Four new araneogenous species and a new genus in Hypocreales (Clavicipitaceae, Cordycipitaceae) from the karst region of China

Abstract

The karst region in southwestern China is one of the biodiversity hotspots in the world with rich fungal diversity but under-studied. Four fungal species belonging to Chlorocillium (Clavicipitaceae) and Gamszarella (Cordycipitaceae) were isolated from dead spiders. Morphological comparisons, phylogenetic analyses and a PHI analysis based on multigene datasets support the establishment of these new species viz., Chlorocilliumguizhouense sp. nov., C.vallense sp. nov., Gamszarellasinensis sp. nov., and G.vallensis sp. nov. are introduced. A new genus, Neogamszarella, is proposed to accommodate Gamszarellaantillana, which is phylogenetically distinct from Gamszarella s. str. Our results revealed that further attention needs to be paid to the diversity of araneogenous fungi in the karst regions of southwestern China.

Keywords: Chlorocillium; lecanicillium-like; morphology; phylogenetic analysis; spider.

Figure 1.

Phylogram retrieved from IQTREE of the new species and related species in Clavicipitaceae using the combined dataset of ITS, LSU, and tef-1α gene regions. The statistical values are provided at nodes as ML/PP (ML value above 50% and BI value above 0.50). The tree is rooted with Pleurocordycepsaurantiaca (MFLUCC 17-2113) and P.marginaliradians (MFLU 17-1582). Ex-types, new strains and new species are indicated by the superscript “T” and in bold, respectively.

Figure 2.

Phylogram retrieved from IQTREE of the new species and other related species in Cordycipitaceae using the combined dataset of ITS, LSU, RPB2 and tef-1α gene regions. The statistical values are provided at nodes as ML/PP (ML value above 50% and BI value above 0.50). The tree is rooted with Purpureocilliumlilacinum (CBS 431.87). Ex-types, new strains and new species are indicated by the superscript “T” and in bold, respectively.

Figure 3.

Results of the pairwise homoplasy index (PHI) test of the new Chlorocillium strains and its closely-related species using both LogDet transformation and splits decomposition. PHI test results (Φ_w) < 0.05 indicate significant recombination within the dataset. The new strains are in bold type.

Figure 4.

Results of the pairwise homoplasy index (PHI) test of the new Gamszarella strains and its closely-related species using both LogDet transformation and splits decomposition. PHI test results (Φ_w) < 0.05 indicate significant recombination within the dataset. The new strains are in bold type.

Figure 5.

ChlorocilliumguizhouenseA infected spider B, CPDA culture plate showing top (B) and reverse (C) sides of the colony D–F phialides and conidia were stained with cotton blue G–J phialides and conidia. Scale bars: 10 mm (B, C); 10 μm (D–J).

Figure 6.

ChlorocilliumvallenseA infected spider B, CPDA culture plate showing top (B) and reverse (C) sides of the colony D–J phialides and conidia. Scale bars: 10 mm (B, C); 10 μm (D–J).

Figure 7.

GamszarellasinensisA infected spider (Araneae) B, CPDA culture plate showing top (B) and reverse (C) sides of the colony D–L conidiogenous cells and conidia were stained with cotton blue M conidiogenous cells and conidia. Scale bars: 10 mm (B, C); 10 μm (D–M).

Figure 8.

GamszarellavallensisA infected spider B, C pda culture plate showing top (B) and reverse (C) sides of the colony D–J conidiogenous cells and conidia were stained with cotton blue K, L conidiogenous cells and conidia. Scale bars: 10 mm (B, C); 10 μm (D–L).