Eryniopsis Explained

Eryniopsis is a genus of fungi within the family of Entomophthoraceae and order Entomophthorales.^[1] This has been supported by molecular phylogenetic analysis (Gryganskyi et al. 2012).^[2]

The genus was circumscribed by American mycologist Richard A. Humber in 1984, and the name of Eryniopsis was derived from its similarity to members of the fungal genus Erynia, and also combined with the Greek word Greek, Ancient (to 1453);: opsis which means "aspect" or "appearance".

The genus of Eryniopsis was initially created in 1984, based on Eryniopsis lampyridarum, for species with primary conidia that are multi-nucleate (ca 4–12 nu-clei), unitunicate (having one wall in the ascus) and elongate (rather than globose (rounded) or pyriform (pear-shaped)). They are produced on simple to dichotomously branched conidiophores, and actively ejected (Humber 1984). This genus originally contained three species; Eryniopsis lampyridarum, Eryniopsis longispora and Eryniopsis caroliniana. In 1993, two more species that produce elongate secondary conidia were added to Eryniopsis (Keller & Eilenberg 1993). Eryniopsis transitans was known only from Limoniidae (formerly a subfamily of crane flies, Tipulidae) found in Switzerland and also Eryniopsis ptychopterae which was known only from Ptychopteridae (phantom crane flies, closely related to Tipulidae) and found in Denmark. They both had pear-shaped primary conidia that resemble members of the genus Entomophaga.^[3] (They were later transferred to that genus).

The species of Eryniopsis vary in the shapes of primary conidia.^[3]

Distribution

It has a cosmopolitan distribution, scattered worldwide. With most sightings in America and Europe.^[4] Including Switzerland,^[5] and Spain.^[6]

Hosts

Species Eryniopsis lampyridarum is known to infect (and kills later) the soldier beetle, either species Chauliognathus marginatus or goldenrod soldier beetle species, Chauliognathus pensylvanicus.^{[7] [8] [9]}

Species Eryniopsis caroliniana has been found on (Diptera order) 'Tipulidae hosts in North America, central and western Europe.^[3]

Species Eryniopsis longispora has been found on (Diptera order) small Nematocera hosts in Poland.^[3]

Species

As accepted by Species Fungorum;^[10]

• Eryniopsis caroliniana
• Eryniopsis lampyridarum
• Eryniopsis longispora
• Eryniopsis rhagionidarum

Former species; (all family Entomophthoraceae)^[10]

• E. ptychopterae = Entomophaga ptychopterae
• E. transitans = Entomophaga transitans

Notes and References

1. Carolyn . Elya . Henrik H. . De Fine Licht . The genus Entomophthora: bringing the insect destroyers into the twenty-first century & . IMA Fungus . 12 November 2021 . 12 . 34.
2. Gryganskyi AP, Humber RA, Smith ME et al (2012) Molecular phylogeny of the Entomophthoromycota. Mol Phylogenet Evol 65:682–694. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ympev.2012.07.026
3. Hajek . Ann E. . Bruun Jensen . Annette . Thomsen . Lene . Hodge . Kathie T. . Eilenberg . Jørgen . PCR-RFLP is used to investigate relations among species in theentomopathogenic genera Eryniopsis and Entomophaga . Mycologia . 2003 . 95 . 2 . 262–268.
4. Web site: Eryniopsis Humber. www.gbif.org . 31 December 2022 . en.
5. Keller . Siegfried . Arthropod pathogenic Entomophthorales of Switzerland. II. Erynia, Eryniopsis, Neozygites, Zoophthora and Tarichium. . Sydowia . 1991 . 43 . 39–122.
6. H.R. Engelmann (J. Cramer, Editor)
7. Web site: Fungus creates zombie beetles that crave flowers before death. New Scientist . https://web.archive.org/web/20170808092055/https://www.newscientist.com/article/2134134-fungus-creates-zombie-beetles-that-crave-flowers-before-death/ . 8 August 2017.
8. Web site: Geggel . Laura . Photos: Zombie Beetles Hang from Flowers . livescience.com . 31 December 2022 . en . 15 June 2017.
9. Steinkrausa. Donald C.. Hajekb. Ann E.. Liebherrb. Jim K.. Zombie soldier beetles: Epizootics in the goldenrod soldier beetle, Chauliognathus pensylvanicus (Coleoptera: Cantharidae) caused by Eryniopsis lampyridarum (Entomophthoromycotina: Entomophthoraceae). Journal of Invertebrate Pathology. 2017. 148. 51–59. 10.1016/j.jip.2017.05.002. 28535871.
10. Web site: Eryniopsis - Search Page . www.speciesfungorum.org . Species Fungorum . 31 December 2022.