Is Hyperdermium Congeneric with Ascopolyporus? Phylogenetic Relationships of Ascopolyporus spp. (Cordycipitaceae, Hypocreales) and a New Genus Neohyperdermium on Scale Insects in Thailand.

During surveys of insect pathogenic fungi (IPF) in Thailand, fungi associated with scale insects and plants were found to represent five new species of the genus Ascopolyporus in Cordycipitaceae. Their macroscopic features resembled both Hyperdermium and Ascopolyporus. Morphological comparisons with the type and known Ascopolyporus and Hyperdermium species and phylogenetic evidence from a multigene dataset support the appointment of a new species of Ascopolyporus. Moreover, the data also revealed that the type species of Hyperdermium, H. caulium, is nested within Ascopolyporus, suggesting that Hyperdermium is congeneric with Ascopolyporus. The specimens investigated here differ from other Ascopolyporus species by phenotypic characters including size and color of stromata. Phylogenetic analyses of combined LSU, TEF1, RPB1 and RPB2 sequences strongly support the notion that these strains are distinct from known species of Ascopolyporus, and are proposed as Ascopolyporus albus, A. galloides, A. griseoperitheciatus, A. khaoyaiensis and A. purpuratus. Neohyperdermium gen. nov. is introduced for other species originally assigned to Hyperdermium and Cordyceps occurring on scale insects and host plants as epiphytes, accommodating two new combinations of Hyperdermium pulvinatum and Cordyceps piperis.

Comprehensive treatise of Hevansia and three new genera Jenniferia, Parahevansia and Polystromomyces on spiders in Cordycipitaceae from Thailand.

Collections of pathogenic fungi found on spiders from Thailand were selected for a detailed taxonomic study. Morphological comparison and phylogenetic analyses of the combined ITS, LSU, tef1, rpb1 and rpb2 sequence data indicated that these specimens formed new independent lineages within the Cordycipitaceae, containing two new genera occurring on spiders, i.e. Jenniferia gen. nov. and Polystromomyces gen. nov. Two new species in Jenniferia, J.griseocinerea sp. nov. and J.thomisidarum sp. nov., are described. Two strains, NHJ 03510 and BCC 2191, initially named as Akanthomycescinereus (Hevansiacinerea), were shown to be part of Jenniferia. By including sequences of putative Hevansia species from GenBank, we also revealed Parahevansia as a new genus with the ex-type strain NHJ 666.01 of Pa.koratensis, accommodating specimens previously named as Akanthomyceskoratensis (Hevansiakoratensis). One species of Polystromomyces, Po.araneae sp. nov., is described. We established an asexual-sexual morph connection for Hevansianovoguineensis (Cordycipitaceae) with ex-type CBS 610.80 and proposed a new species, H.minuta sp. nov. Based on characteristics of the sexual morph, Hevansia and Polystromomyces share phenotypic traits by producing stipitate ascoma with fertile terminal heads; however, they differ in the shape and colour of the stipes. Meanwhile, Jenniferia produces non-stipitate ascoma with aggregated superficial perithecia forming a cushion. A new morphology of ascospores in Jenniferia is described, illustrated and compared with other species in Cordycipitaceae.

Diversity of Akanthomyces on moths (Lepidoptera) in Thailand.

Akanthomyces is a genus of invertebrate-pathogenic fungi from the family Cordycipitaceae (Ascomycota, Hypocreales). Its species occurs on two different types of hosts, spiders and insects, and in the latter case specifically Lepidoptera adults. Three new species of Akanthomyces, A. noctuidarum, A. pyralidarum, and A. tortricidarum occurring on adult moths from Thailand are proposed based on the differences of their morphological characteristics and molecular data. Phylogenetic analyses using a combined dataset, including the internal transcribed spacer regions, the large subunit of the ribosomal DNA, translation elongation factor 1-α, the largest subunit of RNA polymerase II, and the second largest subunit of RNA polymerase II, support the delimitation of these new species in Akanthomyces.

Disentangling cryptic species with isaria-like morphs in Cordycipitaceae.

