Mycosphere Essay 19. Cordyceps species parasitizing hymenopteran and hemipteran insects

Abstract

Hymenoptera and Hemiptera are two major insect orders after Coleoptera and Lepidoptera that are parasitized by Cordyceps species. Among the 52 Cordyceps species parasitizing hymenopterans, the majority (50 species) are recorded on suborder Apocrita (ants, bees, wasps). Ant family Formicidae is the mostly parasitized family followed by Vespidae (wasps). Ophiocordyceps uilateralis, O. sphececephala, O. myrmecophila and Cordyceps australis are some of the cosmopolitan species that parasitize ants and wasps. Among Cordyceps species recorded on hemipterans, the majority (34 species) are recorded on suborder Auchenorrhyncha (cicadas, spittlebugs, froghoppers), followed by six species on suborder sternorhyncha (scale insects) and four species on the suborder Heteroptera (true bugs). Ophiocordyceps nutans is recorded worldwide in Asia, Africa and South America and parasitizes more than 30 species of true bugs. Another worldwide species is Ophiocordyceps sobolifera that parasitizes six cicada species in Asia, Africa and South America. Pentatomidae (true bugs), Cicadidae (cicadas) and Acanthosomatidae (shield bugs) are major host families within Hemiptera. Cordyceps species parasitizing hemipteran insects are phylogenetically very diverse and are currently segregated into Metarhizium, Ophiocordyceps, Polycephalomyces, Purpureocillium and Tolypocladium. Many hymenopterans and hemipterans are important insect pests and have invaded new localities in the world, threatening agriculture and human life. The host information compiled in this review could be informative for their use as potential biocontrol agents of endemic insect pests belonging to Hymenoptera and Hemiptera, including invasive alien species.