Moelleriella simaoensis Hong Yu

Yang, Zhi-Li, Wang, Zhi-Qin, Ma, Jin-Mei & Yu, Hong, 2023, Moelleriella simaoensis, a new entomogenous species of Moelleriella (Clavicipitaceae, Hypocreales) from Southwestern China, Phytotaxa 603 (1), pp. 60-68 : 65

Moelleriella simaoensis Hong Yu bis, Z. L. Yang & Z.Q. Wang, sp. nov.

MycoBank: 848103

Etymology: Named after Simao District, Pu’er City, where this species was distributed.

Holotype: CHINA. Yunnan Province, Pu’er City, Simao District, Xinfang Reservoir (N 22°71’, E 100°95’), alt. 1329 meter, from whiteflies on abaxial surface of dicotyledonous leaves, 4 October 2022, H. Yu bis (holotype YHH 2210015; YFCC 9249 , ex-holotype culture).

Sexual morph: Teleomorphic stromata flattened pulvinate, pale yellow, 3.4–4.5 mm in diameter, tubercles arising from a thin pulvinate base, usually separated from one another, located at the margin, ovoid or subglobose. Perithecia developing singly in a tubercle, flask-shaped, ostioles orange, 163–484 µm in height, 137–406 µm diameter. Asci hyaline, cylindrical, 182–335 × 5.6–14.9 µm (x = 290.9 × 10.70 µm, n = 30), cap thick 3.5–5.6 µm. Ascospores hyaline, filiform, disarticulating into part-spores inside the ascus. Part-spores were fusiform with slightly rounded ends, 11–16 × 1.4 –3.4 µm (x = 13.7 × 2.6 µm, n = 30).

Asexual morph: Most anamorphs were often present in the same stroma as the teleomorph. When the teleomorph was present, the conidiomata were located in the center.Anamorphs were orange in fresh specimens, flattened pulvinate, 2.6–2.9 mm in diameter. Conidiomata were aggregated in the center of the stroma and widely open. Conidial masses were orange, conidia 8.8–14 × 1.6–3 µm (x = 11.4 × 2 µm, n = 30), hyaline, smooth, one-celled, fusoid, with acute ends. Paraphyses were present, linear, filiform, up to 80 µm long.

Culture characteristics: Colonies on PDA at 25 °C slow-growing, attaining 15–18 mm diam in 21 days. Colonies were pale yellow and formed compact pulvinate with abundant slimy masses. Conidial masses were brownish green, the colony reverse was dark brown, and the margins were pale yellow.

Known distribution: Simao District, Pu’er City, Yunnan Province, China.

Other material examined: CHINA. Yunnan Province, Pu’er City, Simao District, Xinfang Reservoir (N 22°71’, E 100°95’), alt. 1329 meter, from whiteflies on abaxial surface of leaves, 4 October 2022, H. Yu bis (isotype YHH 2210016) .

Notes: This species was nested in the Moelleriella Effuse clade and formed a distinct clade. Morphologically, Moelleriella simaoensis was closely related to M. puerensis and M. raciborskii based on a pale yellow, thin, pulvinate stroma, ovoid or subglobose tubercle processes developing on the periphery of the stroma, orange ostioles. However, it differs from M. puerensis and M. raciborskii by its longer stroma (3.4–4.5 mm) and acsi (182–335 × 5.6–14.9 µm), (Wang et al. 2022) ( Liu et al. 2006).