A new genus and eight new species, all with isaria-like phialides, are described in Cordycipitaceae from Thailand. The new genus, Samsoniella, is segregated from Akanthomyces based on morphological and molecular evidence. Samsoniella differs from Akanthomyces in producing orange cylindrical to clavate stromata with superficial perithecia and orange conidiophores with isaria-like phialides and white to cream conidia. A new combination for CBS 240.32, originally identified as Paecilomyces farinosus (Isaria farinosa), and CBS 262.58, originally identified as Penicillium alboaurantium, respectively, is made in Samsoniella. Two new species, Samsoniella aurantia and S. inthanonensis, are described from lepidopteran larvae. Two new species of Cordyceps, C. blackwelliae and C. lepidopterorum, were also found on coleopteran and lepidopteran larvae. Both produce isaria-like morphs with globose phialides and attenuated long necks and white mycelium in culture. The authors established a sexual-asexual link for Cordyceps javanica (= Isaria javanica) on lepidopteran larvae. Four new species, Akanthomyces kanyawimiae, A. sulphureus, A. thailandicus, and A. waltergamsii, were pathogenic on spiders, with some strains of A. kanyawimiae also found on unidentified insect larvae. These four species of Akanthomyces occur on the underside of leaves and produce white to cream white powdery conidia, whereas S. aurantia and S. inthanonensis were found in leaf litter and produce bright orange stromata and synnemata with white conidia. Another new combination, Akanthomyces ryukyuensis, is proposed. Phylogenetic analyses based on a combined data set comprising the nuc rDNA region encompassing the internal transcribed spacers 1 and 2 along with the 5.8S rDNA (ITS), nuc 28S rDNA (28S), partial sequences of translation elongation factor 1-α gene (TEF1), and the genes for RNA polymerase II largest (RPB1) and second-largest (RPB2) subunits strongly support the delimitation of these new species of Cordyceps, Akanthomyces, and in a new genus Samsoniella in Cordycipitaceae.

Cordybislactone, a stereoisomer of the 14-membered bislactone clonostachydiol, from the hopper pathogenic fungus Cordyceps sp. BCC 49294: revision of the absolute configuration of clonostachydiol.

Cordybislactone (3), a new stereoisomer of the 14-membered bislactone clonostachydiol, together with its open ring analog (4), was isolated from the hopper pathogenic fungus Cordyceps sp. BCC 49294. The relative and absolute configurations of 3 were determined by chemical derivatizations, including the modified Mosher's method. The stereochemistry of clonostachydiol was determined using the natural compound isolated from Xylaria sp. BCC 4297. The result revealed that the absolute configuration of clonostachydiol, previously determined by synthesis, should be revised to its enantiomer.

New species of Ophiocordyceps unilateralis, an ubiquitous pathogen of ants from Thailand.

Ophiocordyceps unilateralis is an ubiquitous pathogen of ants with hidden phylogenetic diversity associated with host specificity. In this study, we describe two new species to this species complex: Ophiocordyceps septa and Ophiocordyceps rami. Both were found on unidentified ants of the genus Camponotus (C. sp.1 and C. sp2 respectively). Ophiocordyceps septa is very similar to Ophiocordyceps polyrhachis-furcata, Ophiocordyceps camponoti-leonardi, and Ophiocordyceps camponoti-saundersi (found respectively on the ants Polyrhachis furcata, Camponotus leonardi, and Camponotus saundersi) but differs in the size, the shape and the septation of the ascospores, while O. rami is clearly identifiable with macro-morphological features including multiple stromata similar to Ophiocordyceps halabalaensis on Camponotus gigas. A thorough morphological examination was also provided for O. polyrhachis-furcata, O. camponoti-leonardi, and O. camponoti saundersi, showing that the first was apparently distinguishable from the others by the absence of septation of the ascospores. A combined molecular phylogeny also supports O. septa and O. rami as distinct new species.

Torrubiellone E, an antimalarial N-hydroxypyridone alkaloid from the spider pathogenic fungus Torrubiella longissima BCC 2022.

Torrubiellone E (1), a new N-hydroxypyridone alkaloid, was isolated from the spider pathogenic fungus Torrubiella longissima BCC 2022, together with the known compounds, torrubiellones A (2) and B (3), and JBIR-130 (4). Compound 1 exhibited antimalarial activity against Plasmodium falciparum K1 with an IC5 value of 3.2 microg/mL, while it also showed weak cytotoxic activities.

Ophiocordyceps halabalaensis: a new species of Ophiocordyceps pathogenic to Camponotus gigas in Hala Bala Wildlife Sanctuary, Southern Thailand.

Several fungal pathogens of ants have been reported as members of the family Ophiocordycipitaceae in the order Hypocreales. Surveys in the south of Thailand have shown specimens showing characteristics that are morphologically similar to Ophiocordyceps unilateralis, a very common ant pathogen, by producing a lateral pad on one side of the stroma and producing whole ascospores. Phylogenetic analyses of the partial elongation factor tef1-α and the internal transcribed spacer regions ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 rDNA have shown that this is a distinct species from O. unilateralis. The morphological characters of Ophiocordyceps halabalaensis differs from O. unilateralis in the possession of bigger perithecia and ascospores, and molecular analyses have shown that this ant-specific fungus is sufficiently different from O. unilateralis, deserving the naming of a new species. Aspects of morphology, host association/host-specificity, and taxonomic position are discussed.