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Issue: Vol. 328 No. 2: 17 November 2017
Type: Article
Published: 2017-11-17
DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.328.2.2
Page range: 115–126
Abstract views: 26
PDF downloaded: 1

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

Engineering Research Center of Southwest Bio-Pharmaceutical Resources, Ministry of Education, Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, China
Engineering Research Center of Southwest Bio-Pharmaceutical Resources, Ministry of Education, Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, China
Center of Excellence in Fungal Research, and School of Science, Mae Fah Luang University, Chiang Rai 57100, Thailand
Center of Excellence in Fungal Research, and School of Science, Mae Fah Luang University, Chiang Rai 57100, Thailand State Key Laboratory of Mycology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 3 Park 1, Beichen West Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing 100101, China
Center of Excellence in Fungal Research, and School of Science, Mae Fah Luang University, Chiang Rai 57100, Thailand
Ophiocordyceps fungi on ants phylogeny taxonomy Fungi

Abstract

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.