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Issue: Vol. 763 No. 3: 24 Jun. 2026
Type: Article
Published: 2026-06-24
DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.763.3.2
Page range: 219-234
Abstract views: 0
PDF downloaded: 0

Metarhizium tawauensis (Clavicipitaceae, Hypocreales), a new entomopathogenic fungus from Sabah, northern Borneo, Malaysia

Institute for Tropical Biology and Conservation; Universiti Malaysia Sabah; Jalan UMS; 88400 Kota Kinabalu; Sabah; Malaysia
Faculty of Natural Science and Sustainability; University College Sabah Foundation; Jalan Sanzac; Sembulan; 88100 Kota Kinabalu; Sabah; Malaysia
Taman Bukit Tawau; Peti Surat 62103; 91031; Tawau; Sabah; Malaysia
Damansara Utama; Petaling Jaya; Selangor; Malaysia
Institute for Tropical Biology and Conservation; Universiti Malaysia Sabah; Jalan UMS; 88400 Kota Kinabalu; Sabah; Malaysia
Fungi novel taxon Clavicipitaceae Hypocreales morphology and phylogenetic analysis

Abstract

Metarhizium Sorokin (Clavicipitaceae, Hypocreales) is a widely studied entomopathogenic fungi. Currently, Metarhizium has expanded to 92 species worldwide. The rainforests of Malaysia provide ideal ecological conditions that support high fungal diversity. In Malaysia, previous studies on entomopathogenic fungi (EPF) primarily focused on their applications as biological control agents, with limited attention to systematics and taxonomy. However, to date, studies on detailed systematics and phylogeny are still lacking in this region. During the entomopathogenic fungi survey in Sabah, Malaysia, an adult hemipteran host was collected, partially buried in soil near orchid Plocoglottis plicata (Roxb.) Ormerod. A new species, Metarhizium tawauensis (BORH/F03657 and BORH/F03658), is introduced based on detailed morphological observations, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and is further supported by phylogenetic analyses of a concatenated ITS–TEF-1α–RPB2 dataset. This study expands the known diversity of Metarhizium and provides essential taxonomic and phylogenetic baseline data for the newly described species, M. tawauensis, from Sabah, Malaysia. Future studies should focus on extensive surveys and multilocus genomic analysis to better understand the diversity, distribution and potential biocontrol applications.

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How to Cite

Shahbaz, M., Wasti, I.G., Baluat, Z., Ling, E.Y.M. & Seelan, J.S.S. (2026) Metarhizium tawauensis (Clavicipitaceae, Hypocreales), a new entomopathogenic fungus from Sabah, northern Borneo, Malaysia. Phytotaxa 763 (3): 219–234. https://doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.763.3.2