Akanthomyces tortricidarum Aini, Luangsa-ard, Mongkolsamrit & Thanakitpipattana, 2020

Aini, Arifah Nur, Mongkolsamrit, Suchada, Wijanarka, Wijanarka, Thanakitpipattana, Donnaya, Luangsa-ard, J. Jennifer & Budiharjo, Anto, 2020, Diversity of Akanthomyces on moths (Lepidoptera) in Thailand, MycoKeys 71, pp. 1-22 : 1

Akanthomyces tortricidarum Aini, Luangsa-ard, Mongkolsamrit & Thanakitpipattana sp. nov. Figure 4

Type.

Thailand. Nakhon Ratchasima Province, Khao Yai National Park, Mo Sing To Nature Trail; 14°711'N, 101°421'E; on adult moth; 6 Jun 2014; W. Noisripoom, PS, TC, S. Sommai, R. Somnuk (holotype BBH 38669 dried culture, ex-type living culture BCC 72638). GenBank: ITS = MT356076, LSU = MT356088, TEF = MT478004, RPB1 = MT477997, RPB2 = MT477992.

Etymology.

Refers to the host ( Tortricidae , Lepidoptera ) of the fungus.

Description.

Anamorph: Specimens examined in this study can be found on the underside of dicotyledonous leaves and palm leaf. The hosts were adult moths, ca. 4-9 × 1-2 mm. Two types of synnemata were produced on insect hosts. Several long synnemata arose at the head and in the middle of the host body, white to cream, up to 5 mm long and ca. 120-150 µm wide, rarely branched, cylindrical to clavate with acute or blunt end. Conidiogenous cells produced along synnemata, monophialidic or polyphialidic. Phialides (5-)6-8(-10) × (1.8-)2-2.7(-3) μm, cylindrical to ellipsoidal with papillate end. Conidia smooth-walled, hyaline, single-celled, fusoid, (2-)2.5-3(-3.2) × (0.8-)1-1.4(-2) µm. Several short synnemata arose on moth body, wings, and legs, white to cream, (197-)200-267(-300) × (15-)17.7-31.6(-40) µm, with diameter of the tip (43-)51.5-73(-75) µm, cylindrical with subglobose or oblong end. Conidiogenous cells produced at the end of synnemata, monophialidic or polyphialidic. Phialides (5-)6.2-8.3(-10) × (1.8-)2-2.5(-3) μm, cylindrical to ellipsoidal with papillate end. Conidia smooth-walled, hyaline, single-celled, fusoid, (1-)1.8-2.7(-3) × 1-2 µm. Phialides and conidia from both long and short synnemata were on the same size range.

Culture characters.

Colonies on PDA growing with a diameter of 25-31 mm in 14 days, white (OAC909), circular, flat, entire, reverse pale yellow (OAC858). Mycelium smooth, septate, hyaline. Colonies on OA growing with a diameter of 18-25 mm in 14 days, circular, flat, entire, white (OAC909), reverse brownish yellow (OAC812). Mycelium smooth, septate, hyaline. Conidia and reproductive structures not produced on both, PDA and OA in 14 days.

Distribution.

Thailand, known from various national parks throughout the country.

Ecology.

All specimens are found on the underside of leaves of plants.

Additional specimens examined.

Thailand. Nakhon Ratchasima Province, Khao Yai National Park, Mo Sing to Nature Trail; 14°711'N, 101°421'E; on adult moth; 7 Apr 2010; KT, SM, TC, AA, RR (BBH 28530, BCC 41868). Nakhon Ratchasima Province, Khao Yai National Park, Mo Sing to Nature Trail; 14°711'N, 101°421'E; on adult moth; 11 Nov 2009; KT, SM, TC, RR, M. Sudhadham, AK (BBH 27283, BCC 40005). Kamphaeng Phet Province, Khlong Lan National Park, Saphan Ton Nature Trail; 16°203'N, 99°321'E; on adult moth; 6 Nov 2007; KT, SM, PS, BT, RR, AK, WC (BBH 23097, BCC 28583).

Notes.

Akanthomyces tortricidarum is found only in its anamorph state. This species differs from A. noctuidarum by having smaller conidia (2-3 × 1 µm) than A. noctuidarum (3-6 × 1 µm). Furthermore, the shape of conidia of A. tortricidarum is fusoid, while conidia of A. noctuidarum is cylindrical with a round end.

Figures

Figure 4. Akanthomyces tortricidarum (BBH 38669, BCC 72638) A fungus on adult moth B, C, N-P short synnemata D-F long synnemata G-L phialides from long synnema M conidia from long synnema Q-T phialides from short synnema U conidia from short synnema V, W culture on PDA 14 days W reverse X, Y culture on OA 14 days Y reverse. Scale bars: 2 mm (A); 200 µm (B, E); 100 µm (C, F); 500 µm (D); 5 µm (G, M, Q, R, S, T, U); 2 µm (H, I, J, K, L); 30 µm (N, O, P); 1 cm (V, W, X, Y).