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| Ophiocordyceps muscae Ophiocordyceps tabani Ophiocordyceps thilosuensis Mongkolsamrit, Liangsiri, Thanakitpipattana & Luangsa-ard, in Mongkolsamrit, Thanakitpipattana, Noisripoom, Tasanathai, Liangsiri, Jaiyen, Rungjindamai, Stadler et Luangsa-ard, 2025. |
Abstract
During field surveys conducted in various regions of Thailand, several fungal specimens parasitising flies were discovered. These fungi exhibited morphological characteristics consistent with the broad concept of Ophiocordyceps dipterigena, including yellow to orange-brown cylindrical stromata bearing fertile ascomata at the tip. Multi-locus phylogenetic analyses based on ITS, LSU, TEF1, and RPB2 sequences revealed that these specimens belong to a well-supported monophyletic clade, referred to as the 'O. dipterigena' complex, which forms a distinct subclade within the hymenostilboid clade. This complex comprises four newly described species with clearly defined host associations: O. floriformis, found on robber flies (Asilidae), particularly on Clephydroneura sp.; O. muscae, isolated from the housefly (Musca domestica); O. tabani, parasitising horse flies (Tabanus sp.); and O. thilosuensis, infecting fruit flies (Anastrepha obliqua) and soldier flies (Sarginae). Additionally, several strains clustered with the previously described O. philippinensis, which was also collected from Clephydroneura sp. This marks the first record of O. philippinensis in Thailand.
Key words: cryptic species, entomogenous fungi, Hymenostilbe, new taxa, phylogenetic analyses
Ophiocordyceps floriformis Tasanathai, Noisripoom & Luangsa-ard, sp. nov.
Etymology. The name refers to the fungus’s outer appearance on the host, which resembles a small flower.
Ophiocordyceps muscae Mongkolsamrit, Liangsiri, Thanakitpipattana & Luangsa-ard, sp. nov.
Etymology. Named after the host genus, Musca domestica.
Ophiocordyceps tabani Mongkolsamrit, Liangsiri, Thanakitpipattana & Luangsa-ard, sp. nov.
Etymology. Named after the host genus, Tabanus.
Ophiocordyceps thilosuensis Mongkolsamrit, Liangsiri, Thanakitpipattana & Luangsa-ard, sp. nov.
Etymology. Refers to the locality where the type specimen was found, Thi Lo Su Waterfall.
Suchada Mongkolsamrit, Donnaya Thanakitpipattana, Wasana Noisripoom, Kanoksri Tasanathai, Kanraya Liangsiri, Somruetai Jaiyen, Nattawut Rungjindamai, Marc Stadler and Jennifer Luangsa-ard. 2025. Multi-locus Molecular Phylogenetic Analysis reveals Four New Species and A New Record of Ophiocordyceps (Ophiocordycipitaceae, Hypocreales) on dipteran hosts in Thailand. MycoKeys. 119: 235-261. DOI: doi.org/10.3897/mycokeys.119.155439
