Natural Incidence of Lagenidium giganteum Couch (Oomycetes: Lagenidiales) Infecting the Biting Midge Culicoides molestus (Skuse) (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae)

Abstract

Culicoides molestus larvae inhabiting canal estate beaches in the Tweed Valley, New South Wales, were infected by the fungus Lagenidium giganteum during 1994. This is the first record of a pathogen infecting C. molestus. The monthly average infection at four sites ranged from 33% to 1.2%. At one site, Endless Summer, epizootics were recorded in August and November with 100% and 62% infection, respectively. with the water adjacent to the canal beach having a salinity of over 30 ppt NaC1.