Taxonomic and phylogenetic analysis of the Oomycota mosquito larvae pathogen Crypticola clavulifera.

Beside the taxonomic features displayed by Crypticola clavulifera in culture and unpublished data on its phylogeny, little is known about the main phylogenetic features of this unusual mosquito pathogen. We have PCR amplified the 18S SSU rDNA, ITS, and the partial coding regions of COXII and COXI to study the phylogenetic features of this pathogen within the tree of life. Our phylogenetic data showed C. clavulifera clustered among homologous DNA sequences of the Oomycota class Saprolegniomycetes. Our study support previous taxonomic and unpublished molecular analysis, placing this unusual mosquito larvae pathogen as part of the earliest diverging cluster within the Saprolegniomycetes.