title: Five new species of entomopathogenic fungi from the Amazon and evolution of neotropical Ophiocordyceps.
abstract: The neotropical biogeographic zone is a 'hot spot' of global biodiversity, especially for insects. Fungal pathogens of insects appear to track this diversity. However, the integration of this unique component of fungal diversity into molecular phylogenetic analyses remains sparse. The entomopathogenic fungal genus Ophiocordyceps is species rich in this region with the first descriptions dating to the early nineteenth century. In this study, material from various ecosystems throughout Colombia and Ecuador was examined. Molecular phylogenetic analyses of five nuclear loci including SSU, LSU, TEF, RPB1, and RPB2 were conducted alongside a morphological evaluation. Thirty-five specimens were examined representing fifteen different species of Ophiocordyceps, and five new species, Ophiocordyceps blattarioides, Ophiocordyceps tiputini, Ophiocordyceps araracuarensis, Ophiocordyceps fulgoromorphila, and Ophiocordyceps evansii, were described. An accurate identification of the host allowed us to conclude that host identity and host habitat are positively correlated with phylogenetic species of Ophiocordyceps and are probably strong drivers for speciation of neotropical entomopathogenic fungi.
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio de Taxonomía y Ecología de Hongos, Universidad de Antioquia, Calle 67 No. 53 - 108, A.A. 1226 Medellín, Colombia; Laboratorio de Micología y Fitopatología, Universidad de Los Andes, Cra 1 Nº 18A- 12, Bogotá 111711, Colombia. Electronic address: t_sanjuan@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Tatiana I
authors.initials: TI
authors.lastname: Sanjuan
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio de Taxonomía y Ecología de Hongos, Universidad de Antioquia, Calle 67 No. 53 - 108, A.A. 1226 Medellín, Colombia.
authors.forename: Ana E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Franco-Molano
authors.affiliation: Systematic Mycology and Microbiology Laboratory, USDA, Bldg 011A Rm 212 BARC-W, Beltsville, MD 20705, USA.
authors.forename: Ryan M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Kepler
authors.affiliation: Department of Botany and Plant Pathology, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97331, USA.
authors.forename: Joseph W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Spatafora
authors.affiliation: Department of Botany and Plant Pathology, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97331, USA.
authors.forename: Javier
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tabima
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio de Taxonomía y Ecología de Hongos, Universidad de Antioquia, Calle 67 No. 53 - 108, A.A. 1226 Medellín, Colombia; Fundacion Biodiversa Colombia, Carrera 22 N° 41 - 80 Apto. 004, 111311 Bogotá D.C. Colombia.
authors.forename: Aída M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Vasco-Palacios
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio de Micología y Fitopatología, Universidad de Los Andes, Cra 1 Nº 18A- 12, Bogotá 111711, Colombia.
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Restrepo
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D003105:Colombia; D004271:DNA, Fungal / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D004484:Ecuador; D005656:Fungal Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D014644:Genetic Variation; D006999:Hypocreales / Q000145:classification* / Q000166:cytology / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D007313:Insecta / Q000382:microbiology*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D058974:Phylogeography; D012335:RNA, Ribosomal / Q000235:genetics; D012337:RNA, Ribosomal, 18S / Q000235:genetics; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D014329:Tropical Climate
chemical_list: D004271:DNA, Fungal; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal; D005656:Fungal Proteins; D012335:RNA, Ribosomal; D012337:RNA, Ribosomal, 18S; C065096:RNA, ribosomal, 26S
keywords: Diversity; Formicidae; Fulgoridae; Host specificity; Hypocreales; Taxonomy