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

Abstract

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. Jenniferiagen. nov. and Polystromomycesgen. nov. Two new species in Jenniferia, J. griseocinereasp. nov. and J. thomisidarumsp. nov., are described. Two strains, NHJ 03510 and BCC 2191, initially named as Akanthomyces cinereus (Hevansia cinerea), 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 Akanthomyces koratensis (Hevansia koratensis). One species of Polystromomyces, Po. araneaesp. nov., is described. We established an asexual-sexual morph connection for Hevansia novoguineensis (Cordycipitaceae) with ex-type CBS 610.80 and proposed a new species, H. minutasp. 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 spider families parasitized by fungal pathogens: a global review

“…Some fungal pathogens are host specific to the extent that they have been found so far from only one spider host (Kuephadungphan et al 2022). Spider-pathogenic fungi of this type include a newly discovered fungus with the epithet Gibellula ‘bang-bangus’ , G. brevistipitata , G. cebrennini , G. dimorpha , G. fusiformispora , G. longicaudata , G. longispora , G. nigelii , G. parvula, G. pilosa , G. pigmentosinum , G. scorpioides , G. solita , G. unica , Jenniferia cinerea , J. griseocinerea , J. thomisidarum , and others (see CABI 2022; Kuephadungphan et al 2022; Mongkolsamrit et al 2022). Thus, based on current knowledge, these fungi appear to have a very narrow host range.…”

“…al. 2013; Shrestha et al 2019; Chen et al 2017, 2018, 2021, 2022a,b; CABI 2022; Kuephadungphan et al 2022; Mendes-Pereira et al 2022; Mongkolsamrit et al 2022; Tan et al 2022; Zhou et al 2022; Chen et al 2023; Mongkolsamrit et al 2023; Wang et al 2023b).…”

“…- Mongkolsamrit et al 2022Mongkolsamrit et al , 2023: Bhushaniella rubra, Jenniferia griseocinerea and J. thomisidarum represent species which were found with asexual and sexual morphs (A, S).…”

“…Information on the reproductive mode of the fungal species associated with spiders (see Appendix 1, third column) was extracted from various literature sources: – Samson & Evans 1973; Sung et al 2001; Swart et al 2001; Benny 2008; Rivera 2009; Evans 2013; James et al 2016; Kepler et al 2017; Walther et al 2019; St. Leger & Wang 2020; Xu et al 2021; Yu et al 2021; Chen et al 2022a; Mongkolsamrit et al 2022; Wang et al 2023a; https://fungalgenera.org/genus/acrodontium.html: Acrodontium , Akanthomyces , Aphanocladium , Apiotrichum , Aspergillus , Basidiobolus , Beauveria , Cladosporium , Clathroconium , Clonostachys , Conidiobolus , Engyodontium , Gibellula , Hevansia , Hirsutella , Hymenostilbe , Jenniferia (i.e., Jenniferia cinerea – other Jenniferia spp. classified differently, see below), Lecanicillium , Metarhizium , Mucor , Neoaraneomyces , Parahevansia , Parengyodontium , Penicillium , Pseudogibellula , Pseudometarhizium , Purpureocillium [= Nomuraea ], Sporodiniella , Tolypocladium , and unknown Hyphomycetes were found with asexual morphs (A). – Evans 2013; Mongkolsamrit et al 2022: Cordyceps , Ophiocordyceps , Polystromomyces , and Torrubiella represent the sexual reproductive stage (S). – Mongkolsamrit et al 2022, 2023: Bhushaniella rubra , Jenniferia griseocinerea and J. thomisidarum represent species which were found with asexual and sexual morphs (A, S). – Malloch et al 1978: Cryptococcus depauperatus (sexual morph named Filobasidiella arachnophila was found on a dead spider) (S). – Evans & Samson 1982, Evans 2013: Cordyceps farinosa (asexual morph Isaria farinosa [= Paecilomyces farinosus ] was found on dead spiders) (A). – Evans 2013; Thúy et al 2015: Cordyceps javanica (asexual morph [= Isaria javanica ] was found on dead spiders) (A). …”

“…– Samson & Evans 1973; Sung et al 2001; Swart et al 2001; Benny 2008; Rivera 2009; Evans 2013; James et al 2016; Kepler et al 2017; Walther et al 2019; St. Leger & Wang 2020; Xu et al 2021; Yu et al 2021; Chen et al 2022a; Mongkolsamrit et al 2022; Wang et al 2023a; https://fungalgenera.org/genus/acrodontium.html: Acrodontium , Akanthomyces , Aphanocladium , Apiotrichum , Aspergillus , Basidiobolus , Beauveria , Cladosporium , Clathroconium , Clonostachys , Conidiobolus , Engyodontium , Gibellula , Hevansia , Hirsutella , Hymenostilbe , Jenniferia (i.e., Jenniferia cinerea – other Jenniferia spp. classified differently, see below), Lecanicillium , Metarhizium , Mucor , Neoaraneomyces , Parahevansia , Parengyodontium , Penicillium , Pseudogibellula , Pseudometarhizium , Purpureocillium [= Nomuraea ], Sporodiniella , Tolypocladium , and unknown Hyphomycetes were found with asexual morphs (A).…”