<p><strong>Taxonomy and biology of <em>Cordyceps qingchengensis sp. nov</em>. and its allies</strong></p>

Abstract

Cordyceps qingchengensis sp. nov., growing on a cocooned pupa of a silk moth (Lepidoptera: Bombycidae) and collected from southwestern China, is described, illustrated and compared with allied taxa. The species is morphologically similar to C. bifusispora and C. tenuipes, but can be easily separated from the latter two by the unique host and by branched and thicker stroma. Phylogenetic analyses of single ITS and combined SSU, LSU and TEF1-α datasets indicate that it is closely related to C. bifusispora, C. cicadae (Miq.) Massee (Chanhua) and C. tenuipes, but C. qingchengensis has distinct nucleotide differences which support it as new. Taxonomy of C. tenuipes and C. pruinosa is reviewed and C. ninchukispora (≡ Phytocordyceps ninchukispora) is considered as a synonym of C. pruinosa. Ecology and life cycles of C. qingchengensis, C. tenuipes, C. pruinosa and C. ningxiaensis are recorded and inferred. We provide important biological information for C. qingchengensis and its allies.

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

“…Considerable changes to the taxonomy of Cordyceps have occurred since the research on entomogenous fungi entered the molecular era. At present, multi-locus phylogenetic analyses have gained importance in delimiting Cordyceps species ( Tasanathai et al, 2016 ; Zha et al, 2019 ; Li et al, 2020 , 2021 ; Wang Y. B. et al, 2020 ).…”

<p><strong><em>Cordyceps yinjiangensis</em></strong><strong>, a new ant-pathogenic fungus</strong></p>

“…Zha & T.C. Wen were reported by Crous et al (2019) and Zha et al (2019). Thus, Cordyceps now consists of about 80 species.…”

“…Song et al (2006) reported the known taxa of Cordyceps from China and their distribution (125 species and 3 varieties). Some new Cordyceps species were reported later from China (Li et al 2008, Liang et al 2008, Yang et al 2009, Cao et al 2010, Chen et al 2013b, Wen et al 2013, Yan & Bau 2014, Yang et al 2015, Zhou et al 2015, Yu et al 2017, Qu et al 2018a, 2018b, Wang et al 2018, Zha et al 2019. Furthermore, some anamorphic species of Cordyceps were also reported (Huang et al 2007, Zou et al 2010, Zhang et al 2013, Chen et al 2013a, 2017a, 2017b.…”