Multigene phylogeny of the family Cordycipitaceae (Hypocreales): new taxa and the new systematic position of the Chinese cordycipitoid fungusPaecilomyces hepiali

The phylogeny and systematics of cordycipitoid fungi have been extensively studied in the last two decades. However, systematic positions of some taxa in the family Cordycipitaceae have not yet been thoroughly resolved. In this study, a new phylogenetic framework of Cordycipitaceae is reconstructed using multigene (nrSSU, nrLSU, tef-1 alpha, rpb1andrpb2) sequence data with large-scale taxon sampling. In addition, ITS sequence data of species belonging to theLecanicilliumlineage in the family Cordycipitaceae are used to further determine their phylogenetic placements. Based on molecular phylogenetic data together with morphological evidence, two new genera (FlavocilliumandLiangia), 16 new species and four new combinations are introduced. In the new genusFlavocillium, one new speciesF. bifurcatumand three new combinations previously described asLecanicillium, namelyF. acerosium, F. primuliniumandF. subprimulinium, are proposed.The genusLiangiais built by the new speciesLia. sinensiswithLecanicillium-like asexual morph, isolated from an entomopathogenic fungusBeauveria yunnanensis. Due to the absence ofPaecilomyces hepiali, an economically and medically significant fungus, in the earlier phylogenetic analyses, its systematic position has been puzzling in both business and academic communities for a long time. Here,P. hepialiis recharacterized using the holotype material along with seven additional samples. It is assigned to the genusSamsoniella(Cordycipitaceae, Hypocreales) possessingCordyceps-like sexual morph andIsaria-like asexual morph, and thus a new combination, namelyS. hepialiis proposed.An additional nine new species inSamsoniellaare described:S. alpina, S. antleroides, S. cardinalis, S. cristata, S. lanmaoa, S. kunmingensis,S. ramosa, S. tortricidaeandS. yunnanensis.Four new species inCordycepsare described:C. chaetoclavata, C. cocoonihabita, C. shuifuensisandC. subtenuipes.Simplicillium yunnanense, isolated from synnemata ofAkanthomyces waltergamsii, is described as a new species.