Pleurocordyceps parvicapitata Y. P. Xiao, T. C. Wen & K. D. Hyde

Wang, Yi, Wei, De-Ping, Peng, Xing-Can, Kang, Ji-Chuan, Li, Zeng-Zhi, Li, Chun-Ru, Zhang, Xian, Wang, Gui-Ying, Zhou, Yun, He, Xin-Sheng, Chomnunti, Putarak & Wen, Ting-Chi, 2024, Interesting mycoparasites and Paradingleyomyces lepidopterorum gen. et sp. nov. (Hypocreales, Polycephalomycetaceae) from Yunnan Province, China, MycoKeys 110, pp. 185-210 : 185-210

Pleurocordyceps parvicapitata Y. P. Xiao, T. C. Wen & K. D. Hyde , in Xiao et al. Fungal Diversity 120: 50 (2023)

Figs 4 , 5

Description.

Parasitic on Elaphomyces sp. (Fig. 4 ). The host 6–10 mm in diam., dark brown or brown, spherical, hard, and rough on the surface. Sexual morph: Stromata 18–21 mm long, 1–2 mm wide, brown, multiple, fibrous. Stipe 8–15 mm long, 0.5–1 mm wide, brown, cylindrical, terminally or laterally carrying fertile cushions. Fertile cushions 0.5–1 mm in height, 1–2 mm in width, pale yellow to yellow, hemispherical. Perithecia 160–530 × 100–305 µm (x ̄ = 306 × 179 µm, n = 20), immersed, crowded, ovoid to obpyriform, ostiolate. Peridium 15–40 µm (x ̄ = 25 µm, n = 20) wide, three-layered, comprised of hyaline to pale yellow cells of textura intricate at outermost layer to textura angularis at middle layer to t extura prismatica at inner layer. Asci 190–380 × 3–5 µm (x ̄ = 252 × 3.9 µm, n = 50), cylindrical, with thickened apex. Apical cap 1–2 × 2.5–4 μm (x ̄ = 1.7 × 3.4 µm, n = 60), hyaline. Ascospores filiform, multiseptate, hyaline, breaking into many secondary ascospores at maturity. Secondary ascospores 2–8 × 0.5–1 µm (x ̄ = 5.1 × 0.9 µm, n = 50), cylindrical, aseptate, straight, smooth-walled. Asexual morph: Synnemata cylindrical, off-white, gregarious, unbranched, occurring in close proximity to the fertile cushions. β-phialides up to 16 µm in length, 2 µm in width, cylindrical, attenuate toward the apex, phialidic, hyaline, smooth-walled. β-conidia 3–5 × 1–2 µm (x ̄ = 3.8 × 1.7 µm, n = 20), fusiform, hyaline, aseptate. Additionally, Pleurocordyceps parvicapitata parasitic on Perennicordyceps elaphomyceticola was found in proximity to the one on Elaphomyces sp. (Fig. 5 ). Sexual morph: Stromata not observed. Fertile cushion 0.5–1 mm long, 1–2 mm wide, directly growing on stromata of Pe. elaphomyceticola , pale yellow to yellow, surface wrinkle, rough due to the protruding perithecia. Perithecia 440–560 × 115–250 μm (x ̄ = 505 × 170 µm, n = 15) ovoid to obpyriform, immersed, gregarious. Peridium 15–42 µm (x ̄ = 25 µm, n = 20) wide, three-layered, comprised of hyaline to pale yellow cells of textura intricate at outermost layer to textura angularis at middle layer to textura prismatica at inner layer. Asci and ascospores were not observed due to the specimen being immature.

Culture characters.

