Morphological and Molecular Phylogenetic Data of the Chinese Medicinal Fungus <i>Cordyceps liangshanensis</i> Reveal Its New Systematic Position in the Family Ophiocordycipitaceae
Yao Wang, Yongdong Dai, Zhong-Lin Yang, Zhong-Lin Yang, Rui Guo, Yuanbing Wang, Zhu L. Yang, Zhu L. Yang, Lei Ding, Hong Yu
Abstract
A cordycipitoid fungus infecting Hepialidae sp. in Nepal was supposed to be identical to Cordyceps liangshanensis, originally described from southwestern China, and thus, transferred to the genus Metacordyceps or Papiliomyces in previous studies. However, our multi-gene (nrSSU-nrLSU-tef-1α-rpb1-rpb2) phylogenetic and morphological studies based on the type specimen and additional collections of C. liangshanensis revealed that the fungus belongs to the genus Ophiocordyceps (Ophiocordycipitaceae). Therefore, a new combination O. liangshanensis was made, and a detailed description of this species was provided.
Topics & Concepts
CordycepsBiologyPhylogenetic treeFungusGenusTaxonomy (biology)BotanyPhylogeneticsZoologyGeneGeneticsFungal Biology and ApplicationsEntomopathogenic Microorganisms in Pest ControlMycorrhizal Fungi and Plant Interactions