LSC: Axenic Culture Collection of Insect Gut Fungi (Harpellales) and Other Symbionts of Arthropods: Incorporating the Isolates into Other Culture Collections

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Harpellales (Zygomycota, Trichomycetes) are fungal symbionts that live in the hindgut of larval aquatic insects, including lower Diptera (Nematocera) such as black flies, mosquitoes, midges, and five other families, and the larval or nymphal stages of stoneflies (Plecoptera), mayflies (Ephemeroptera) caddisflies (Trichoptera), and rarely in beetle larvae (Coleoptera) and isopods (Isopoda). This worldwide association with insects ranges from commensalistic to mutualistic or parasitic, depending upon the species and the stages of development of both the fungi and their hosts. This unique collection consists of more than 250 isolates representing 8 genera and 43 species, plus more than 44 isolates of currently unidentified species of the largest genus, Smittium. This award provides funds to incorporate the cultures of these unique endosymbionts into collections at other institutions including the USDA, thereby making them available to researchers and teachers well into the future. Information about the collection and links to a book-length monograph on the biology and systematics of Trichomycetes, a worldwide list of references to studies on gut fungi, a constantly updated interactive illustrated key to all species, and a large database that is currently being completed can be found at www.nhm.ku.edu/~fungi.