A new species of <i>Samsoniella</i> ( <i>Cordycipitaceae</i> : <i>Hypocreales</i> ) on the herald moth, <i>Scoliopteryx</i> <i>libatrix</i> ( <i>Erebidae</i> : <i>Noctuoidea</i> ), from caves in the British Isles

2025/01/31 by Harry C. Evans, T. Fogg, Alan G. Buddie +2 · 1 voice · 1 citation
Agricultural and Biological Sciences · Environmental Science · #Entomopathogenic Microorganisms in Pest Control #Invertebrate Taxonomy and Ecology #Forest Insect Ecology and Management

paper · doi:10.3114/fuse.2025.15.09

Abstract

Samsoniella scoliopterygis ( Cordycipitaceae : Hypocreales ), pathogenic on the herald moth Scoliopteryx libatrix ( Erebidae : Noctuoidea ), is described as a new species, based on morphological, ecological and molecular evidence. Infected specimens of this troglophilic moth were recorded from caves, as well as from a copper mine, in southern England (Devon, Norfolk), Northern Ireland(Fermanagh) and the Republic of Ireland (Sligo). The moths were found consistently on the cave floor or rock ledges, rather than on the ceiling amongst the overwintering, healthy moth populations; producing multiple, white or non-pigmented clavae of the cordyceps-like sexual morph. Synnemata of the asexual morph occurred sporadically in situ but were produced consistently in vitro . The ecology and taxonomy are discussed in relation to previous records of entomopathogenic fungi on Scoliopteryx libatrix and other trogloxene moths.

Citations

• A Beauveria phylogeny inferred from nuclear ITS and EF1-  sequences: evidence for cryptic diversification and links to Cordyceps teleomorphs
• The araneopathogenic genus <i>Gibellula</i> ( <i>Cordycipitaceae</i> : <i>Hypocreales</i> ) in the British Isles, including a new zombie species on orb-weaving cave spiders ( <i>Metainae</i> : <i>Tetragnathidae</i> )

Cited by

• Molecular phylogeny and morphology reveal two novel entomopathogenic species of Hypocreales (Polycephalomycetaceae and Cordycipitaceae), from China

Discussions

• During surveys for Gibellula attenboroughii on cave-dwelling, orb-weaving zombie spiders in the UK, a new species of Samsoniella, S. scoliopterygis, was found infecting moths in the same caves. doi.or [bsky, 41 points, 4 comments]

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