ARS Collection of Entomopathogenic Fungal Cultures (ARSEF)

NOTE: Due to security issues, the ARSEF database search function is not currently available and we are transitioning to a site on the ARS-AZURE cloud. Please contact the curator (Kathryn.Bushley@usda.gov) if you need information about specific groups or a custom search of the database that can be sent via e-mail. Printed PDF catalogues of all isolates and other information about the collection are available on the ARSEF website at https://www.ars.usda.gov/northeast-area/ithaca-ny/robert-w-holley-center-for-agriculture-health/emerging-pests-and-pathogens-research/docs/mycology/

The Agricultural Research Service Collection of Entomopathogenic Fungal Cultures is the world's largest, most kaleidoscopic, and most comprehensive collection of living cultures of fungi that are pathogenic to or associated with insects, spiders, mites, ticks, and other invertebrates. Some isolates in the collection are not themselves invertebrate pathogens but are critically important for the improvements of taxonomies and systematics for the many diverse groups of fungi represented here. As of July 2016, ARSEF maintains more than 13000 isolates of more than 700 taxa of fungi isolated from 1300 hosts collected at more than 2400 locations on every continent.

The database is searchable by Fungi, Hosts, Locations, Provenance, or Accessions. Results are provided in PDF format.

Catalog files are in the Adobe Acrobat (PDF) format and are readable with the Adobe Acrobat Reader.

All catalogs and live searches of isolate data incorporate the most current supportable taxonomies for ARSEF fungi. Significant changes in the nomenclatural rules for many fungi have a large and ongoing impact on the entomopathogens in the order Hypocreales. These changes are discussed the introductory material in the catalogs.

If you are unsure about the most current identifications for isolates, online searches of ARSEF accessions return taxonomic information in the collection database at the moment of the search.