Metarhizium anisopliae Pathogenesis of Mosquito Larvae: A Verdict of Accidental Death
Figure 2
M. anisopliae do not attach to or invade mosquito hemocoel.
Larvae inoculated with 1Ć107 conidia mlā1 M. anisopliae, 48 hr post-inoculation, were subjected to Cryo-SEM to establish areas of attachment and penetration of the fungus. No conidia were observed attached to the surface of the head (A), abdomen and siphon (B). Cross section of control larva (C) and infected larva (D) showing the gut lumen (GL), midgut epithelium (MG), and peritrophic matrix (PM). Conidia of M. anisopliae were restricted to and appeared to occlude the gut lumen. (DāE). Both swollen and collapsed conidia were observed in the gut lumen with no evidence of conidia penetrating the gut wall (F) and invading the hemocoel (H).Light, fluorescence and scanning electron microscopy