Ophiocordyceps karstii

Ophiocordyceps karstii T.C. Wen, Y.P. Xiao & K.D. Hyde [as 'karstii'], in Li et al., Fungal Diversity Notes 78: 10.1007/s13225-016-0366-9, [93] (2016)

Index Fungorum number: IF 551814, Facesoffungi number: FoF 01795

Parasitic in larva of Hepialus jianchuanensis, brown to dark brown, forming yellow to brownish stromata. Sexual morph: Thallus within host white, composed of intercalary hyphal bodies. Stromata mostly single, 140–145 × 2–4 mm, stipitate arising from head of the host. Stipe 12 cm long, 2 mm wide, clavate, with a fertile apex, becoming golden yellow to brownish yellow when mature. Fertile head 20–25 mm long, 2–4 mm diam., clavate, light yellow to yellow-brown, upper surface roughened, covered with white non compact mycelium. Ascomata 600–765 × 247–323 μm (x̄= 683 × 285 μm, n = 30), superficial, yellow to brown, flask-shaped, thick-walled, ostiole on the top. Peridium 63–42 mm (x̄ = 52 μm, n = 60) wide, three layers. Asci 186–228 × 8–12 μm (x̄ = 207 × 10 μm, n = 60), 8-spored, hyaline, narrow cylindrical, with a thickened apex. Apical cap 5–7 μm (x̄ = 6 μm, n = 60) diam. Ascospores 173–202 × 3–5 μm (x̄= 188 × 4 μm, n = 60) fasciculate, fusiform, smooth, as long as asci, hyaline, 10–18 septate, not breaking into secondly spores. Asexual morph: Undetermined. (Adopted from Li et al. 2016)

Known hosts and distribution: on dead larva of Tenebrionoidea (China) (Li et al. 2016)

Moelecular data: MFLU 15-3884 (SSU = KU854952, RPB1 = KU854943, TEF = KU854945). (Li et al. 2016)