Preliminary Survey of Microorganisms Associated with Some Insects in Puerto Rico

Abstract

Many bacteria, fungi and several species of nematodes were isolated during a preliminary investigation of microorganisms associated with some insects of Puerto Rico. Although most of the organisms did not prove to be parasitic, a few fungi, notably Metarrhizium anisopliae and Entomophthora virulenta, were found highly pathogenic under laboratory conditions. Several protozoa belonging to Microsporida were found in Aedes mediovittatus, Anopheles grabhamii, Culex secutar, and Diatraea saccharalis for the first time.