ISOLATION OF CONIDIOBOLUS-CORONATUS (ZYGOMYCETES, ENTOMOPHTHORALES) FROM SOIL AND ITS EFFECT ON COPTOTERMES CURVIGNATHUS (ISOPTERA, RHINOTERMITIDAE)

An entomopathogenic fungus, Conidiobolus coronatus (Zygomycetes: Entom ophthorales) was reisolated from Malaysian soil, The fungus forcibly d ischarged globose primary and secondary spores that had an average dia meter of 24.4 mu m and 12.1 mu m, respectively. A laboratory test show s that the fungus was very pathogenic to a subterranean termite, Copto termes curvignathus (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae). The mortality rate in creased with an increase in the duration at which the termites were ex posed to the inoculums. Termites exposed to the inoculums for 15 min a ttained 89% mortality 24h after inoculation while those exposed for 2h attained 100% mortality 12h after inoculation.