Ophiocordyceps neonutans sp. nov., a new neotropical species from O. nutans complex (Ophiocordycipitaceae, Ascomycota)

Abstract

Ophiocordyceps nutans is an entomogenous fungus growing on true bugs (Hemiptera), which has a presumed worldwide distribution. During forays of entomogenous fungi in Brazil, specimens morphologically similar to O. nutans were collected from the Atlantic Forest and Cerrado domains of Neotropical region. Morphological comparisons, as well as molecular phylogenetic analyses using ITS, led us to conclude that the neotropical specimens represent a new species Ophiocordyceps neonutans. The Neotropical occurrence of this taxon and its taxonomic implications are re-evaluated here. We discuss O. nutans as a species complex with distinct geographic lineages and host specificity. In addition, Barcoding gap analysis suggests that the different lineages have a great genetic distance between them.

Observations of the host habitat of Ophiocordyceps nutans in the Bidoup Nui Ba National Park, Lam Dong, Vietnam.

“…They infected the Proxys punctulatus; the Halyomorpha halys, the Acanthosoma labiduroides, the Acanthosoma labiduroides and the Clavigralla scutellaris. The similarity in findings have been observed in O. nutans from Japan [15], although O. neonutans is exclusively found in the Pentatomidae family [2] (Figure 3).…”

“…They infected the Proxys punctulatus; the Halyomorpha halys, the Acanthosoma labiduroides, the Acanthosoma labiduroides and the Clavigralla scutellaris. The similarity in findings have been observed in O. nutans from Japan[15], although O. neonutans is exclusively found in the Pentatomidae family[2] (Figure3).Among 65 collected specimens, O. nutans specimens have stinkbugs as the host insects, with 28 specimens being Halyomorpha halys, and there were 15 specimens were Lasianthus bidoupensis, corresponding to the frequencies of occurrence at 64,3%.Lasianthus bidoupensis (Rubiaceae), a new evergreen tree species, has been described and illustrated in Bidoup Nui Ba National Park, Lam Dong Province, southern Vietnam. Larger leaves and bracts, longer petioles, stipules, calyx and corolla tubes, and deep-red mature fruits distinguish this species.…”

Unraveling the Secrets of a Double-Life Fungus by Genomics: Ophiocordyceps australis CCMB661 Displays Molecular Machinery for Both Parasitic and Endophytic Lifestyles

“…It is a heterogeneous taxon comprising mainly insect pathogens. The stroma of Ophiocordyceps species remains attached to the corpses of the host, and the parasitized insects can be found in exposed environments such as, in the litter, underneath leaves, in stems, or even buried in the soil [ 14 , 15 , 16 , 17 , 18 ].…”

Morphology, phylogeny and host specificity of two new Ophiocordyceps species belonging to the “zombie-ant fungi” clade (Ophiocordycipitaceae, Hypocreales)

“… ovatospora ( Tang et al 2022 ). Other groups such as Ophiocordyceps nutans species complex attack stink bugs ( Friedrich et al 2018 ; Khao-ngam et al 2021 ) and Ophiocordyceps pseudoacicularis species complex were found occurring on Lepidoptera larvae ( Tasanathai et al 2020 ). These complexes have been proposed as distinct species, based on molecular phylogenetic studies and morphological characteristics.…”