Folia faunistica Slovaca, 2011, 16 (2): 71–72 ISSN 1335-7522 FIRST RECORD OF THE MYRMECOPHILOUS FUNGUS RICKIA WASMANNII (ASCOMYCETES: LABOULBENIALES) IN SLOVAKIA Pavel Bezděčka & Klára Bezděčková Methodical Centre for Myrmecology, Museum of the Bohemian-Moravian Highlands, Masarykovo náměstí 55, CZ-586 01 Jihlava, Czech Republic [[email protected]] Abstract: Rickia wasmannii Myrmica scabrinodis We report here the first record of the myrmecophilous fungusR was- mannii Cavara, 1899 in Slovakia. The fungus was found in the ant species Nylander, 1846 in the Ondavská vrchovina Mts. does not appear to be very abundant in Slovakia. Nevertheless, intensive researchKey words: might reveal additionalRickia localities wasmannii where it occurs. Laboulbeniales, , ants, Hymenoptera, Formici- dae. INTRODUCTION parts of Slovakia (Slovak Karst National Park,M rubraZáho- rie Protected LandscapeM ruginodis Area, Ondavská vrchovinaM The Laboulbeniales are a peculiar group of fungi rugulosaMts) during 2007–2010.M Wesabuleti examined . growing out of the cuticle of arthropods, particu- M(Linnaeus,scabrinodis 1758), . MNylander,schencki 1846, . larly insects (Tavares 1985; Weir & Beakes 1995; Nylander,M specioides 1849, . Meinert, 1861, Santamaria 2001; Espadaler & Santamaria 2003; . Nylander, 1846, . Viereck, Santamaria 2003; Rossi & Máca 2006; Herraiz & 1903, and . Bondroit, 1918. The research Espadaler 2007). They occur mostly on beetles (80 was carried out using the publications by Cavara %) and flies (10 %), less on mites, millipedes and (1900), Thaxter (1908) and Tartally et al. (2007). other groups, showing rather high host specificity RESULTS (Tavares 1985; Herraiz & Espadaler 2007). La- boulbeniales do not seem to damage their hosts very M scabrinodis much, if at all (Espadaler & Lodos 1983; Espadaler R wasmannii & Santamaria 2003). We found five colonies of . parasitized by . at one site in the Ondavská vrcho- In the order Hymenoptera, only ants are known as Rickia Dimorphomyces vina Mts. The fungus grew from the cuticle, every- hosts of certain species of Laboulbeniales, especially Laboulbenia where on the bodies of majority of workers in each of the genera Cavara, Thaxter, colony (Fig. 1). Infested ants were active, without and Mont. et C. P. Robin, (Espadaler & Rickia wasmannii any behavioural changes. No infested queen, male or Santamaria 2003). The myrmecophilous fungus brood was found. All det. Bezděčka & Bezděčková. Cavara, has been until recently re- ported from Spain, Italy, France, Germany, ẽSwitzer- Material examined: Slovakia, Hostovice (co-ordiM- land, former Yugoslavia, Romania, Hungary, Austria, scabrinodisnates of the centre 49° 7’ 46” N, 22° 6’ 49” E, max. and the Czech Republic (Espadader & Sun r 1989; altitude 320 m), 7 Aug 2010. In five colonies of . Santamaria et al. 1991; Tartally et al. 2007;Myrmica Tar- . tally 2008, 2009; Bezděčková & Bezděčka in press). DISCUSSION It is obligately found in ants of the genus Latreille, 1804, parasitizing all parts of the ant R wasmannii cuticle. M rubra MATERIALS AND METHODS The myrmecophilous fungus . was first collected by Wasmann in . in Linz on theM R wasmannii sabuletiRhine (Germany)M salina and subsequentlyM scabrinodis described byM Myrmica specioidesCavara (cf. CavaraM vandeli 1900). Later it was found in . To reveal the occurrence of . we checked , . Ruzsky, 1905, . , . ©2500 Faunima, specimens Bratislava, of 2011 the genus from various , and . Bondroit,http://zoology.fns.uniba.sk/ffs 1920 (Espadal- 71 ẽ er & Sun r 1989; Santamaria et al. 1991; Tartal- ly et al. 2007; Tartally 2008, 2009; Bezděčková & Bezděčka in press). Myrmica R wasmannii AlthoughM scabrinodis we examined seven species of the genus in Slovakia, we recorded . on- ly in . InfestationR wasmannii of this species is re- ported also from Hungary and Romania, where it is the most common host of . (Tartally et al. 2007), and from Italy (Spegazzini 1914). Al- Myrmicaso Tartally et al. (2007) recorded parasitization only in a limited number (four) of the 11 checked species in Rthewasmannii Carpathian Basin. Similarly to the Czech Republic (Bezděčková & Bezděčka in press) we recorded . in Slovakia only in Figure 1. Rickia wasmannii workers. In contrast, Tartally et al. (2007) report Myrmica scabrinodis parasitization of both workers and dealate queens The fungus in the ant in material from the Carpathian Basin. Consistent- species . ly with previous observations (Tartally et al. 2007;R Bezděčková & Bezděčka in press), the infected wasmannii Herraiz JA & EspadalerSociobiology, X, 2007: Laboulbenia formicar- ants seemed to be indifferent to the presence of . um (Ascomycota, Laboulbeniales) reaches the Medi- on their cuticules. However, Spegazzini terranean. 50: 449–455. Sydowia, (1914) observed behavioural changes, mainly slow Rossi W & Máca J, 2006: Notes on the Laboulbeniales movements,R wasmannii in parasitized workers. (Ascomycetes) from the Czech Republic. 58(1): 110–124. Lazaroa Recently, . has been discovered in Hun- Santamaria S, 2001: Los Laboulbeniales, un grupo enig- gary, Romania (Tartally et al. 2007) and in the mático de hongos parásitos de insectos. , 22: Czech Republic (Bezděčková & Bezděčka in press). 3–19. Flora Mycologica Iberica, Its find in SlovakiaR wasmannii represents a further extension of Santamaria S, 2003: Laboulbeniales, 11. Acompsomy- its recently knownR wasmannii distribution area. The fact that ces-Ilyomyces. 5: 1–344. we found . only at one site in Slovakia Santamaria S, Balazuc J & Tavares II, 1991:Treballs Distribu de- suggests that . is not very abundant in l´Instituttion of the Botanic European de Barcelona Laboulbeniales (Fungi, Asco- this country. Nevertheless, intensive research might mycotina). An annotated list of species. Redia, 14: 5–123. reveal additional sites where it occurs. Similar situa- Spegazzini C, 1914: Primo contributo alla conoscenza tion may be in other European countries. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS delle Laboulbeniali italiani. , 10: 21–75. Tartally A, 2008: MyrmecophilyUniversity of Debrecen, of Maculinea Debrecen butter- flies in the Carpathian Basin (Lepidoptera: Lycaeni- dae). PhD Thesis. , 97 We are very grateful to W. Rossi and J. 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