Molecular phylogeny and morphology reveal two new species, Ophiocordyceps ramosa sp. nov. (Ophiocordycipitaceae) and Leptobacillium hepiali sp. nov. (Cordycipitaceae), in Hypocreales from China

2026/01/23 by Juan Shen, Wei Gou, Hui-Ling Tian +4 · 1 voice · 1 citation
Agricultural and Biological Sciences · Medicine · #Entomopathogenic Microorganisms in Pest Control #Fungal Biology and Applications #Mycorrhizal Fungi and Plant Interactions

paper · pdf · doi:10.3897/mycokeys.127.173361

openalex publication_date 2026/01/23 · openalex created_date 2026/01/24 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/16

Abstract

Ophiocordyceps holds significant value in controlling arthropod populations, maintaining ecosystem balance, and developing bioactive substances. During the natural infection of hosts, Ophiocordyceps fungi, along with other fungal species, form a micro-ecological complex, where these microorganisms also exhibit ecological functions and biological value. In this study, two new species were introduced, from Ophiocordyceps and Leptobacillium , based on morphological observation and multi-gene (ITS, nrSSU, nrLSU, tef-1α , rpb1 , and rpb2 ) phylogenetic analysis. The phylogenetic analysis revealed that Ophiocordyceps ramosa sp. nov . is closely related to Hirsutella satumaensis and H. nodulosa , and Leptobacillium hepiali sp. nov . is closely related to L. latisporum . O. ramosa sp. nov . is characterised by multi-branched or partially forked, lignified and light brown stromata, phialides with a swollen base and tapering neck, and spherical or sub-spherical conidia, distinguishing it from closely related species. L. hepiali sp. nov . is characterized by solitary, unbranched phialides, clearly differentiating it from its relatives, which have 2–3 branched phialides. The distinctiveness of these two new species was strongly supported by both molecular phylogeny and morphology.

Citations

• New teleomorph combinations in the entomopathogenic genus Metacordyceps
• Culturable mycobiota from Karst caves in China, with descriptions of 20 new species
• Fungal Planet description sheets: 785– 867
• IQ-TREE: A Fast and Effective Stochastic Algorithm for Estimating Maximum-Likelihood Phylogenies
• Systematic analyses of Ophiocordyceps lanpingensis sp. nov., a new species of Ophiocordyceps in China
• Phylogenetic classification of Cordyceps and the clavicipitaceous fungi
• Morphology and phylogeny of two new species within Cordycipitaceae (Hypocreales) from China

Cited by

• Discovery of a novel Keithomyces species isolated from the sclerotia and a new Papiliomyces from Southwest China: Integrated taxonomy based on morphology and phylogeny

Discussions

• 🔍🍄‍🟫 Two new species of zombie fungi discovered in China. Researchers have identified 𝘖𝘱𝘩𝘪𝘰𝘤𝘰𝘳𝘥𝘺𝘤𝘦𝘱𝘴 𝘳𝘢𝘮𝘰𝘴𝘢, a multi-branched fungus that infects caterpillars, alongside a new [bsky, 7 points, 0 comments]

Related

• Three new species of Ophiocordyceps (Hypocreales, Ophiocordycipitaceae) and a new host record for Hirsutella vermicola from China
• Morphological and phylogenetic analyses reveal two new entomopathogenic fungi within the genus Ophiocordyceps (Ophiocordycipitaceae, Hypocreales)
• Molecular phylogeny and morphology reveal two novel entomopathogenic species of Hypocreales (Polycephalomycetaceae and Cordycipitaceae), from China
• Taxonomic and phylogenetic insights into dipteran-parasitizing Ophiocordyceps: Descriptions of two new species and a new record from China and Laos
• Molecular phylogeny and morphology reveal two new species of Pleurocordyceps luopingensis sp. nov. (Polycephalomycetaceae) and Pseudometarhizium cangyuanense sp. nov. (Clavicipitaceae) from Yunnan, southwestern China