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Abstract
An epizootic has been reported in Fiorinia externa populations in New York, Connecticut, Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Infected insects have profuse sclerotial masses enclosing their bodies. The most commonly isolated microorganism from infected F. externa was Colletotrichum sp. A morphological and molecular characterization of this fungus indicated that it is closely related to phytopathogenic C. acutatum isolates. Isolates of Colletotrichum sp. from F. externa in areas of the epizootic were similar genetically and were named Colletotrichum acutatum var. fioriniae var. nov. based on our findings. In vitro and in planta mating observed between isolates of C. acutatum var. fioriniae could serve as a possible source of genetic variation and might give rise to new biotypes with a propensity to infect insects. Only one other strain, C. gloeosporioides f. sp. ortheziidae, has been reported to show entomopathogenic activity.
We thank Mr Fred Little and Mr Jeff Grosse for transcribing nonpublished genetic sequences in Liu 2002. We also thank Drs Felipe Soto for assistance with molecular analysis and Carol Shearer for comments on the manuscript. This work was financed in part through a grant awarded by the Northeastern Area State and Private Forestry, USDA Forest Service (No. 04-CA-11244225286) and is in partial fulfillment of requirements for the doctoral degree of JM at the University of Vermont.