J. Briano et al., PROTOZOAN AND FUNGAL DISEASES IN SOLENOPSIS-RICHTERI AND S-QUINQUECUSPIS (HYMENOPTERA, FORMICIDAE) IN BUENOS-AIRES PROVINCE, ARGENTINA, The Florida entomologist, 78(3), 1995, pp. 531-537
The diversity and abundance of protozoa and fungi infecting colonies o
f the fire ants Solenopsis richteri Forel and S. quinquecuspis Forel w
ere sun eyed in Buenos Aires province, Argentina. A total of 185 roads
ide sites was selected, and 1,836 colonies were sampled and examined u
nder phase-contrast microscopy. Pathogens were found at 32% of the sit
es and in 10% of the colonies. The microsporidium Thelohania solenopsa
e Knell, Allen & Hazard was the most common microorganism; it was pres
ent at 25% of the sites and 8% of the colonies. In some sites within t
he surveyed region, the percentage of infected colonies with T. soleno
psae ranged from 40 to 80%. Other pathogens present were the microspor
idium Vairimorpha invictae Jouvenaz & Ellis and the fungus Myrmecomyce
s annellisae Jouvenaz & Kimbrough. A field site was selected for futur
e ecological studies.