Fungal-scale insect associations
- this involves the fungal genus septobasidium
- scale insects are plant parasites that become infected with fungi when they emerge from the parent scale
- the fungi develop hyphae that surrounds the maturing scale and traps it but does not kill
- the insects live and reproduce withim the hyphal mass
- the fungal hyphae retain the adult,while the juvenile scale insect feeds on the plant