<p> The genus <i>Ophiocordyceps</i> contains the most diverse assemblage of fungi attacking ants worldwide and are remarkably well adapted to the specific ecologies of their hosts. <i>Desmidiospora myrmecophila</i> is closely related to ant-pathogenic species within <i>Ophiocordyceps</i>, possibly specific to queens, but the sheer infrequency of encounters and previously unsuccessful attempts to culture this fungus has precluded any meaningful assessment until now. A new record of <i>Desmidiospora myrmecophila</i> from Louisiana was found infecting a foundress <i>Camponotus pennsylvanicus </i> queen, the same host species favored by the more common and ubiquitous ant-pathogenic <i>Ophiocordyceps</i> unilateralis found in the same geographic locality. To evaluate a long-held assumption that these fungi represent synanamorphs of a single species, we sampled our Desmidiospora specimen along with the local <i>O. unilateralis</i> population for molecular comparison. We are able to present for the first time the <i>in vitro </i> characteristics and morphology of <i>Desmidiospora myrmecophila</i> as well as a phylogenetic context for this fungus based on combined molecular analysis of representative members of the Ophiocordycipitaceae. Our results place the <i>Desmidiospora myrmecophila</i> lineage within the genus <i>Ophiocordyceps</i> but with a basal affiliation to the ant-pathogen clade. These results further implicate <i>Desmidiospora myrmecophila</i> as an important and quintessential example of cryptic diversity among an already taxonomically diverse and ecologically important group of fungi.</p><p>
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:PROQUEST/oai:pqdtoai.proquest.com:10844649 |
| Date | 12 April 2019 |
| Creators | Saltamachia, Stephen J. |
| Publisher | University of Louisiana at Lafayette |
| Source Sets | ProQuest.com |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | thesis |
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