Morphology and Phylogeny Reveal Five Novel Species in the Genus Cordyceps (Cordycipitaceae, Hypocreales) From Yunnan, China

• Published in: Frontiers in microbiology 2022-04, Vol.13, p.846909-846909
• Main Authors: Dong, Quan-Ying, Wang, Yao, Wang, Zhi-Qin, Tang, De-Xiang, Zhao, Zhi-Yuan, Wu, Hui-Juan, Yu, Hong
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: entomopathogenic fungi; Microbiology; multilocus phylogeny; new taxon; species diversity; taxonomy
• ISSN: 1664-302X; 1664-302X
• DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.846909

The current study was aimed to introduce five new species of from Yunnan, with morphological descriptions, illustrations, color photographs, phylogenetic placement, associated host, and a comparison with allied taxa. The five new species were morphologically distinct from all other species, and it was also suggested that they should differ from other species in the genus based on combined multigene analyses. Employing DNA nucleotide sequences of the nr , nr , α, , and , the five new species were recognized in the clade of by using molecular phylogenetic analyses, including five well-supported subclades: three new species, , and , were found in the subclade of , and two new species, and , were located in the subclade of . The five novel species shared similar morphologies to other species in the genus , with fleshy and brightly pigmented stromata; perithecia superficial to completely immersed, ordinal in arrangement; and hyaline asci, with thickened cylindrical ascus apex. The morphological characteristics of 66 species in , namely, 5 novel species and 61 known taxa, were also compared.