Ophiocordyceps neonutans sp. nov., a new neotropical species from O. nutans complex (Ophiocordycipitaceae, Ascomycota)

GOES-NETO, A; SALVADOR MONTOYA, CA; RECK, MA; SHRESTHA, B; DRECHSLER-SANTOS, ER; TOME, LMR; FRIEDRICH, RC

Phytotaxa

Magnolia Press

Lugar: Auckland; Año: 2018 vol. 344 p. 215 - 227

1179-3155

Ophiocordyceps nutans is an entomogenous fungus growing on true bugs (Hemiptera), which has a presumed worldwidedistribution. During forays of entomogenous fungi in Brazil, specimens morphologically similar to O. nutans were collectedfrom the Atlantic Forest and Cerrado domains of Neotropical region. Morphological comparisons, as well as molecularphylogenetic analyses using ITS, led us to conclude that the neotropical specimens represent a new species Ophiocordycepsneonutans. The Neotropical occurrence of this taxon and its taxonomic implications are re-evaluated here. We discuss O.nutans as a species complex with distinct geographic lineages and host specificity. In addition, Barcoding gap analysis suggeststhat the different lineages have a great genetic distance between them.