First report of a parasitic microsporidium of Hylesia metabus Cramer, 1775 larvae (Lepidoptera: Saturniidae)

Abstract

A first report is made of a microsporidium from Hylesia metabus Crammer, 1775 larvae, collected from mangrove swamps close to the village of Yaguaraparo, Municipio Cajigal, Sucre state. The microsporidium shares some characteristics with Orthosomella: they are uninuclear and in direct contact with the host cytoplasm, the spore is cylindrical and the polar filament is isofilar. Nevertheless, information about the type of sporogeny is lacking, which is diagnostic for Orthosomella. I therefore propose that the species be placed as near Orthosomella.