Occurrence and frequency of subgroup I-6 spiroplasma in arthropods associated with old fields in Maryland and Virginia

Isr J Med Sci. 1984 Oct;20(10):1006-8.

Abstract

The Subgroup I-6 spiroplasma, "Maryland Flower Spiroplasma," originally discovered on fall flowers and subsequently recovered from a syrphid fly and a beetle triungulin, was isolated from two new fall flower hosts and from the guts of nine nectar-imbibing insect species. These data, together with lack of recovery of I-6 spiroplasma from foliage-feeding, plant-sucking, or flightless flower-associated insects, suggest that I-6 spiroplasma may infect and be disseminated by nectar- or pollen-foraging insects, and that the dynamics of maintenance will prove to be complex.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Ants / microbiology
  • Coleoptera / microbiology
  • Digestive System / microbiology
  • Ecology
  • Hydrogen-Ion Concentration
  • Insecta / microbiology*
  • Maryland
  • Plants / microbiology*
  • Spiders / microbiology
  • Spiroplasma / classification
  • Spiroplasma / isolation & purification*
  • Spiroplasma / physiology
  • Virginia