Q31-8TYU. - Campbell Biology

Question

This wasp is the unfortunate victim of an entomopathogenic fungus (a parasitic fungus of insects). Write a paragraph describing what this image illustrates about the nutritional mode, body structure, and ecological role of the fungus. 

Step-by-Step Solution

Answer

An entomopathogenic fungus acts as an insect parasite. These fungi can severely damage the insects or destroy them. This fungus is known as a bioinsecticide due to its capability to destroy arthropods. 

Many entomopathogenic fungi grow on artificial media. Sometimes, the necessity of extreme complex media requires growing exploitable species from Metarhizium or growing on the substrate with higher starch levels, such as wheat or rice.

Step 1: Nutritional mode of the entomopathogenic fungus

An entomopathogenic fungus infests its host insects or anthropoids through digestion. They also use respiration for invading their host insects with the help of an integument.

Step 2: Body structure of an entomopathogenic fungus

Entomopathogenic fungi can either be unicellular or multicellular and are heterotrophic. This fungus is considered a eukaryotic microorganism that can reproduce through sexual and asexual spores, and its cells are chitinized. This fungal group has phylogenetically diverse microorganisms.

An entomopathogenic fungus can decrease the populations of anthropoids at a certain level that will not cause any damage to crops. Most insects are susceptible to the disease caused by this fungus and even can cause death.

Step 3: Ecological role

In nature, many entomopathogenic fungi play various roles. They are used in pest or insect control. They attack the insects to kill them by infecting the insect’s host. Many researchers focus on using these fungi as a biological agent against insects, ticks, and others.