Comprehensive treatise of Hevansia and three new genera Jenniferia, Parahevansia and Polystromomyces on spiders in Cordycipitaceae from Thailand

Abstract

Collections of pathogenic fungi found on spiders from Thailand were selected for a detailed taxonomic study. Morphological comparison and phylogenetic analyses of the combined ITS, LSU, tef1, rpb1 and rpb2 sequence data indicated that these specimens formed new independent lineages within the Cordycipitaceae, containing two new genera occurring on spiders, i.e. Jenniferia gen. nov. and Polystromomyces gen. nov. Two new species in Jenniferia, J.griseocinerea sp. nov. and J.thomisidarum sp. nov., are described. Two strains, NHJ 03510 and BCC 2191, initially named as Akanthomycescinereus (Hevansiacinerea), were shown to be part of Jenniferia. By including sequences of putative Hevansia species from GenBank, we also revealed Parahevansia as a new genus with the ex-type strain NHJ 666.01 of Pa.koratensis, accommodating specimens previously named as Akanthomyceskoratensis (Hevansiakoratensis). One species of Polystromomyces, Po.araneae sp. nov., is described. We established an asexual-sexual morph connection for Hevansianovoguineensis (Cordycipitaceae) with ex-type CBS 610.80 and proposed a new species, H.minuta sp. nov. Based on characteristics of the sexual morph, Hevansia and Polystromomyces share phenotypic traits by producing stipitate ascoma with fertile terminal heads; however, they differ in the shape and colour of the stipes. Meanwhile, Jenniferia produces non-stipitate ascoma with aggregated superficial perithecia forming a cushion. A new morphology of ascospores in Jenniferia is described, illustrated and compared with other species in Cordycipitaceae.

Keywords: Cordycipitaceae; Hevansia; Jenniferia; Parahevansia; Polystromomyces; spider pathogenic fungi.

Figure 1.

RAxML tree of Hevansia, Jenniferia, Parahevasia, Polystromomyces and related genera in the Cordycipitaceae from a combined ITS, LSU, tef1, rpb1 and rpb2 dataset. Numbers at the major nodes represent Maximum Likelihood Bootstrap (MLB) and Bayesian Posterior Probabilities (BPP). Bold lines in the tree represent 100% of MLB and 1.00 of BPP. Symbols on the right-hand side correspond to the types of ascospore morphologies found in each genus that are observed in natural specimens of Cordycipitaceae described in Fig. 2.

Figure 2.

The types of ascospores morphologies observed in natural specimens of Cordycipitaceae: a filiform, multiseptate, whole ascospores (square) b filamentous, multiseptate ascospores disarticulating into part-spores (circle) c bola-shaped, whole ascospores (triangle) and d whole ascospores with septate part-spores alternately connected with thread-like structures (star). Scale bars: 10 µm (a, b); 20 µm (c, d).

Figure 3.

Hevansianovoguineensisa fungus on a spider (BBH 32171) b perithecium c asci d ascus tip e filiform, whole ascospore f fungus on a spider (BBH 31299) g–i phialides with conidia on synnema j, k colonies on OA at 21 days (j obverse, k reverse) l–n phialides with conidia on OAo, p colonies on PDA at 21 days with purplish-red pigment diffusing in agar medium (o obverse, p reverse) q–s phialides with conidia on PDA. Scale bars: 5 mm (a, f); 200 µm (b); 100 µm (c, e); 10 µm (d, g–i, l–n, q, r, s).

Figure 4.

Hevansiaminutaa fungus on a spider (BBH 30490) b perithecia c ascus d ascus tip e filiform, whole ascospore f, g phialides with conidia h, i colonies on OA at 21 days (h obverse, i reverse) j, k colonies on PDA at 21 days (j obverse, k reverse). Scale bars: 5 mm (a), 100 µm (b), 50 µm (c), 10 µm (d, f, g), 20 µm (e).

Figure 5.

Jenniferiacinereaa, b fungus on a spider (BBH 2649, NHJ 03510, BCC 6839) c, d fungus on a spider (BBH 4896, NHJ 05984, BCC 2191). Scale bars: 5 mm (b, d).

Figure 6.

Jenniferiagriseocinereaa fungus on a spider (BBH 29656) b perithecium c asci d ascus tip e, f whole ascospores with septate part-spores alternately connected with thread-like structures g fungus on a spider (BBH 33219) h short synnema i long synnema j phialides k conidia l, m colonies on OA at 21 days (l obverse, m reverse) n, o colonies on PDA at 21 days (n obverse, o reverse). Scale bars: 2 mm (a, g); 200 µm (b); 100 µm (c, h, i); 10 µm (d, e, f, j, k).

Figure 7.

Jenniferiathomisidaruma fungus on a spider (BBH 29502) b perithecia c fungus on a spider (BBH 30660) d perithecia e asci f, g ascus tip h–j whole ascospores with septate part-spores alternately connected with thread-like structures k synnema with conidiogenous cells l, m phialides n conidia o, p colonies on OA at 21 days (o obverse, p reverse) q phialide with conidia on OAr, s colonies on PDA at 21 days (r obverse, s reverse) t phialide with conidia on PDA. Scale bars: 2 mm (a, c); 300 µm (d); 200 µm (e); 100 µm (k); 10 µm (f, g, l, m, n); 20 µm (h, i, j, q, t).

Figure 8.

Polystromomycesaraneaea fungus on a spider egg sac (BBH 49054) b fertile heads c perithecia d asci e ascus tip f part-spores g, h colonies on OA at 21 days (g obverse, h reverse) i conidium formation from a hypha on OAj microcycle conidiation on OAk, l colonies on PDA at 21 days (k obverse, l reverse) m conidia formation from a hypha on PDA n microcycle conidiation on PDA. Scale bars: 10 mm (a); 3 mm (b); 200 µm (c, d); 10 µm (e, f, i, j, m, n).