Cordyceps poluscapitis X.C. Peng, Y.P. Xiao & T.C. Wen, 2023

Peng, Xing-Can, Xiao, Yuan-Pin, Zhang, Yan, Chomnunti, Putarak, Tangtrakulwanich, Khanobporn & Wen, Ting-Chi, 2023, Cordyceps poluscapitis sp. nov., an ant-pathogenic fungus from Guizhou, China, Phytotaxa 599 (4), pp. 239-251 : 245-247

Cordyceps poluscapitis X.C. Peng, Y.P. Xiao & T.C. Wen , sp. nov. ( Fig. 2 )

Index Fungorum number: IF559584; Facesoffungi number: FoF 13863Etymology:— Fertile head is small.

Holotype:— HKAS 122630

Parasitic on ants ( Hymenoptera , Formicidae ). Host 1.2 cm long, red-brown, with white mycelium on the surface. Sexual morph:— Stromata 11 mm long, stipitate, double, unbranched, arising from the head and thorax of ant, pale yellow to orange. Stipe 8–9 mm long, 0.2–0.4 mm diam., pale yellow to orange, fleshy, cylindrical. Fertile head 2.5 mm long, 0.5–0.8 mm diam., single, clavate, surface roughened, orange. Perithecia 250–300 × 130–210 μm (x = 273 × 148 µm, n = 10), superficial, pale yellow-orange, ovoid. Asci 63–114 × 1.4–3.6 μm (x = 87 × 2.4 µm, n = 10), narrow cylindrical, hyaline, with a thickened apical cap. Apical cap 1.4–2.4 × 2.1–3.1 μm (x = 1.8 × 2.7 µm, n = 15), hyaline. Ascospores as long as asci, 0.2–0.5 μm (x = 0.3 µm, n = 10) diam., filiform, hyaline.

Culture characteristics:— colonies on PDA, attaining a diameter of 29–34 mm after 19 d at 20 ° C, dense, cottony, white, ringed, reverse yellowish. Hyphae smooth, septate, hyaline, 0.7–3.25 μm (x = 1.7 µm, n = 30) diam. Phialides 11–25 × 0.8–1.4 µm (x = 17.2 × 1.1 µm, n = 5), solitary, smooth, lancelate. Conidia 3.8–17.1 × 1.1–2.4 µm (x = 9.6 × 1.6 µm, n = 40), cylindrical, smooth, aseptate or 1–2 septate.

Material examined:— CHINA. Guizhou Province: Chishui Waterfall, on dead ant ( Hymenoptera ; Formicidae ),

4 April 2021, collected by Xing-Can Peng (holotype HKAS 122630 ; ex-type living culture CS21040411 ) .

Figures

FIGURE 2. Cordyceps poluscapitis. a, b. Habitat. c. Ascostromata emerging from infected ant host. d, e. Culture on PDA, showing the underside (d) and the top (e). f. Fertile head. g. Cross-section of the stroma. h. Perithecia. i–k. Immature or mature asci. l, m. Apical cap. n. Part of ascospores. o–r. Phialides and conidia in culture. Scale bars: c = 5 mm, d–e = 1 cm, f = 1 mm, g = 200 µm, h = 100 µm, i–k = 10 µm, l–p = 5 µm, q–r =2 µm.