New Cordycipitaceae Species Found on Insects in Guizhou Reserve

A recent survey conducted in Guizhou Province's Fodingshan Nature Reserve added three previously undescribed species to the Cordycipitaceae family of entomopathogenic fungi. The work was carried out by a team led by Wan‑Hao Chen and colleagues from multiple institutions, who examined dead spiders and lepidopteran cocoons collected during routine fieldwork in 2023. Their findings were published in MycoKeys volume 138, pages 281–307, under DOI 10.3897/mycokeys.138.198399. ¹.net]

The newly described taxa are named Arachnidicola fodingshanensis sp. nov., Simplicillium fodingshanense sp. nov., and Simplicillium shiqianense sp. nov. Each represents a unique lineage within the Cordycipitaceae based on both morphological traits and multi‑gene phylogenetic analyses. A. fodingshanensis was isolated from a dead spider; it clusters with two known species—Arachnidicola kanyawimiae and Arachnidicola sinensis—but can be distinguished by longer phialides and ovoid to ellipsoidal conidia when cultured. Genetic comparison shows only a 1.56% difference in ITS sequences relative to A. kanyawimiae, while differences in LSU (0.79%), RPB2 (3.87%) and TEF‑1α (0.91%) support its distinct status. ¹.net]

Simplicillium fodingshanense was recovered from a lepidopteran cocoon, whereas S. shiqianense came from another dead spider. Both new Simplicillium species cluster closely with the previously described S. subtropicum but form well‑supported independent lineages, each receiving 100% maximum likelihood bootstrap values (ML) and full posterior probability support (PP). The nucleotide base comparisons highlight that these species differ from S. subtropicum across all examined loci, underscore their novelty. ¹.net]

The study’s authors note that the discovery of these fungi expands our understanding of insect‑associated Cordycipitaceae diversity within China’s diverse ecosystems. By documenting both morphological distinctions and precise genetic divergence percentages, they provide clear diagnostic criteria for future field identification. Moreover, the work underscores how many entomopathogenic species remain undiscovered even in relatively accessible nature reserves, hinting at a potentially vast reservoir of fungal biodiversity tied to arthropod hosts. ¹.net]

Dead spiders and lepidopteran cocoons can host new Cordycipitaceae fungi, indicating that soil and litter habitats harbor hidden fungal diversity. ¹.net]

In sum, Chen et al.’s survey adds three distinct Cordycipitaceae members—A. fodingshanensis, S. fodingshanense, and S. shiqianense—to the catalog of known insect‑pathogens, offering fresh material for taxonomic refinement and ecological insight into the complex relationships between fungi and arthropods in Guizhou Province. The findings were made available through MycoKeys. ¹.net]