zygomycetes. A new subdivision, Entomophthoromycotina, in 2007, was circumscribed for them. Most species of the entomophthorales are pathogens of insects ...
of the
Zygomycota Zygomycota, or zygote fungi, is a former phylum, division or phylum of the kingdom Fungi. The members are now part of two Phylum, phyla: the Mucoromycota and Zoopagomycotina, Zoopagomycota. Approximately 1060 species are known. They are mostly t ...
. They are known to infect insects. Infected adult
dipteran Flies are insects of the order Diptera, the name being derived from the Greek δι- ''di-'' "two", and πτερόν ''pteron'' "wing". Insects of this order use only a single pair of wings to fly, the hindwings having evolved into advanced ...
hosts (flies from
Anthomyiidae The Anthomyiidae are a large and diverse family (biology), family of Muscoidea fly, flies. Most look rather like small houseflies. Most species are drab grey to black. Many ''Pegomya'' are yellow, and some members of the genus, genera ''Ant ...
,
Fanniidae The Fanniidae are a small (285 species in five genera) group of true flies largely confined to the Holarctic and temperate Neotropical realms; there are 11 Afrotropical species, 29 Oriental, and 14 Australasian. Adults are medium-sized to small ...
,
Muscidae Muscidae are a family of flies found in the superfamily Muscoidea. Muscidae, some of which are commonly known as house flies or stable flies due to their synanthropy, are worldwide in distribution and contain almost 4,000 described species i ...
, and
Scathophagidae The Scathophagidae are a small family (biology), family of Muscoidea which are often known as dung flies, although this misnomer, name is not appropriate except for a few species of the genus ''Scathophaga'' which do indeed pass their larval st ...
families) develop a large hole in their
abdomens The abdomen (colloquially called the gut, belly, tummy, midriff, tucky, or stomach) is the front part of the torso between the thorax (chest) and pelvis in humans and in other vertebrates. The area occupied by the abdomen is called the abdominal ...
, through which
conidia A conidium ( ; : conidia), sometimes termed an asexual chlamydospore or chlamydoconidium (: chlamydoconidia), is an asexual, non- motile spore of a fungus. The word ''conidium'' comes from the Ancient Greek word for dust, ('). They are also ...
(spores) are then actively discharged while the hosts are still alive. While most fungi spore once the host is dead, with the ''Strongwellsea'' fungus, the flying host continues to live for days and also socialising with other flies while the fungus consumes its
genitals A sex organ, also known as a reproductive organ, is a part of an organism that is involved in sexual reproduction. Sex organs constitute the primary sex characteristics of an organism. Sex organs are responsible for producing and transporting ...
, fat reserves, reproductive organs, and then finally its muscle, as it continues to emit thousands of spores on to other individuals and hosts. Then the host fly dies. The method of keeping the host alive while still releasing spores is called active host transmission (AHT). The fungi spores are almost shaped like
torpedoes A modern torpedo is an underwater ranged weapon launched above or below the water surface, self-propelled towards a target, with an explosive warhead designed to detonate either on contact with or in proximity to the target. Historically, such ...
and are designed for going fast (through the air). If they land on another fly host, they stick to the
cuticle A cuticle (), or cuticula, is any of a variety of tough but flexible, non-mineral outer coverings of an organism, or parts of an organism, that provide protection. Various types of "cuticle" are non- homologous, differing in their origin, structu ...
and then migrate their way into the abdomen, where they start to generate spores. Thousands of spores can be released out from a single fly host. They were first found in
Denmark Denmark is a Nordic countries, Nordic country in Northern Europe. It is the metropole and most populous constituent of the Kingdom of Denmark,, . also known as the Danish Realm, a constitutionally unitary state that includes the Autonomous a ...
, with 3 known species. ''Strongwellsea castrans'', ''Strongwellsea magna'' and ''Strongwellsea pratensis''. Species ''Strongwellsea crypta'' is known to infect '' Botanophila fugax'' (
Diptera Flies are insects of the order Diptera, the name being derived from the Greek δι- ''di-'' "two", and πτερόν ''pteron'' "wing". Insects of this order use only a single pair of wings to fly, the hindwings having evolved into advance ...
:
Anthomyiidae The Anthomyiidae are a large and diverse family (biology), family of Muscoidea fly, flies. Most look rather like small houseflies. Most species are drab grey to black. Many ''Pegomya'' are yellow, and some members of the genus, genera ''Ant ...
) and ''Strongwellsea castrans'', is the only described species infecting flies from
Anthomyiidae The Anthomyiidae are a large and diverse family (biology), family of Muscoidea fly, flies. Most look rather like small houseflies. Most species are drab grey to black. Many ''Pegomya'' are yellow, and some members of the genus, genera ''Ant ...
. ''Strongwellsea selandia'' and ''Strongwellsea gefion'' infects adult flies from genus ''
Helina ''Helina'' is a very large genus from the fly family Muscidae. Fungal species ''Strongwellsea selandia'' and ''Strongwellsea gefion'' from (genus '' Strongwellsea'', order Entomophthorales) infects adult flies from genus ''Helina'' in Denmark. ...
'' (Diptera:
Muscidae Muscidae are a family of flies found in the superfamily Muscoidea. Muscidae, some of which are commonly known as house flies or stable flies due to their synanthropy, are worldwide in distribution and contain almost 4,000 described species i ...
). ''Strongwellsea tigrinae'' and ''Strongwellsea acerosa'' infect hosts from the genus '' Coenosia'' (Muscidae). In lab tests in 1992, ''Strongwellsea castrans'' was isolated
in vitro ''In vitro'' (meaning ''in glass'', or ''in the glass'') Research, studies are performed with Cell (biology), cells or biological molecules outside their normal biological context. Colloquially called "test-tube experiments", these studies in ...
and then incubating conidia was projected from infected cabbage root flies (''
Delia radicum ''Delia radicum'', known variously as the cabbage fly, cabbage root fly, root fly or turnip fly, is a pest of crops. The larvae of the cabbage root fly are sometimes known as the cabbage maggot or root maggot. ''Delia brassicae'' (or ''Hylemya b ...
''). This showed that the fungus could infect other fly species. The genus was
circumscribed In geometry, a circumscribed circle for a set of points is a circle passing through each of them. Such a circle is said to ''circumscribe'' the points or a polygon formed from them; such a polygon is said to be ''inscribed'' in the circle. * Circum ...
by Andrzej Batko and Jaroslav Weiser in J. Invertebr. Pathol. vol.7 on pages 460-463 in 1965. The genus name of ''Strongwellsea'' is named after the 3 authors of a 1960 book, 'An Unidentified Fungus Parasitic on the SeedCorn Maggot'; Frank E. Strong, Kenneth Wells and James W. Apple (an American entomologist,
University of Wisconsin–Madison The University of Wisconsin–Madison (University of Wisconsin, Wisconsin, UW, UW–Madison, or simply Madison) is a public land-grant research university in Madison, Wisconsin, United States. It was founded in 1848 when Wisconsin achieved st ...
), "Generic name in honor of the authors of the preliminary report".


