Abstract
A new species of Ophiocordycipitaceae, Ophiocordyceps highlandensis, from southwestern China is described using morphological and molecular evidence. It is morphologically characterized by the combination of the following characters: dark-brown to blackish stromata on larvae of Scarabaeidae, fully immersed perithecia with non-protruding ostioles, 3-septate filiform ascospores breaking easily into four part-spores (20) 33–55 × 1.5–2 μm and a hymeniform cortex layer of stipe. Molecular phylogenetic analyses using DNA nucleotide sequences of the nuclear ribosomal small subunit, and the genes encoding the largest subunit of RNA polymerase II and the second-largest subunit of RNA polymerase II indicated that O. highlandensis was related to O. konnoana, O. barnesii, O. nigrella, O. ravenelii and O. superficialis. Ophiocordyceps highlandensis and its related species were all characterized by dark-brown stromata and an affinity for melolonthid larval hosts. A description, line drawings, phylogenetic placement and comparison with allied taxa are presented.