Phylogenetic, ecological and morphological characteristics reveal two new spider-associated genera in Clavicipitaceae

Clavicipitaceous fungi are pathogenic to scale insects, white flies and other insect orders. However, a few species are spider-associated. Two new genera from China, Neoaraneomyces and Pseudometarhizium, are described based on phylogenetic, ecological and morphological characteristics. Two spider-associated species, Neoaraneomyces araneicola, Pseudometarhizium araneogenum, and an insect-associated species Pseudometarhizium lepidopterorum are included. The morphological characteristics of paecilomyces-like conidiogenous structures, present in many insect/spiders associated species make species-level identifications difficult. A phylogenetic analysis of the combined dataset (ITS, LSU, RPB2 and TEF), placed the two new genera in Clavicipitaceae. The new spider-associated species may be the result of convergent evolution to adapt to the ecological environment and may have undergone host jumping or altered their nutritional preferences.

Automated summary

This study describes two new genera Neoaraneomyces and Pseudometarhizium from China, their spider-associated and insect-associated species, and the challenges of species-level identification due to similar morphological characteristics in many fungi. Phylogenetic analysis placed the new genera in Clavicipitaceae, suggesting possible convergent evolution and host jumping in the newly described spider-associated species.