Infection of West African grasshoppers with<i>Nosema locustae</i>Canning (Protozoa: Microsporida: Nosematidae)

Abstract

Abstract Application of spores of Nosema locustae Canning on wheat bran to field plots in Cape Verde and Mauritania, resulted in infection of most species of Acrididae. The species infected included Oedaleus senegalensis (Krauss), Diabolocatantops axil‐laris (Thunberg), Pyrgomorpha cognata Krauss, Acrotylus longipes incarnatus (Krauss) and Pseudosphingonotus savignyi (Sauss.). In the laboratory, inoculations of spores, administered by feeding, resulted in infections in Acorphya glaucopsis (Walker), Aiolopus simulatrix (Walker), Cataloipus cymbiferus (Krauss), Cryptocatantops haemorrhoidalis Krauss, Kraussaria angulifera (Krauss), Oedaleus nigeriensis Uvarov, O. senegalensis and Zonocerus variegatus (L.). Based on the taxonomic diversity of these species, it is likely that most, if not all, West African grasshoppers are susceptible to infection by N. locustae.