Colonies isolated from Elaphomyces sp. and Perennicordyceps elaphomyceticola present similar characteristics. Colonies on PDA attaining 41–45 mm in diam. after incubation at 25 ° C for 14 days, white, leathery, reverse grayish yellow. Synnemata emerging from margin of colony in annular distributions, 1–3 mm long, 1–2.5 mm wide, white, erected, apically branched. Conidial mass gathers at middle part or tip of synnemata, pale yellow, waterish. Phialides two-typed. α-phialides 10–28 × 1–2 µm (x ̄ = 15.7 × 1.5 µm, n = 50), hyaline, smooth-walled, subculate, caespitose, palisade-like. α-conidia 1–2 µm (x ̄ = 1.7 µm, n = 45), one-celled, hyaline, smooth-walled, globose. β-phialides 6–8 × 0.5–1 µm (x ̄ = 7.9 × 1.1 µm, n = 20), arising from hypha, solitary, lanceolate, hyaline, smooth-walled. β-conidia 2–6 × 1–2 µm (x ̄ = 3.8 × 0.8 μm, n = 35), fusiform, hyaline, aseptate, smooth-walled, asymmetrical.

Material examined.

China • Yunnan Province, Tengchong County, Houqiao Town ; 5 Nov. 2022; Collected by Yi Wang; Parasitic on Elaphomyces sp. buried in soil; GYY 546 ( HKAS 131924 , living culture: KUNCC 23-16075 ) • ibid; Parasitic on Perennicordyceps elaphomyceticola ; 5 Nov. 2022; Collected by Yi Wang; GYY 553 ( HKAS 131925 , living culture: KUNCC 23-16074 ) .

Notes.

Pleurocordyceps parvicapitata , parasitic on Elaphomyces sp. and Perennicordyceps elaphomyceticola , was originally described by Xiao et al. (2023) based on specimens collected from Dadugang County, Xishuangbanna, Yunnan Province, China. The specimen associated with Elaphomyces sp. produces pale yellow to yellow, wrinkled fertile cushions that are laterally or terminally attached to stromata, along with cylindrical asci, filiform, disarticulating ascospores and cylindrical, smooth-walled secondary ascospores. In this study, we collected a specimen displaying the typical characteristics of Pl. parvicapitata from Tengchong County, Yunnan Province. Importantly, Xiao et al. (2023) described Pl. parvicapitata as having one type of phialides and conidia from dry specimen. In contrast, we examined the asexual morph from both our specimens and its pure culture, observing dimorphic phialides and conidia. Additionally, the specimen associated with Perennicordyceps elaphomyceticola was previously known only from its asexual morphs ( Xiao et al. 2023), where the species was described as having pulvinate, yellowish conidiomata with one-type of phialides and conidia on the stromata of Pe. elaphomyceticola . In this study, we collected a sexual specimen from Tengchong County, Yunnan Province and its fertile cushion was similar to Pl. parvicapitata found on Elaphomyces sp. ( Xiao et al. 2023). This is the first report of the sexual morph of Pl. parvicapitata on Pe. elaphomyceticola , which differs from previously described sexual morphs in that it directly forms a fertile cushion on the substrate. We have also supplemented this species with a pure culture which can be used for further research. These findings provide deeper insights into the morphological traits of Pl. parvicapitata .

Figures

Figure 4. Pleurocordyceps parvicapitata (B – R from HKAS 131924 S – Z from KUNCC 23-16075) A habitat B, C stromata emerging from host D host (Elaphomyces sp.) E fertile cushions on stromata F enlargement of fertile cushion G cross-section through fertile cushion H perithecium I peridium J, P synnemata on stromata K asci L part of asci M ascus cap N, O secondary ascospores Q, V, W β-phialides S front and reverse view of culture on PDA T synnemata on culture U, X α-phialides Y α-conidia Z β-conidia. Scale Bars: 5 mm (E); 1 mm (D, F); 500 µm (G, J, P); 250 µm (H); 100 µm (I); 50 µm (K, L); 20 µm (M, N, V, U, W); 10 µm (X); 5 µm (O, Q, R, Y, Z).

Figure 5. Pleurocordyceps parvicapitata (HKAS 131925) A habitat B, C, E host (Perennicordyceps elaphomyceticola) D, F, G fertile cushions growing on stromata of Pe. elaphomyceticola H cross-section through fertile cushion I perithecium J peridium L reverse and front view of culture on PDA after incubation for 14 days M, N front view of culture on PDA after incubation for 30 days O synnemata P conidiophores Q phialides R conidia. Scale bars: 1 mm (E – G); 500 µm (H, I, O); 20 µm (J, P, Q); 5 µm (R).