Laboulbenia is a genus of fungi in the family Laboulbeniaceae.
The genus name of Laboulbenia is in honour of Joseph Alexandre Laboulbène (1825–1898), who was a French physician and entomologist.
The genus was circumscribed by Jean Pierre François Camille Montagne and Charles Philippe Robin in C.P. Robin 'Histoire naturelle des Végétaux Parasites' (Paris) on page 622 in 1853.
Being ectoparasitic on a diverse assemblage of arthropods, the majority in insects, specially beetles and flies,Rossi, W. & Kirk-Spriggs, A.H. 2011. A new species of Laboulbenia (Ascomycota) parasitic on an African fly (Diptera: Curtonotidae), with a brief review of Diptera-associated species of the genus. African Invertebrates 52 (1): 211-216. and a few arachnids (mites) and millipedes, members of this genus show a rather high level of host specificity. They cause little, if any, damage to their hosts. The genus contains around 600 species.
Selected species
Laboulbenia quarantenae Laboulbenia slackensis
References