| Abstract |
- In the Amazon the only described species
of Cordyceps sensu stricto (Hypocreales, Cordycipitaceae)
that parasitize insects of Orthopterida (orders
Orthoptera and Phasmida) are Cordyceps locustiphila
and C. uleana. However, the type specimens for both
taxa have been lost and the concepts of these species
are uncertain. To achieve a more comprehensive
understanding of the systematics of these species,
collections of Cordyceps from the Amazon regions of
Colombia, Ecuador and Guyana were subjected to
morphological, ecological and molecular phylogenetic
studies. Phylogenetic analyses were conducted on
partial sequences of SSU, LSU, TEF, RPB1 and RPB2
nuclear loci. Two new species are proposed including
C. diapheromeriphila, a parasite of Phasmida, and C.
acridophila, a parasite of the superfamily Acridomorpha
(Orthoptera), which is broadly distributed across
the Amazon. For C. locustiphila a lectotypification and
an epitypification are made. Cordyceps locustiphila is
host specific with Colpolopha (Acridomorpha: Romaleidae),
and its distribution coincides with that of its
host. The phylogenetic placement of these three
species was resolved with strong support in the
Beauveria clade of Cordyceps s. str. (Cordycipitaceae).
This relationship and the morphological similarity of
their yellow stromata with known teleomorphs of the clade, suggest that the holomorphs of these species
may include Beauveria or Beauveria-like anamorphs.
The varying host specificity of the beauverioid
Cordyceps species suggest the potential importance
of identifying the natural host taxon before future
consideration of strains for use in biological control
of pest locusts.
- Keywords: Neotropics, Phylogeny, Entomopathogenic fungi, Orthoptera, Host specificity, Anamorph-teleomorph connection
- Keywords: Neotropics, Phylogeny, Entomopathogenic fungi, Orthoptera, Host specificity, Anamorph-teleomorph connection
- Keywords: Neotropics, Phylogeny, Entomopathogenic fungi, Orthoptera, Host specificity, Anamorph-teleomorph connection
- Keywords: Neotropics, Phylogeny, Entomopathogenic fungi, Orthoptera, Host specificity, Anamorph-teleomorph connection
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