Pandora (fungus) explained

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

It was initially formed by Polish mycologist Andrzej Batko (1933-1997), as a subgenus of Zoophthora.[3] Then American mycologist Richard A. Humber raised it to the genus level. The genus name of Pandora is derived from the Latin word pando which means “to become curved” or “to sag” and the generic suffix “ra” thus describing conidia, which are often with weakly outlined bilateral symmetry. They are on one side (abdominal) slightly flattened and on the opposite (dorsal) side, more convex, on the third (lateral) side, they are somewhat curved towards the abdominal side and slightly asymmetrical.[3]

It has a cosmopolitan distribution.[4]

It is best known by its representative Pandora neoaphidis, which acts as an obligate pathogen in various species of aphids. It is a widespread species that is often found to be the most common fungal insect pathogen on the local aphid community (e.g. in surveys from Argentina, Slovakia, and China.). It has therefore been the subject of study for biological control. Including usage on the green peach aphid, Myzus persicae (Homoptera: Aphididae) which predates on spinach (Spinacea oleracea) in Arkansas, America. Up to 95 species of the aphid (world-wide) have been found to be infected by the fungus. From places such as France (Rabasse et al. 1983), Mexico (Remaudiere and Hennebert, 1980), Portugal and Spain (Humber, 1986) and also Japan (Kobayashi et al.,1984).[5] Panicum miliaceum or broomcorn millets were trialled in 2003 as a production base (within labs) for the fungus.[6] However, difficulty with mass production of infectious spores in vitro and the viable formulation and storage into an easily applicable commercial product has halted their direct use as a biological control in 2012.[7]

There is limited evidence that the ladybird Harmonia axyridis, which is invasive in America and Europe, has an advantage over native ladybird species because it feeds more on Pandora-infested aphid cadavers.

Pandora formicae is a rare example of the entomophthoralean fungus that has adapted to exclusively infect social insects, such as the wood ant Formica polyctena. The proportion of dead ant bodies with resting spores increased from late summer throughout autumn, which suggests that these fungal spores are the main overwintering fungal structures.[8]

Pandora sp. nov. inedit. (ARSEF13372) is a recently isolated fungus species with high potential for usage in psyllid pest control. Experiments in biomass production are being studied for usefulness.[9]

Species

As accepted by Species Fungorum;[10]

Former species;[10]

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. Batko, A. 1966. Acta Mycologica, 2, 15-21.
  4. Web site: Pandora Humber . www.gbif.org . 29 December 2022 . en.
  5. Elkassabany . N. M. . Steinkraus . D. C. . McLeod . P. J. . Correll . J. C. . Morelock . T. E. . Pandora neoaphidis (Entomophthorales: Entomophthoraceae): A Potential Biological Control Agent against Myzus persicae (Homoptera: Aphididae) on Spinach . Journal of the Kansas Entomological Society . April 1992 . 65 . 2 . 196-199.
  6. Hua . Li . Feng . Ming-Guang . New use of broomcorn millets for production of granular cultures of aphid-pathogenic fungus Pandora neoaphidis for high sporulation potential and infectivity to Myzus persicae . FEMS Microbiol Lett . 24 October 2003 . 227 . 2 . 311-7 . 10.1016/S0378-1097(03)00711-0. free .
  7. Vega FE, Meyling NV, Luangsa-ard JJ, Blackwell M (2012) Chapter 6—fungal entomopathogens. In: Vega FE, Kaya HK (eds) Insect pathology, 2nd edn. Academic Press, San Diego, pp 171–220
  8. Małagocka . Joanna . Bruun Jensen . Annette . Eilenberg . Jørgen . Pandora formicae, a specialist ant pathogenic fungus: New insights into biology and taxonomy . J. Invertebr. Pathol. . February 2017 . 143 . 108-114 . 10.1016/j.jip.2016.12.007.
  9. Muskat . Linda C. . Przyklenk . Michael . Humbert . Pascal . Eilenberg . Jørgen . Patel . Anant V. . Fermentation of the psyllid-pathogenic fungus Pandora sp. nov. inedit. (Entomophthorales: Entomophthoraceae) . Biocontrol Science and Technology . 25 April 2022 . 32 . 5 . 564-585 . 10.1080/09583157.2022.2035680.
  10. Web site: Pandora - Search Page . www.speciesfungorum.org . Species Fungorum . 29 December 2022.

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