Species

As accepted by
Species Fungorum ''Index Fungorum'' is an international project to index all formal names (Binomial nomenclature, scientific names) in the fungus Kingdom (biology), kingdom. As of 2015, the project is based at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, one of three partn ...
; * ''
Strongwellsea acerosa ''Strongwellsea'' is a genus of fungi within the order Entomophthorales of the Zygomycota. They are known to infect insects. Infected adult dipteran hosts (flies from Anthomyiidae, Fanniidae, Muscidae, and Scathophagidae families) develop a large ...
'' * ''
Strongwellsea castrans ''Strongwellsea'' is a genus of fungus, fungi within the order Entomophthorales of the Zygomycota. They are known to infect insects. Infected adult dipteran hosts (flies from Anthomyiidae, Fanniidae, Muscidae, and Scathophagidae families) develop ...
'' * ''
Strongwellsea crypta ''Strongwellsea'' is a genus of fungi within the order Entomophthorales of the Zygomycota. They are known to infect insects. Infected adult dipteran hosts (flies from Anthomyiidae, Fanniidae, Muscidae, and Scathophagidae families) develop a large ...
'' * ''
Strongwellsea gefion ''Strongwellsea'' is a genus of fungi within the order Entomophthorales of the Zygomycota. They are known to infect insects. Infected adult dipteran hosts (flies from Anthomyiidae, Fanniidae, Muscidae, and Scathophagidae families) develop a large ...
'' * ''
Strongwellsea magna ''Strongwellsea'' is a genus of fungi within the order Entomophthorales of the Zygomycota. They are known to infect insects. Infected adult dipteran hosts (flies from Anthomyiidae, Fanniidae, Muscidae, and Scathophagidae families) develop a large ...
'' * ''
Strongwellsea pratensis ''Strongwellsea'' is a genus of fungi within the order Entomophthorales of the Zygomycota. They are known to infect insects. Infected adult dipteran hosts (flies from Anthomyiidae, Fanniidae, Muscidae, and Scathophagidae families) develop a large ...
'' * ''
Strongwellsea selandia ''Strongwellsea'' is a genus of fungi within the order Entomophthorales of the Zygomycota. They are known to infect insects. Infected adult dipteran hosts (flies from Anthomyiidae, Fanniidae, Muscidae, and Scathophagidae families) develop a large ...
'' * '' Strongwellsea tigrinae'' Former species; * ''S. oehrensiana'' = '' Entomophthora oehrensiana'', Entomophthoraceae family


References


Other sources

* Humber RA. 1982. Strongwellsea vs. Erynia : the case for a phylogenetic classification of the Entomophthorales (Zygomycetes). Mycotaxon 15: 167–184. {{Taxonbar, from=Q10681946 Animal fungal diseases Insect diseases Entomophthorales