Polycephalomycetaceae Y. P. Xiao, Y. B. Wang, T. C. Wen, H. Yu & K. D. Hyde 2023

Polycephalomycetaceae Y. P. Xiao, Y. B. Wang, T. C. Wen, H. Yu & K. D. Hyde, 2023. Polycephalomyces Kobayasi 1941. Notes. Polycephalomyces is a genus established by Kobayasi (1941), with Po. formosus as its type species. Kepler et al. (2013) reclassified several species into Polycephalomyces based on molecular phylogenetic analyses, confirming its placement within Ophiocordycipitaceae under the “ One Fungus One Name ” principle. This principle unifies the taxonomies of sexual and asexual morphs (Hawksworth et al. 2011; Kepler et al. 2013; Quandt et al. 2014). Matočec et al. (2014) proposed a new genus, Perennicordyceps, for four Polycephalomyces species based on their distinct morphology, including superficial perithecia and hirsutella- or acremonium-like anamorphs. Xiao et al. (2023) transferred Polycephalomyces to Polycephalomycetaceae based on morphological and phylogenetic analyses. Species within this genus exhibit a broad host range, parasitizing insects and other fungi (e. g., Ophiocordyceps spp. and Elaphomyces spp.), highlighting their ecological versatility (Bischoff et al. 2005; Van Vooren and Audibert 2005; Ban et al. 2009; Wang et al. 2012; Matočec et al. 2014; Wang et al. 2015 a, 2015 b; Xiao et al. 2018; Sun et al. 2019; Wang et al. 2021; Xiao et al. 2023). In this study, we describe two new species of Polycephalomyces, further expanding the known diversity of this ecologically and taxonomically significant genus.