Selectivity of entomopathogenic fungi Metarhizium anisopliae isolate IBCB 425 (Hypocreales: Clavicipitaceae) on the predatory lacewings Ceraeochrysa cincta (Schneider, 1851) and Chrysoperla externa (Hagen, 1861) (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae)

Metarhizium anisopliae is widely used in biological control programs against insect pests, although information on its compatibility with natural enemies remains limited. This study evaluated the selectivity of M. anisopliae isolate IBCB 425 (Hypocreales: Clavicipitaceae) toward the predatory lacewings Ceraeochrysa cincta (Schneider, 1851) and Chrysoperla externa (Hagen, 1861) (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae). Larvae of both species were fed Diatraea saccharalis (Fabricius, 1794) (Lepidoptera: Crambidae) eggs treated with 4 × 10 7 , 8 × 10 7 , or 4 × 10 8 conidia/mL until the prepupal stage. Larval mortality, pupal, adult, and egg inviability, oviposition, and midgut morphology were evaluated using statistical, histological, and ultrastructural analyses. Under the experimental conditions, exposure to M. anisopliae did not cause detectable adverse effects. Larval mortality ranged from 4 to 8% in C. cincta and from 6 to 8% in C. externa . Pupal inviability ranged from 2 to 6% in both species, whereas adult inviability ranged from 6 to 8% in C. cincta and from 4 to 6% in C. externa . Egg inviability remained low, ranging from 0.92 to 2.53% in C. cincta and from 0.50 to 0.65% in C. externa , with no significant differences among treatments. Oviposition also did not differ from the control, and no histological or ultrastructural alterations were observed in the larval midgut. These findings indicate that M. anisopliae isolate IBCB 425 is selective toward both lacewing species, supporting its compatibility with these predators in integrated pest management programs.