Isolation of an entomogenous fungus, Erynia delphacis (Entomophthorales : Entomophthoraceae), from migratory planthoppers collected over the Pacific Ocean

Four species of planthoppers were collected using net traps and an aspirato r on a weather ship above the Pacific Ocean. An entomogenous fungus, Erynia delphacis (Entomophthorales), was isolated from a specimen of the whitebac ked rice planthopper, Sogatella furcifera. The fungal isolate was infectiou s to 3 species of planthoppers, Sogatella furcifera, Nilaparvata lugens, La odelphax striatellus, and the green rice leafhopper, Nephotettix cincticeps , under laboratory conditions. The results suggest that E. delphacis migrat ed into Japan from overseas through migratory planthoppers.