Zoophthora

The genus Zoophthora was first formally described by Batko in 1964; however, in 1966 Batko divided Zoophthora into four sub-genera. In 1989 Humber promoted Batko's four sub-genera to a single genus: Zoophthora. Recent systematic research has yielded support for the monophyly of Zoophthora, as well as its distinctness at the generic level. ==Life cycle==

Zoophthora species parasitize insects, using their host's body as a source of nutrition and as a site for reproduction. In order to infect a potential insect host, fungal tissue (generally as uninucleate or coenocytic hypha) must first penetrate the insect's cuticle. Upon entering an insect's body, some Zoophthora species are able to lose their cell walls and exist as protoplasts; this phenomenon is common in many taxa in the Entomophthorales, and is believed to help the fungus evade its host's immune responses. Asexual reproduction in Zoophthora occurs through the production and forceful discharge of primary conidia. Once these conidia contact a suitable substrate, they can then either germinate into vegetative tissue (i.e., mycelium) or develop secondary conidia. Sexual reproduction in this taxon generally occurs through the conjugation of two gametangia, which results in the production of a thick-walled zygosporangium. As in other Zygomycete fungi, the zygosporangia of Zoophthora serve as the site where zygospores mature and germinate into vegetative tissue. == Ecology ==

Interactions with Arthropods Perhaps the most studied aspect of Zoophthora species’ ecology pertains to their interactions with arthropods. Zoophthora species are parasites that digest their hosts’ tissues for nutrition. Fungi in this taxon also use the host's body as a substrate on which to reproduce. During this process of infection, digestion, and reproduction, the host is generally killed and as such these interactions between fungus and insect are best described as antagonistic. Because research on Zoophthora has historically been in the context of biological control of insect pests, the relative contributions of species in this genus to ecosystem functioning have been unexplored. As such, the extent of Zoophthora species’ contributions in controlling insect populations in natural ecosystems is poorly understood. Interactions outside of Arthropods While ecological interactions outside of arthropod hosts have been explored in a handful of entomopathogenic fungal taxa, the roles of Zoophthora species in soils, plants, and other environments need to be explored. == Methods for isolation and identification ==

Isolation While approaches to isolating pure cultures of Zoophthora and other entomopathogenic fungal taxa vary, two general approaches are widely used: direct and indirect sampling. • Direct sampling: In direct sampling methods, fungal tissue (generally as conidia, and sometimes as hyphal bodies or protoplasts) is removed from infected arthropod hosts. Such cultivation-independent approaches to species identification are advantageous because they allow for the identification of taxa that are difficult or impossible to cultivate in the laboratory. Cultivation-independent approaches to species identification can also save time and materials, and can allow morphologically indistinguishable taxa to be differentiated. ==Species==

As accepted by Species Fungorum; • Zoophthora anglica • Zoophthora anhuiensis • Zoophthora aphidis • Zoophthora aphrophorae • Zoophthora arginis • Zoophthora athaliae • Zoophthora autumnalis • Zoophthora bialoviezensis • Zoophthora brevispora • Zoophthora canadensis • Zoophthora crassispora • Zoophthora crassitunicata • Zoophthora elateridiphaga • Zoophthora erinacea • Zoophthora falcata • Zoophthora forficulae • Zoophthora geometralis • Zoophthora giardii • Zoophthora humberi • Zoophthora ichneumonis • Zoophthora independentia • Zoophthora lanceolata • Zoophthora larvivora • Zoophthora miridis • Zoophthora myrmecophaga • Zoophthora nematoceris • Zoophthora obtusa • Zoophthora occidentalis • Zoophthora opomyzae • Zoophthora orientalis • Zoophthora petchii • Zoophthora phytonomi • Zoophthora porteri • Zoophthora psyllae • Zoophthora radicans • Zoophthora rhagonycharum • Zoophthora suturalis • Zoophthora tachypori • Zoophthora viridis Former species; (all family Entomophthoraceae) • Z. aleurodis = Pandora aleurodis • Z. americana = Furia americana • Z. aquatica = Erynia aquatica • Z. blunckii = Pandora blunckii • Z. brahminae = Pandora brahminae • Z. bullata = Pandora bullata • Z. calliphorae = Entomophthora calliphorae • Z. conica = Erynia conica • Z. creatonoti = Furia creatonoti • Z. curvispora = Erynia curvispora • Z. dacnusae = Pandora dacnusae • Z. delphacis = Pandora delphacis • Z. delpiniana = Erynia delpiniana • Z. dipterigena = Pandora dipterigena • Z. echinospora = Pandora echinospora • Z. ellisiana = Furia ellisiana • Z. exitialis = Entomophthora exitialis • Z. fumimontana = Furia fumimontana • Z. gastropachae = Furia gastropachae • Z. gloeospora = Pandora gloeospora • Z. gracilis = Erynia gracilis • Z. heteropterae = Pandora heteropterae • Z. ithacensis = Furia ithacensis • Z. jaczewskii = Erynia jaczewskii • Z. kondoiensis = Pandora kondoiensis • Z. lipae = Pandora lipae • Z. minutispora = Pandora minutispora • Z. montana = Furia montana • Z. muscivora = Pandora muscivora • Z. nebriae = Erynia nebriae • Z. neoaphidis = Pandora neoaphidis • Z. neopyralidarum = Furia neopyralidarum • Z. nouryi = Pandora nouryi • Z. ovispora = Erynia ovispora • Z. pentatomis = Erynia pentatomis • Z. phalangicida = Pandora phalangicida • Z. phalloides = Erynia phalloides • Z. philonthi = Pandora philonthi • Z. phyllobii = Pandora phyllobii • Z. pieris = Furia pieris • Z. plecopteri = Erynia plecopteri • Z. poloniae-majoris = Pandora poloniae-majoris • Z. rhizospora = Erynia rhizospora • Z. sepulchralis = Erynia sepulchralis • Z. variabilis = Erynia variabilis • Z. virescens = Furia virescens • Z. vomitoriae = Furia vomitoriae • Z. zabri = Furia zabri == References ==