New species and new combinations in the genus Paraisaria (Hypocreales, Ophiocordycipitaceae) from the U.S.A., supported by polyphasic analysis

Abstract

Molecular phylogenetic and chemical analyses, and morphological characterization of collections of North American Paraisaria specimens support the description of two new species and two new combinations for known species. P. cascadensissp. nov. is a pathogen of Cyphoderris (Orthoptera) from the Pacific Northwest USA and P. pseudoheteropodasp. nov. is a pathogen of cicadae (Hemiptera) from the Southeast USA. New combinations are made for Ophiocordyceps insignis and O. monticola based on morphological, ecological, and chemical study. A new cyclopeptide family proved indispensable in providing chemotaxonomic markers for resolving species in degraded herbarium specimens for which DNA sequencing is intractable. This approach enabled the critical linkage of a 142-year-old type specimen to a phylogenetic clade. The diversity of Paraisaria in North America and the utility of chemotaxonomy for the genus are discussed.