Fly killer

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Fly killer
Yellow dung fly (Scathophaga stercoraria) infested by the fly killer (Entomophthora muscae)

Yellow dung fly ( Scathophaga stercoraria ) infested by the fly killer ( Entomophthora muscae )

Systematics
Department : insecure position (incertae sedis)
Subdivision : Entomophthoromycotina
Order : Fly-killer mushrooms (Entomophthorales)
Family : Entomophthoraceae
Genre : Entomophthora
Type : Fly killer
Scientific name
Entomophthora muscae
( Cohn ) Fresen.

The fly killer ( Entomophthora muscae , Syn .: Empusa muscae ) is a species of fungus from the order of the fly killer mushroom-like (Entomophthorales). It is a pathogen that affects , among other things, the house fly ( Musca domestica ) native to Central Europe .

description

Infested flies have a puffy abdomen, which appears moldy after the fungal fruit bodies break out. Usually a whitish halo of fungal spores also forms around dead flies.

The mycelium lies in the form of a tube in the animal's body, but it has often broken down into yeast-like pieces. The hyphae consist of ellipsoidal or spherical hyphae cells that are 24–54 × 17–41 µm in size. Each hyphae cell contains 10–24 cell nuclei .

The spore carrier is unseptate and club-shaped, each with an angioconidia at the vertex. It contains between 10 and 27 cell nuclei. The primary conidia are rounded and have a broad base. They are 27–31 × 20–24 µm in size and are flung off by the spore carriers, creating a white halo around the dead fly. The primary conidia can form secondary conidia without animal contact after the formation of a short germ tube. These secondary conidia are somewhat smaller at 19–24 × 15–19 µm.

distribution

The fly killer is found worldwide in the temperate zones . The species is not rare.

Life cycle

Housefly after infestation and spread of the spores

Conidia that land on the body of a fly germinate there within a few hours and grow through its exoskeleton . The flies can be infected by both primary and secondary conidia, but in practice this mainly occurs through secondary conidia. Once the fungus has reached the inside of the body, it feeds on the host's body fluid . This hemolymph is used up within five to seven days and the fungus forms masses of spore carriers and primary conidia.

Shortly before it dies, the fly lands on a surface and crawls to the highest possible point. The abdomen (abdomen) swells up strongly, the legs and wings are spread apart. The strong swelling of the abdomen results in a classic striped pattern. About one to two hours after the flies die, the primary conidia are flung away from the fly by high internal cell pressure .

The heavily swollen abdomen is very attractive to other flies. The healthy flies are even more attracted to dead infected flies than to live healthy flies ( abnormality ) and mate with them, becoming infected.

use

Use as a biological insect control agent that can be used specifically against flies is being considered, but a marketable product has not yet been developed.

supporting documents

  1. ↑ Anders Pape Moller: A fungus infecting domestic flies manipulates sexual behavior of its host. In: Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology. Volume 33, No. 6, December 1993, pp. 403-407. doi : 10.1007 / BF00170255

literature

  • Werner Rothmaler: Excursion flora for Germany . Volume 1: Lower Plants, 3rd edition. Fischer, Jena 1994. ISBN 3-334-60827-1 , p. 247
  • S. Keller, V. Kalsbeek, J. Eilenberg: Redescription of Entomophthora muscae (Cohn) Fresenius. In: Sydowia. Volume 51, No. 2, 1999, pp. 197-209. abstract

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