Premium
The Relation of Migration of Oncopeltus fasciatus to Distribution of Phytomonas elmassiani in the Eastern United States *
Author(s) -
MCGHEE R. BARCLAY,
MCGHEE ANN H.
Publication year - 1971
Publication title -
the journal of protozoology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.067
H-Index - 77
eISSN - 1550-7408
pISSN - 0022-3921
DOI - 10.1111/j.1550-7408.1971.tb03329.x
Subject(s) - biology , perennial plant , vector (molecular biology) , host (biology) , latitude , botany , genus , longitude , distribution (mathematics) , ecology , geography , mathematical analysis , biochemistry , mathematics , geodesy , gene , recombinant dna
SYNOPSIS. A total of 4,866 plants belonging to the family Asclepiadaceae was examined in the eastern part of the United States; 291 (6%) of 11 species naturally infected with Phytomonas elmassiani ; 9 of these were new host records. Eight of the 9 infected species belonged to the genus Asclepias , one to Cynanchum. Infections were recorded between 25.5° and 41.0° N latitude, and from 74.0° to 90.5° west longitude. At the southernmost latitude Asclepias curassavica , an exotic annual, perennates, harbors phytomonads and is infested the year round with Oncopeltus. Usually but not always infection is correlated with the presence and abundance of insect vectors. The annual die‐back of the usually infected perennial plant hosts, the uninfected emerging vernal growth, the reservoir nidus of infected plants in the southern latitudes, and the known proclivity of O. fasciatus to migrate suggest the spread of flagellosis of Asclepiadaceae thru migration of the vector hemipteron.