Metarhizium guniujiangense (C.R. Li, B. Huang, M.Z. Fan & Z.Z. Li) Kepler, S.A. Rehner & Humber

Chen, Ming-Jun, Lin, Yan, Wang, Ting, Zhang, Sheng-Li & Huang, Bo, 2022, Metarhizium macrosemiae sp. nov. and the anamorph of M. guniujiangense on adult cicada from Guniujiang Nature Preserve, southeastern China, Phytotaxa 575 (1), pp. 68-78 : 75-76

Metarhizium guniujiangense (C.R. Li, B. Huang, M.Z. Fan & Z.Z. Li) Kepler, S.A. Rehner & Humber Fig. 3 .

Description:— Specimens found on adult cicada ( Hemiptera : Cicadidae ). Hosts covered by mycelium, pale green to greyish green, with heavy sporulation. Conidia smooth-walled, dimorphic; microconidia ovoid, ellipsoidal, 3.7–5.4 × 2.7–3.1 μm; macroconidia cylindrical, 13.0–16.0 × 3.3–4.0 μm.

Cultural characteristics:— Colonies on SDAY/4 attaining a diam. of 39–43 mm in 14 d, mycelium floccose, cottony, pale yellow. Sporulation starts at 7 d after inoculation, reverse pale brown in center. Mycelium white, composed of branched, septate, smooth-walled, hyaline hyphae, 1.4–2.0 μm wide. Conidiophores arising from hyphae, smoothwalled. Phialides in a group of two to eight borne directly on metulae, smooth-walled, clavate, 5.0–6.5 × 2.0–2.5 μm. Conidia smooth-walled, dimorphic; microconidia formed first, ovoid, ellipsoidal, 4.2–5.7 × 2.0–3.0 μm; macroconidia formed later, cylindrical, 14.5–18.0 × 3.0–3.6 μm.

Colonies on PDA attaining a diam. of 50–52 mm in 14 d, floccose, cream to green with age. Sporulation starts at 7 d after inoculation, reverse green in center. Mycelium white, composed of branched, septate, smooth-walled, hyaline hyphae, 1.6–2.3 μm wide. Conidiophores arising from hyphae, smooth-walled. Phialides in a group of two to eight borne directly on metulae, smooth-walled, cylindrical, 4.5–6.0 × 2.0–3.0 μm. Conidia smooth-walled, dimorphic; microconidia formed first, ovoid, ellipsoidal, 4.5–5.5 × 2.5–3.0 μm; macroconidia formed later, cylindrical, 15.0–17.0 × 2.5–3.5 μm.

Colonies on OA attaining a diam. of 48–54 mm in 14 d, mycelium floccose, cottony, cream to olive green. Sporulation starts at 7 d after inoculation, reverse green in center. Mycelium white, composed of branched, septate, smooth-walled, hyaline hyphae, 1.5–2.0 μm wide. Conidiophores arising from hyphae, smooth-walled. Phialides in a group of two to eight borne directly on metulae, smooth-walled, cylindrical, 4.8–5.7 × 2.0–3.0 μm. Conidia smoothwalled, dimorphic; microconidia formed first, ovoid, ellipsoidal, 4.0–5.5(–7) × 2.4–3.1 μm; macroconidia formed later, cylindrical, 16.0–19.0(–22) × 3.2–4.0 μm.

Specimens examined:— CHINA. Guniujiang Nature Preserve, Anhui, two adults of Pomponia ( Hemiptera : Cicadidae ) collected from upper side of leaf in forest, 14 Aug 2020, Y. Lin, T. Wang & M.J. Chen (GNJ20200814-48, RCEF 6758; GNJ20200814-21, RCEF 6740).

Figures

FIGURE 3. Metarhizium guniujiangense (GNJ20200814-48, RCEF 6758). A. Fungus on adult cicada. B. Macroconidia on insect host. C. Microconidia on insect host. D–E. Colonies on SDAY/4. F. Conidiophores bearing phialides and conidia on SDAY/4. G. Macro- and microconidia on SDAY/4. H–I. Colonies on PDA. J. Conidiophores bearing phialides and conidia on PDA. K. Macro- and microconidia on PDA. L–M. Colonies on OA. N. Conidiophores bearing phialides and conidia on OA. O. Macro- and microconidia on OA. Scale bars: A = 10 mm, D–E, H–I, L–M = 15 mm, B–C, F–G, J–K, N–O = 10 μm.