Escovopsis aspergilloides, a rediscovered hyphomycete from leaf-cutting ant nests

Abstract

Escovopsis aspergilloides is described as a new species of hyphomycete isolated from attine ant nests originating in Trinidad. The new species differs from the type of this previously monotypic genus, E. weberi, primarily by its globose, rather than davate, phialidebearing vesicles. The history of both of these species in the ant-nest fungus literature is reviewed.

Key Words:

• Aspergillus
• attine fungi
• leaf-cutting ants
• Phialocladus
• symbiosis
• systematics