The genus Gibellula on spiders from Taiwan

Abstract

Four species of Gibellula were found on spiders in Taiwan. Gibellula leiopus and G. pulchra are redescribed; G. unica, a new species, and G. clavulifera var. major, a new variety, are described. A key to the Taiwanese Gibellula species is given. The most distinguishing feature of G. unica is the concurrent or independent production of phialidic or polyblastic conidiogenous cells of, respectively, Gibellula and Granulomanus synanamorphs on the same well differentiated distinctly verrucose conidiophore. Gibellula clavulifera var. major is primarily characterized by a white, solitary, whiplashlike synnema arising from the tip of host abdomen, and from which the bi-, ter-, or rarely monoverticillate penicilli are initiated. The verticillate conidiogenous cells on the well differentiated conidiophores are of two types, one phialidic bearing catenate, fusiform to broadly fusiform conidia; the other holoblastic, with distinct denticles bearing solitary, long, bacilliform conidia. Gibellula unica is compared to the morphologically similar species G. brunnea, G. clavata, and G. mirabilis; and G. clavulifera var. major is compared to G. clavulifera var. clavulifera, and G. clavulifera var. alba.

Key Words:

• Araneae
• Clavicipitales
• Granulomanus
• Hyphomycetes
• systematics
• taxonomy
• Torrubiella