A new species of entomopathogenic fungi, Lecanicilliumcauligalbarum, was discovered from a survey of invertebrate-associated fungi in the Yao Ren National Forest Mountain Park in China. The synnemata of this species emerged from the corpse of a stemborer (Lepidoptera), which was hidden amongst pieces of wood on the forest floor. It differs from morphologically similar Lecanicillium species mainly in its short conidiogenous cells and ellipsoid to ovoid and aseptate conidia. Phylogenetic analysis of a combined data set comprising ITS, SSU, LSU, TEF, RPB1 and RPB2 sequence data supported the inclusion of L.cauligalbarum in the Lecanicillium genus and its recognition as a distinct species.
Keywords: Lecanicillium; Entomopathogenic fungi; multiple genes; new species; phylogeny.