Fusarium xiangyunensis (Nectriaceae), a remarkable new species of nematophagous fungi from Yunnan, China

Fusarium xiangyunensis sp. nov., isolated from hot-spring waterlogged soil in China, which is an endoparasitic fungus of nematodes, is described and illustrated. Evidence for the new species is provided by morphology and phylogenetic analyses of combined ITS, EF-1α and RPB1 sequence data. Phylogenetic analyses showed that F. xiangyunensis clustered with those species belonging to the F. solani species complex and grouped together with F. witzenhausenense. This species differs from F. witzenhausenense in habitat (parasitic on Hibiscus sp.), conidia and chlamydospores. Furthermore, the nematicidal activity of its microconidia was determined and causes infection and death of nematodes in both sterile water and solid medium.

Two new entomopathogenic species of Ophiocordyceps in Thailand

Ophiocordyceps is entomopathogenic and the largest studied genus in the family Ophiocordycipitaceae. Many species in this genus have been reported from Thailand. The first new species introduced in this paper, Ophiocordycepsglobiceps, differs from other species based on its smaller perithecia, shorter asci and secondary ascospores and additionally, in parasitising fly species. Phylogenetic analyses of combined LSU, SSU, ITS, TEF1α and RPB1 sequence data indicate that O.globiceps forms a distinct lineage within the genus Ophiocordyceps as a new species. The second new species, Ophiocordycepssporangifera, is distinguished from closely related species by infecting larvae of insects (Coleoptera, Elateridae) and by producing white to brown sporangia, longer secondary synnemata and shorter primary and secondary phialides. We introduce O.sporangifera based on its significant morphological differences from other similar species, even though phylogenetic distinction is not well-supported.

Introducing Ophiocordyceps thanathonensis, a new species of entomogenous fungi on ants, and a reference specimen for O. pseudolloydii

Ophiocordyceps pathogens of ants (Hymenoptera) are considered to have a worldwide distribution. Species of Ophiocordyceps have been relatively poorly studied and there is little molecular data available in GenBank. Thus, fresh collections and sequence data are needed to improve the understanding of species in the genus. In this study, infected ant species were collected in northern Thailand and carefully studied. As a result, O. thanathonensis is introduced as a new species. The morphology of O. thanathonensis differs from related species in the genus in having smaller ascomata, shorter asci, shorter ascospores and curved secondary ascospores. A reference specimen for O. pseudolloydii is also designated with sequence data. Phylogenetic analyses using maximum likelihood and Bayesian combined LSU, SSU, ITS, TEF1α and RPB1 sequence data show the placement of O. thanathonensis (new species) and O. pseudolloydii (reference specimen) within the Ophiocordyceps clade.

Multigene phylogeny and morphology reveal that the Chinese medicinal mushroom ‘Cordyceps gunnii’ is Metacordyceps neogunnii sp. nov.

Morphological and molecular phylogenetic analyses of an entomogenous fungus associated with larvae of Lepidoptera in Guizhou and Anhui, China showed it to be a new species, Metacordyceps neogunnii. It differs from similar species in having longer asci and wider ascospores. Multigene analysis of ITS, 18S, TEF1 and RPB1 sequence data also confirmed the distinctiveness of this species. This species has been wrongly regarded in China as ‘Cordyceps gunnii’ for more than 30 years. Cordyceps gunnii from Tasmania is considered to be in the family Ophiocordycipitaceae based on its multigene phylogeny and morphological analysis.