Gomez-Polo, P., Ballinger, M.J., Lalzar, M., Malik, A., Ben-Dov, Y., Mozes-Daube, N., Perlman, S.J., Iasur-Kruh, L., & Chiel, E. 2017 An exceptional family: Ophiocordyceps allied fungus dominates the microbiome of soft scale insects (Hemiptera: Sternorrhyncha: Coccidae). Molecular Ecology 2017: 1–14.
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Notes: This study suggests that the Ophiocordyceps-allied fungus may be a primary symbiont of Coccidae— a major evolutionary shift from bacteria fungi in the Sternorrhyncha, and an important example of fungal evolutionary lifestyle switch. Microscopic observations show that the fungal cells are lemon-shaped, are distributed throughout the host’s body and are present in the eggs, suggesting vertical transmission.
