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Article

Phylogeny and Taxonomy of Spider-Pathogenic Gibellula (Cordycipitaceae, Hypocreales) from the Lancang–Mekong Biodiversity Hotspot: Four New Species and Five New National Records

by
Bo Tu
1,†,
Hui Chen
2,†,
Xu Zhang
2,
De-Xiang Tang
2,3,
Van-Minh Dao
4,
Chanhom Loinheuang
5 and
Yao Wang
2,3,*
1
State Key Laboratory of Functions and Applications of Medicinal Plants, Guizhou Medical University, Guian New District, Guiyang 561113, China
2
State Key Laboratory of Discovery and Utilization of Functional Components in Traditional Chinese Medicine, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guizhou Medical University, Guian New District, Guiyang 561113, China
3
The High Efficacy Application of Natural Medicinal Resources Engineering Center of Guizhou Province, Guizhou Medical University, Guian New District, Guiyang 561113, China
4
Institute of Regional Research and Development, Ministry of Science and Technology, Hanoi 100803, Vietnam
5
Department of Biology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, National University of Laos, Vientiane 01080, Laos
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
†
These authors contributed equally to this work.
J. Fungi 2026, 12(5), 357; https://doi.org/10.3390/jof12050357
Submission received: 15 April 2026 / Revised: 9 May 2026 / Accepted: 11 May 2026 / Published: 12 May 2026
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ascomycota: Diversity, Taxonomy and Phylogeny, 4th Edition)
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Abstract

Gibellula (Cordycipitaceae, Hypocreales) represents a group of highly specialized obligate fungal pathogens restricted to spider hosts. Species delimitation was conducted using morphological characteristics in combination with multilocus phylogenetic analyses (nrSSU, ITS, nrLSU, tef1-α, rpb1, rpb2), and we recognized nine spider-associated Gibellula species from specimens collected in the Lancang–Mekong biodiversity hotspot (China, Laos, Thailand, and Vietnam). Among them, four are described as new to science: Gibellula longiconidiophora sp. nov., G. mekongensis sp. nov., G. ovorum sp. nov., and G. pseudopilosa sp. nov. The other five species represent new national distributional records: G. yunnanensis (new to Laos), G. pseudopigmentosa (new to Thailand), G. trimorpha (new to Vietnam), G. penicillioides (new to Laos), and G. scorpioides (new to China and Laos). Phylogenetic analyses resolved these taxa into well-supported lineages. Notably, G. ovorum is a rare example of a Gibellula species parasitizing spider egg sacs rather than adult spiders, revealing an unusual substrate shift. Morphological distinctions among the new species include differences in conidiophore length, synnematal development, conidial size, and sporulation patterns. Detailed descriptions, illustrations, and taxonomic comparisons are provided. This study significantly expands the known diversity and geographic distribution of Gibellula in the Lancang–Mekong region and underscores the importance of integrative taxonomy for uncovering hidden diversity in spider-pathogenic fungi.
Keywords: new species; spider-pathogenic fungi; Gibellula; taxonomy; Lancang–Mekong Basin new species; spider-pathogenic fungi; Gibellula; taxonomy; Lancang–Mekong Basin

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MDPI and ACS Style

Tu, B.; Chen, H.; Zhang, X.; Tang, D.-X.; Dao, V.-M.; Loinheuang, C.; Wang, Y. Phylogeny and Taxonomy of Spider-Pathogenic Gibellula (Cordycipitaceae, Hypocreales) from the Lancang–Mekong Biodiversity Hotspot: Four New Species and Five New National Records. J. Fungi 2026, 12, 357. https://doi.org/10.3390/jof12050357

AMA Style

Tu B, Chen H, Zhang X, Tang D-X, Dao V-M, Loinheuang C, Wang Y. Phylogeny and Taxonomy of Spider-Pathogenic Gibellula (Cordycipitaceae, Hypocreales) from the Lancang–Mekong Biodiversity Hotspot: Four New Species and Five New National Records. Journal of Fungi. 2026; 12(5):357. https://doi.org/10.3390/jof12050357

Chicago/Turabian Style

Tu, Bo, Hui Chen, Xu Zhang, De-Xiang Tang, Van-Minh Dao, Chanhom Loinheuang, and Yao Wang. 2026. "Phylogeny and Taxonomy of Spider-Pathogenic Gibellula (Cordycipitaceae, Hypocreales) from the Lancang–Mekong Biodiversity Hotspot: Four New Species and Five New National Records" Journal of Fungi 12, no. 5: 357. https://doi.org/10.3390/jof12050357

APA Style

Tu, B., Chen, H., Zhang, X., Tang, D.-X., Dao, V.-M., Loinheuang, C., & Wang, Y. (2026). Phylogeny and Taxonomy of Spider-Pathogenic Gibellula (Cordycipitaceae, Hypocreales) from the Lancang–Mekong Biodiversity Hotspot: Four New Species and Five New National Records. Journal of Fungi, 12(5), 357. https://doi.org/10.3390/jof12050357

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