Current nomenclatural changes in Cordyceps sensu lato and its multidisciplinary impacts

Mycology. 2017 Oct 5;8(4):293-302. doi: 10.1080/21501203.2017.1386242. eCollection 2017.

Abstract

Innumerable name changes have occurred in Cordyceps and allied taxa, after the phylogenetic classification of Cordyceps, coupled by the application of one fungus one name after the amendment of ICN. Complying with one fungus one name, many generic names have been protected for monophyletic clades in Clavicipitaceae and Ophiocordycipitaceae that have made tremendous transfer of Cordyceps spp. to both sexual and asexual genera. Species compositions of the accepted genera Ophiocordyceps, Tolypocladium, Metarhizium, Perennicordyceps, Polycephalomyces and Purpureocillium are briefly discussed to update the readers with the current placements of Cordyceps spp. Some examples of frequent name changes of Cordyceps spp. are also mentioned, with reference to use of older scientific names in non-mycological publications.

Keywords: Cordyceps sensu lato; entomopathogenic fungi; medicinal fungi; nomenclatural changes; one fungus one name; phylogenetic classification.

Publication types

  • Review

Grants and funding

This research was supported by Bio-industry Technology Development Program [316025–05] of IPET (Korea Institute of Planning and Evaluation for Technology in Food, Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries) and of Ministry for Food, Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Republic of Korea.