Trichomycetes are symbiotic fungi that inhabit the digestive tracts of a variety of arthropod hosts, ranging from terrestrial beetles, marine isopods and freshwater insect larvae. The symbiotic relationship is considered to be commensalistic, but examples of parasitism and mutualism do exist. Black fly larvae are ubiquitous and most populations contain these fungi attached either to the peritrophic membrane of the midgut and/or the cuticle of the hindgut. A survey of 24 lotic habitats was conducted in southern Alabama to determine the trichomycete mycota inhabiting larval black flies. This is the first such record of hindgut trichomycetes (Legeriomycetaceae) inhabiting larval black flies for the state of Alabama, along with preliminary descriptions of three possible new species. Some of the trichomycetes found include Paramoebidium curvum Lichtwardt, an unknown Paramoebidium sp., Genistellospora near homothallica Lichtwardt, and Pennella simulii Williams & Lichtwardt. Provisionally, some new species include Smittium sp. 1(Mobile form), Pennella sp. 1(southern Alabama form). Midgut trichomycetes (Harpellales) include Harpella melusinae Léger & Duboscq and a new morphological variant, Harpella sp. 1 (tetrad form). These findings demonstrate that black flies of southern Alabama hold a wealth of trichomycete mycota.
Species 1: Diptera Simuliidae Simulium decorum
Keywords: symbiosis, fungi
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