Cordyceps mexicana sp. nov., parasitizing Paradirphia sp. moths: A new sister species of the Cordyceps militaris complex, distributed in central Mexican Quercus-Pinus mixed forests

ABSTRACT

Cordyceps s.l. is a paraphyletic group of ascomycete fungi that exhibit multifunctional lifestyles, that is, as saprotrophs, endophytes, and pathogens of insects, spiders, fungi, and grasses. The family Cordycipitaceae includes macroscopically similar species that have been erroneously considered to be conspecific with Cordyceps militaris. In this study, we describe a new species within the C. militaris complex that is distributed in the Quercus-Pinus forests of central Mexico on the basis of its morphology, phylogenetic relationships, and life cycle. Phylogenetically, Cordyceps mexicana is a well-supported new sister species of the C. militaris complex. It is distinguished by the morphology of its conidiophore, host association, and geographic distribution. This species parasitizes pupae of Paradirphia sp. (Lepidoptera: Saturniidae: Hemileucinae) and might be macroscopically confused with C. militaris. Its stromata are large, can measure up to 10 cm in length, and the fertile part is always bright yellow. This species develops whitish mycelial cords that emerge from the stromata and grow toward the host. Microscopically, it develops asci with filiform ascospores disarticulating in part-spores. Its life cycle and geographic distribution are also discussed.

KEYWORDS:

• Cordycipitaceae
• diversity
• lepidoptera
• life cycle
• 1 new taxon

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

We thank Dr. Tatiana Sanjuan Giraldo for her critical suggestions during this research and for her advice on specimen collection and preservation techniques; Dr. Ivonne Janet Garzón Orduña for her support in identification of the host and preservation of the moths; and Dr. Hermelinda Margarita Villegas Rios for her support in the characterization of some of the microscopic structures.

DISCLOSURE STATEMENT

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL

Supplemental data for this article can be accessed on the publisher’s Web site.

Additional information

Funding

We thank Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología (CONACYT) for the grant awarded to L.L.-R. and the Secretaria de Investigación y Estudios Avanzados (SyEA) of the Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México for funding the project (4985/2020CIB).