WH Chen, H. R. Shu, Duo Li, Junmin Liang, Cuirong Sun, Jiang Zhao, NN Wijayawardene, YF Han, Wubian Tian
Cordyceps-like fungi are abundant in karst regions in Guizhou Province, China, but systematic investigations are still lacking. In this study, species diversity of cordyceps-like fungi in karst habitats, forests, Tiankeng regions and valleys in Guizhou Province, was conducted from 2021 to 2024. Over 700 specimens were collected. Six new genera (Dimorphspora, Neolecanicillium, Nuciformispora, Paracorniculantispora, Rubrumomyces, Zongqiomyces), 51 new species (Arachnidicola sinensis, A. zunyiensis, Beauveria tiankengensis, B. valliensis, Cordyceps miaolingensis, C. pupicola, C. suiyangensis, C. vallis, Dimorphspora sinensis, Gamszarella araneicola, G. formicae, G. pupicola, Lecanicillium araneae, L. pantatomidae, L. sinense, Metarhizium formicae, M. pupicola, M. sinense, Neolecanicillium sinensis, Nuciformispora araneicola, N. sinense, N. vallise, N. zunyiense, Papiliomyces sinensis, Paracorniculantispora sinensis, Rubrumomyces guizhouensis, R. sinensis, Samsoniella araneicola, S. fanjingensis, S. guiyangensis, S. houerensis, S. jiangkouensis, S. kaiyangensis, S. miaolingensis, S. simplicola, S. suiyangensis, S. tongrenensis, S. wudangensis, S. zongqii, Simplicillium araneicola, S. bursae, S. cantharise, S. neoaraneae, S. wudangense, S. zunyiense, Zarea sinensis, Zongqiomyces araneicola, Z. sinensis) and 4 new combinations (Chlorocillium neolepidopterorum, C. rongjiangense, Nuciformispora aranearum, Paracorniculantispora psalliotae) were introduced. Our findings demonstrated significant cryptic diversity of cordyceps-like fungi across sampled karst ecosystems (forests, Tiankeng and valleys) in Guizhou Province, suggesting similar unexplored diversity may exist in other karst formations. Notably, all newly described genera in this study show evolutionary affinities with Lecanicillium species, underscoring the need for comprehensive molecular phylogenies to clarify taxonomic relationships within this group.