Favoritos de jwhite3728

This is another of the scale insect infecting fungi that infect the scale insect, consume it, then live on the sugars that leak to the surface through the insect's stylet wound. This is a member of the ascomycete family Clavicipitaceae. An article about this fungus is at link: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0953756207000159?via%3Dihub

This is Hyperdermium bertonii (or H. caulium). We established this genus to contain some species of ascomycetes that are scale insect infectors. These fungi infect the scale insect and consume it completely, then continue to grow on sugars that leak out of the stylet wound from the phloem of the plant. This fungus is a neurotrophic of the scale insect, and a biotroph to the plant. If the plant dies, the fungus dies. This fungus is common in tropical areas.