Morphological and phylogenetic analyses reveal three new species of Gibellula (Cordycipitaceae, Hypocreales) from spiders

By

Chang, Chen-Xin
Chen, Hui
Loinheuang, Chanhom
Dai, Yongdong
Wang, Yao

Type

Article

Date of Publication

2026-1-21

Original Publication

MycoKeys

Volume

127

Pages

135--154

Subjects

Laos , novel species , Phylogeny , spider-pathogenic fungi , taxonomy

Contributed by

Pensoft Publishers

Language

English

Published by

Sofia, Bulgaria Pensoft Publishers 2011-

Identifiers

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3897/mycokeys.127.177871

 

Abstract

<br> The genus<br> Gibellula<br> (Cordycipitaceae) comprises spider-pathogenic fungi. Three new species,<br> G. pseudopigmentosa<br> ,<br> G. pseudosolita<br> , and<br> G. sinensis<br> , were discovered on spiders in the leaf litter of forests in Yunnan and Jilin provinces, China, and in Vientiane Prefecture and Oudomxay Province, Laos. Morphological and multi-locus phylogenetic analyses (based on nrSSU, ITS, nrLSU,<br> tef-1α<br> ,<br> rpb<br> 1, and<br> rpb<br> 2) support their recognition as distinct taxa.<br> Gibellula pseudopigmentosa<br> is distinguished from its sister species,<br> G. pigmentosinum<br> , by smaller perithecia and shorter ascospores.<br> Gibellula pseudosolita<br> differs from its close relatives by producing multiple synnemata per host and possessing smaller conidia.<br> Gibellula sinensis<br> is characterized by shorter conidiophores and smaller conidial heads compared with morphologically similar species. This study presents the first formal record of<br> Gibellula<br> from Laos, significantly expanding the known distribution of the genus in Southeast Asia and contributing to our understanding of its diversity.<br>