Insight into the Systematics of Novel Entomopathogenic Fungi Associated with Armored Scale Insect, Kuwanaspis howardi (Hemiptera: Diaspididae) in China

This study led to the discovery of three entomopathogenic fungi associated with Kuwanaspis howardi, a scale insect on Phyllostachys heteroclada (fishscale bamboo) and Pleioblastus amarus (bitter bamboo) in China. Two of these species belong to Podonectria: P. kuwanaspidis X.L. Xu & C.L. Yang sp. nov. and P. novae-zelandiae Dingley. The new species P. kuwanaspidis has wider and thicker setae, longer and wider asci, longer ascospores, and more septa as compared with similar Podonectria species. The morphs of extant species P. novae-zelandiae is confirmed based on sexual and asexual morphologies. Maximum likelihood and Bayesian inference analyses of ITS, LSU, SSU, tef1-alpha, and rpb2 sequence data provide further evidence for the validity of the two species and their placement in Podonectriaceae (Pleosporales). The second new species, Microcera kuwanaspidis X.L. Xu & C.L. Yang sp. nov., is established based on DNA sequence data from ITS, LSU, SSU, tef1-alpha, rpb1, rpb2, acl1, act, cmdA, and his3 gene regions, and it is characterized by morphological differences in septum numbers and single conidial mass.

Automated summary

This study identified three entomopathogenic fungi associated with Kuwanaspis howardi, a scale insect on Phyllostachys heteroclada and Pleioblastus amarus in China. Two new species were established within the genus Podonectria, including P. kuwanaspidis and P. novae-zelandiae. Molecular and morphological analyses provided evidence for the validity of these species and their placement in the family Podonectriaceae within the order Pleosporales.