Studies On Relationship Between Cordyceps Spp.and Their Anamorphs

The different developing stages of Cordyceps spp. have been used in description of new species and pleomorphism is very common in the genus Cordyceps so that there are some problems in classification of Cordyceps, identification of anamorphs, development and application of both Cordyceps and its anamorphs. Restriction fragment lenth polymorphism (RFLP) analysis n random amplified polymorphic DNA analysis [RAPD], the sequence analysis of internal transcribed spacers (ITS) of ribosomal DNA (rDNA), induction of microcyclic conidiation, SEM (scanning electron microscopy) ascosporal isolation and other methods were applied to study more than 100 specimens or isolates of Cordyceps, its anamorphs and other entomogenous fungi. The main results were following:Based on some powerful evidence provided by using the classic and molecular biological methods it is determined that C. nepalensis and C. multiaxialis are synonym of Cordyceps sinensis, the anamorph of C. sinensis is Hirsutella sinensis and the relative relationship between anamorphs and teleomorphs of other Cordyceps spp.are Paecilomyces gunnii-- C.gunnii (Paecilomyces hawkesii~C. hawkesii), Beauveria bronginartii-C. bronginartii, Metarhizium anisopliae var. Majus-C. Brittlebanksoides, Beauveria sobolifera--C. Sobolifera, Mariannaea pruinosa--C. Pruinosa, Paecilomyces militaris--C. Militaris, Septofusidium bifusisporum-C. Bifusispora etc. C. gansuensis and C. crassospora are possibly also synonym of C. sinensis.The results from RFLP showed Metarhizium bifusisporium and M. Cylindrica are same fungus, Metarhizium taii and M. Guizhouensis are the same, Paecilomyces gunnii and Paecilomyces hawkesii maybe are same . Based on the results of RFLP there are clear differences between species in both genera Metarhizium and Paecilomyces.The phylogenetic relationship of Cordyceps based on the ITS sequence analysis of rDNA showed all of the species in this experiment have been divided into two groups by molecular systematic classification, group one including the species with perithecia wholly immersed, and group two including those with perithecia not or half immersed. It means the position of perithecia in the stroma is very important characteristic. In theimmersed group, 3 species with perithecia obliquely immersed are located in same subgroup, and these species with perithecia vertical immersed in the other subgroup.In the not immersed group, all of species have perithecia not immersed or half immersed but C. ophioglossoides which grows on Ellomyces and C. cantheraloides which has stroma as Agaricus have. In subgroup, there are no differences between specimens of same species from different places for instance C. militaris or a ittle differences for example C. Sobolifera.According to above analysis a new classified criterion proposed is that in classification of the genus Cordyceps whether the perithecia are immersed or not should be the first classified characteristic, which is quite different from the classic ones. At the same time based on the investigations, isolation and identification of Cordyceps spp. and other entomogenous fungi collected from more than 10 different ecological places or natural preserves in southwest China. Seven new species including 3 species of Cordyceps and 4 species of mitosporic fungi are described. They are Cordyceps maolanensis sp. Nov., C. guizhouensis sp.nov, C. brittlebanksoides sp. nov., Paecilomyces odonatae sp. nov., Septofusidium bifusisporum sp. nov., Tolypocladium barnesii sp. nov.,and Beauviria sobolifera sp. nov..