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Rich and diverse fungal species occur in different habitats on the earth. Many new taxa are being reported and described in increasing numbers with the advent of molecular phylogenetics. However, there are still a number of unknown fungi that have not yet been discovered and described. During a survey of fungal diversity in different habitats in China, we identified and proposed two new species, based on the morphology and multi-gene phylogenetic analyses. Herein, we report the descriptions, illustrations and molecular phylogeny of the two new species, Bisifusarium keratinophilum sp. nov. and Ovatospora sinensis sp. nov.

Ophiocordyceps is the largest genus in Ophiocordycipitaceae and has a broad distribution with high diversity in subtropical and tropical regions. In this study, two new species, pathogenic on lepidopteran larvae are introduced, based on morphological observation and molecular phylogeny. Ophiocordyceps fenggangensis sp. nov. is characterised by having fibrous, stalked stroma with a sterile tip, immersed perithecia, cylindrical asci and filiform ascospores disarticulating into secondary spores. Ophiocordyceps liangii sp. nov. has the characteristics of fibrous, brown, stipitate, filiform stroma, superficial perithecia, cylindrical asci and cylindrical-filiform, non-disarticulating ascospores. A new combination Ophiocordyceps musicaudata (syn. Cordyceps musicaudata) is established employing molecular analysis and morphological characteristics. Ophiocordyceps musicaudata is characterised by wiry, stipitate, solitary, paired to multiple stromata, yellowish, branched fertile part, brown stipe, immersed perithecia, cylindrical asci and cylindrical-filiform, non-disarticulating ascospores.

Samsoniella species have been often found in the forest habitat and rarely found in special karst eco-environments, such as Tiankeng, valleys and caves. In this research, eleven cordyceps specimens were collected from Mayao River Valley. A known species (S. haniana) and two new species (S. duyunensis and S. vallis) were established and described according to a multilocus phylogenetic analysis and morphological characteristics. Our results provide insight that the richness of Samsoniella species in karst eco-environments and further attention should be paid to entomopathogenic fungi in such habitats.

Akanthomyces species have only been reported from Guizhou and Qinghai Province, with few reports from other regions in China. In this research, the species diversity of Akanthomyces in the Jinyun Mountains, Chongqing was investigated. Fourteen infected spider specimens were collected and two new species (A. bashanensis and A. beibeiensis) and a known species (A. tiankengensis) were established and described according to a multi-locus phylogenetic analysis and the morphological characteristics. Our results reveal abundant Akanthomyces specimens and three species were found at Jinyun Mountain. Due to its being an important kind of entomopathogenic fungi, further attention needs to be paid to the diversity of other entomopathogenic fungi in Chongqing, China.

As China’s urbanisation continues to advance, more people are choosing to live in cities. However, this trend has a significant impact on the natural ecosystem. For instance, the accumulation of keratin-rich substrates in urban habitats has led to an increase in keratinophilic microbes. Despite this, there is still a limited amount of research on the prevalence of keratinophilic fungi in urban areas. Fortunately, our group has conducted in-depth investigations into this topic since 2015. Through our research, we have discovered a significant amount of keratinophilic fungi in soil samples collected from various urban areas in China. In this study, we have identified and characterised 18 new species through the integration of morphological and phylogenetic analyses. These findings reveal the presence of numerous unexplored fungal taxa in urban habitats, emphasising the need for further taxonomic research in urban China.

Clavicipitaceous fungi are pathogenic to scale insects, white flies and other insect orders. However, a few species are spider-associated. Two new genera from China, Neoaraneomyces and Pseudometarhizium, are described based on phylogenetic, ecological and morphological characteristics. Two spider-associated species, Neoaraneomyces araneicola, Pseudometarhizium araneogenum, and an insect-associated species Pseudometarhizium lepidopterorum are included. The morphological characteristics of paecilomyces-like conidiogenous structures, present in many insect/spiders associated species make species-level identifications difficult. A phylogenetic analysis of the combined dataset (ITS, LSU, RPB2 and TEF), placed the two new genera in Clavicipitaceae. The new spider-associated species may be the result of convergent evolution to adapt to the ecological environment and may have undergone host jumping or altered their nutritional preferences.

Using chicken feathers as bait, Acremonium globosisporum sp. nov. and Acremonium curvum sp. nov. were collected from the soil of Yuncheng East Garden Wildlife Zoo and Zhengzhou Zoo in China. They were identified by combining the morphological characteristics and the two-locus DNA sequence (LSU and ITS) analyses. In the phylogenetic tree, both new species clustered into separate subclades, respectively. They were different from their allied species in their morphology. The description, illustrations, and phylogenetic tree of the two new species were provided.

A new species, Pleurodesmospora lepidopterorum, isolated from a pupa, is introduced. Morphological comparisons and phylogenetic analyses based on multigene datasets (ITS+RPB1+RPB2+TEF) support the establishment of the new species. Pleurodesmospora lepidopterorum is distinguished from P. coccorum by its longer conidiogenous pegs located in the terminal or lateral conidiophores, and smaller subglobose or ellipsoidal conidia. A combined dataset of RPB1, RPB2, and TEF confirmed the taxonomic placement of Pleurodesmospora in Cordycipitaceae for the first time.

Samsoniella species have been found on lepidopteran larvae or pupae buried in soil or leaf litter. Three new species, Samsoniella hymenopterorum, S. coleopterorum and S. lepidopterorum, parasitic on hymenopteran larvae, coleopteran larvae and lepidopteran pupae, respectively, are reported. Morphological comparisons with extant species and DNA-based phylogenies from analysis of a multigene (ITS, RPB1, RPB2 and TEF) dataset supported the establishment of the new species. Unusually, all three new species have mononematous conidiophores. The new species are clearly distinct from other species in Samsoniella occurring in separate subclades.

In this paper, we introduce three new species of Simplicillium, viz. S. cicadellidae, S. formicidae and S. lepidopterorum, which were isolated from an infected leafhopper, ant and carpenterworm, respectively. Morphological comparisons and phylogenetic analyses based on multigene datasets (LSU+RPB1+RPB2+TEF and ITS+LSU) support the establishment of the three new species. Simplicillium cicadellidae was distinguished from other species in morphological characteristics by having smaller phialides and ellipsoidal conidia, and lacking octahedral crystals. The reverse of colonies were yellowish (#FFBF00), especially in the middle, and radially sulcate. Simplicillium formicidae was morphologically distinguished from other by having longer phialides and filiform to fusoid conidia, and by lacking octahedral crystals. Simplicillium lepidopterorum was morphologically distinguished from other species by having smaller, ellipsoidal to fusiform conidia, and by lacking octahedral crystals. The reverse of the colony was pale white. The three new species are likely to be nourished by plant to animal (especially insect) nutrients based on the evolutionary pattern of the Hypocreales, and they are described herein as being clearly distinct from other species in Simplicillium.