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Clavicipitaceous entomopathogens: new species in Metarhizium and a new genus Nigelia

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Abstract

In several surveys in the tropical forests in Thailand, specimens that looked morphologically similar to Metarhizium martiale and Cordyceps variegata, as well as other Metarhizium species were collected and cultured in vitro. A combined phylogeny of several genes including the small (18S) and large (28S) subunits of the ribosomal DNA, elongation factor 1-α (TEF), RNA polymerase II subunits 1 and 2 (RPB1, RPB2) genes has shown these to be new taxa in the Clavicipitaceae. Nigelia is described as a new genus closely related to Metarhizium, to the scale insect pathogens Aschersonia (Hypocrella), Samuelsia and Moelleriella, and to plant pathogens in Claviceps and Balansia, and other relatives. Nigelia comprises M. martiale and a new species Nigelia aurantiaca, which has been found infecting lepidopteran larvae and which produces pseudoimmersed, obliquely arranged, obpyriform perithecia with curved or bent ostioles and with whole (non-separating) cylindric ascospores. Metarhizium chaiyaphumense, M. kalasinense, M. prachinense, M. samlanense, and M. takense are described as new species of Metarhizium. Metarhizium martiale is transferred to Nigelia, and Paecilomyces reniformis is transferred to Metarhizium.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank Drs Lily Eurwilaichitr, Kanyawim Kirtikara (BIOTEC), Prof. Morakot Tanticharoen, and Khun Rungsima Tantalakha for the support of the project. This project was supported by Cluster and Program Management Office grant number P15-51452. Some of the collections were made by Dr Nigel Hywel-Jones, who is thanked for his early contributions to this project. We wish to thank Mr. Rungpet Ridkaew for his earlier contributions to this study. We also wish to thank Prof. Drion Boucias, for sending the Paecilomyces reniformis strains to study. We thank the Thailand Department of National Parks for the permission to collect fungi in the national parks. We are grateful to the anonymous reviewers who made valuable comments and suggestions to improve the manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Microbe Interaction and Ecology Laboratory (BMIE), BIOTEC, National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA), 113 Thailand Science Park, Phahonyothin Road, Khlong Nueng, Khlong Luang, Pathum Thani, 12120, Thailand

    J. Jennifer Luangsa-ard, Suchada Mongkolsamrit, Donnaya Thanakitpipattana, Artit Khonsanit, Kanoksri Tasanathai & Wasana Noisripoom

  2. USDA, ARS Biological Integrated Pest Management Research Unit, Robert W. Holley Center for Agriculture and Health, Tower Road, Ithaca, NY, 14853-2901, USA

    Richard A. Humber

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  1. J. Jennifer Luangsa-ard
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Correspondence to J. Jennifer Luangsa-ard.

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Section Editor: Hans-Josef Schroers

This article is part of the “Special Issue in honour of the 70th birthday of Dr. Eric McKenzie”

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Luangsa-ard, J.J., Mongkolsamrit, S., Thanakitpipattana, D. et al. Clavicipitaceous entomopathogens: new species in Metarhizium and a new genus Nigelia . Mycol Progress 16, 369–391 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11557-017-1277-1

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