PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Angie M. Macias
AU  - Paul E. Marek
AU  - Ember M. Morrissey
AU  - Michael S. Brewer
AU  - Dylan P.G. Short
AU  - Cameron M. Stauder
AU  - Kristen L. Wickert
AU  - Matthew C. Berger
AU  - Amy M. Metheny
AU  - Jason E. Stajich
AU  - Greg Boyce
AU  - Rita V. M. Rio
AU  - Daniel G. Panaccione
AU  - Victoria Wong
AU  - Tappey H. Jones
AU  - Matt T. Kasson
TI  - Diversity and function of fungi associated with the fungivorous millipede, <em>Brachycybe lecontii</em>
AID  - 10.1101/515304
DP  - 2019 Jan 01
TA  - bioRxiv
PG  - 515304
4099  - http://biorxiv.org/content/early/2019/01/09/515304.short
4100  - http://biorxiv.org/content/early/2019/01/09/515304.full
AB  - Fungivorous millipedes (subterclass Colobognatha) likely represent some of the earliest known mycophagous terrestrial arthropods, yet their fungal partners remain elusive. Here we describe relationships between fungi and the fungivorous millipede, Brachycybe lecontii. Their fungal community is surprisingly diverse with 176 genera, 39 orders, and four phyla and includes several undescribed species. Of particular interest are twelve genera conserved across wood substrates and millipede clades that comprise the core fungal community of B. lecontii. Wood decay fungi, long speculated to serve as the primary food source for Brachycybe species, were absent from this core assemblage and proved lethal to millipedes in pathogenicity assays while entomopathogenic Hypocreales were more common in the core but had little effect on millipede health. This study represents the first survey of fungal communities associated with any colobognath millipede, and these results offer a glimpse into the complexity of millipede fungal communities.