Three new Ophiocordyceps species in the Ophiocordyceps pseudoacicularis species complex on Lepidoptera larvae in Southeast Asia

Mitogenomics, phylogeny and morphology reveal two new entomopathogenic species of Ophiocordyceps (Ophiocordycipitaceae, Hypocreales) from south-western China

Ophiocordyceps encompasses over 300 species, demonstrating a wide range of morphological features, hosts and habitats within its species diversity. In this study, two novel species in Ophiocordyceps were revealed parasitising Hepialidae larva buried in soil. Ophiocordycepsalbastroma was morphologically characterised by white stromata, solitary and cylindrical conidiogenous cells and smooth ovoid or ellipsoidal conidia. Ophiocordycepsnigristroma was characterised by woody and dark brown stromata, monophialidic, swollen base and lageniform conidiogenous cells and smooth fusiform or oval conidia. The two new species formed a separate clade, respectively, based on the phylogenetic analyses of a combined dataset including nrSSU, nrLSU, rpb1, rpb2, and tef-1α, as well as a dataset of mitochondrial 14 protein coding genes (PCGs). They were all closely grouped with O.sinensis. The mitochondrial genomes of them were first reported. Their mitogenomes were all typical of circular molecules, with positive AT and GC skew, similar GC content, similar genetic composition, similar codon usage and conservative gene positions. However, the length of the mitogenomes varied. Changes in the length of the genes were the leading cause of changes in the length of mitochondrial genome of Ophiocordyceps. The discovery and identification of new Ophiocordyceps species and analysis their mitochondrial genomes may serve as foundations for phylogeny and diversity research within the genus Ophiocordyceps.

Molecular phylogeny and morphology reveal two new entomopathogenic species of Ophiocordyceps (Ophiocordycipitaceae, Hypocreales) parasitic on termites from China

Two new termite-pathogenic species, Ophiocordycepsglobiperitheciata and O.longistipes, are described from Yunnan Province, China. Six-locus (ITS, nrSSU, nrLSU, tef-1α, rpb1 and rpb2) phylogenetic analyses in combination with morphological observations were employed to characterize these two species. Phylogenetically, O.globiperitheciata is most closely related to Hirsutellacryptosclerotium and O.communis, whereas O.longistipes shares a sister relationship with O.fusiformis. However, O.globiperitheciata differs from H.cryptosclerotium by parasitizing Blattodea and producing clavate, unbifurcated stromata. Ophiocordycepsglobiperitheciata is distinguished from O.communis by multiple stromata, shorter asci and ascospores. Ophiocordycepslongistipes differs from O.fusiformis in producing larger stromata, perithecia, asci and ascospores, as well as smaller citriform or oval conidia. Morphological descriptions of the two new species and a dichotomous key to the 19 termite-pathogenic Ophiocordyceps species are presented.

Morphology, phylogeny and host specificity of two new Ophiocordyceps species belonging to the "zombie-ant fungi" clade (Ophiocordycipitaceae, Hypocreales)

Species of the genus Ophiocordyceps, which include species able to manipulate the behaviour of ants, are known as the "zombie-ant fungi" and have attracted much attention over the last decade. They are widespread within tropical, subtropical and even temperate forests worldwide, with relatively few reports from subtropical monsoon evergreen broad-leaved forest. Fungal specimens have been collected from China, occurring on ants and producing hirsutella-like anamorphs. Based on a combination of morphological characters, phylogenetic analyses (LSU, SSU, TEF1a, RPB1 and RPB2) and ecological data, two new species, Ophiocordycepstortuosa and O.ansiformis, are identified and proposed herein. Ophiocordycepstortuosa and O.ansiformis are recorded on the same species of Colobopsis ant, based on phylogenetic analyses (COI), which may be sharing the same host. Ophiocordycepstortuosa and O.ansiformis share the morphological character of producing lanceolate ascospores. They have typical characteristics distinguished from other species. The ascospore of O.tortuosa are tortuously arranged in the ascus and the ascospore of O.ansiformis have a structure like a handle-shape in the middle. Our molecular data also indicate that O.tortuosa and O.ansiformis are clearly distinct from other species.

Ophiocordycepsaphrophoridarum sp. nov., a new entomopathogenic species from Guizhou, China

Background

Ophiocordyceps is the largest genus in the family Ophiocordicipitaceae, including many entomopathogenic species. In recent years, many species have been described in this genus, with a wide range of host insects. Entomopathogenic fungi include ecologically, economically and medicinally important species, but a large portion of their diversity remains to be discovered and described.

New information

In this study, a new species, Ophiocordycepsaphrophoridarum sp. nov, parasitising Aphrophoridae sp. (Hemiptera) is proposed from China, based on evidence from morphology and molecular phylogenetic analyses. This species is characterised by fibrous, pigmented stromata, cylindrical asci and filiform ascospores. Compared to its closest relative, O.tricentri, the new species has wider perithecia and longer asci. Molecular phylogenetic analyses of a multilocus dataset (consisting of SSU, ITS, LSU, TEF1, RPB1 and RPB2) confirm its placement in Ophiocordyceps. Ophiocordycepsaphrophoridarum is morphologically described and illustrated with colour photographs. Morphological comparisons with closely-related species are also presented in tabulated format.