Morphological and Molecular Phylogenetic Data of the Chinese Medicinal Fungus Cordyceps liangshanensis Reveal Its New Systematic Position in the Family Ophiocordycipitaceae

Abstract

A cordycipitoid fungus infecting Hepialidae sp. in Nepal was supposed to be identical to Cordyceps liangshanensis, originally described from southwestern China, and thus, transferred to the genus Metacordyceps or Papiliomyces in previous studies. However, our multi-gene (nrSSU-nrLSU-tef-1a-rpb1-rpb2) phylogenetic and morphological studies based on the type specimen and additional collections of C. liangshanensis revealed that the fungus belongs to the genus Ophiocordyceps (Ophiocordycipitaceae). Therefore, a new combination O. liangshanensis was made, and a detailed description of this species was provided.

A new species of Papiliomyces (Clavicipiteae, Hypocreales) from China

“…It shares a close relationship with Papiliomyces liangshanensis (EFCC 1452, EFCC 1523, Sung et al (2007), Mongkolsamrit et al (2020) ), Papiliomyces shibinensis ( Wen et al 2015 ) and Paecilomyces verticillatus ( Li et al 2006 ). Papiliomyces liangshanensis was reclassified as Ophiocordyceps liangshanensis after morphological and phylogenetic analyses ( Wang et al 2021 ). However, the Nepalese collections (EFCC 1452, EFCC 1523) are lacking a morphological description (Sung et al 2007) and which are named Papiliomyces liangshanensis .…”

“…The genus Papiliomyces was proposed by Mongkolsamrit et al (2020) in Clavicipiteae family ( Hypocreales , Sordariomycetes ), based on phylogenetic analyses to accommodate two species : Papiliomyces liangshanensis (Nepalese collections) and Papiliomyces shibinensis (China). However, based on morphology and phylogenetic analyses, the type species , Papiliomyces liangshanensis , was recombined into Ophiocordyceps ( Wang et al 2021 ). The genus name originated from the Latin word 'papilio', meaning butterfly or moth ( Mongkolsamrit et al 2020 ).…”

“…The genus name originated from the Latin word 'papilio', meaning butterfly or moth ( Mongkolsamrit et al 2020 ). The primary characteristics of the teleomorph of Papiliomyces are solitary to multiple (branched and robust to wiry stromata), superficial perithecia to completely immersed in the stroma, ampulliform, ellipsoid to ovoid, asci cylindrical and ascospores whole with septation or breaking into cylindrical part-spores ( Kepler et al 2012a , Kepler et al 2012b , Mongkolsamrit et al 2020 , Wang et al 2021 ).…”

Ophiocordyceps megala sp. nov (Ophiocordycepitaceae) enriches the species diversity of the O. sinensis-affined lineage

“…During the last two decades, we have conducted large-scale surveys of entomopathogenic fungi in the alpine area of southwestern China, one of the biodiversity hotspots in the world (Wang et al 2020; Wang et al 2021; Dong et al 2022). Some specimens with huge sclerotium (parasite on the large moth) and long stromata were collected.…”

Multigene phylogeny and morphology reveal Ophiocordyceps hydrangea sp. nov. and Ophiocordyceps bidoupensis sp. nov. (Ophiocordycipitaceae)

“…The research results of Sung et al (2007) (Mains 1958;Sung et al 2007;Quandt et al 2014;Sanjuan et al 2015;Simmons et al 2015;Wang et al 2018). Many phylogenetic classifications for entomopathogenic fungi have been revised in recent studies (Wang et al 2018;Fan et al 2021;Wang et al 2021aWang et al , 2021b.…”