Jenniferia thomisidarum Mongkolsamrit, Noisripoom & Tasanathai sp. nov.

Fig. 7

Typification.

Etymology.

Named after the host belonging to the family Thomisidae ( Araneae).

Description.

Spider hosts covered by dense greyish-brown mycelium (199C-D). Sexual morph: Stromata non-stipitate. Perithecia growing in subiculum, aggregated in clusters, superficial, obpyriform, 850-1100 × 300-400 µm, ostiole pale brown. Asci cylindrical, 8-spored, 520-700 µm long, 4-6 µm broad, with cap 2-6 µm thick. Ascospores hyaline, whole ascospores with septate part-spores alternately connected with thread-like structures, three-terminal cells on each end with six alternating pairs of cells and filament, eighteen cells per ascospore, up to 680 µm long, each cell narrowly fusiform, 10-20 × 1-2 µm, filiform regions, 30-50 × 0.2-0.8 µm . Asexual morph: Synnemata arising from the mycelial mat, numerous, greyish-brown, cylindrical to clavate, erect up to 800 µm long, 30-100 µm broad. Conidiogenous cells producing at the upper part of synnemata, mostly monophialidic or some polyphialidic. Phialides cylindrical, (7)10-15(16) × 2-4(5) µm, tapering into a distinct neck, (1)1.5-3.5(5) × 1-1.5 µm . Conidia hyaline, fusiform, cylindrical, (3)8.5-10.5(12) × 1-3 µm .

Culture characteristics.

Colonies on OA attaining a diam. of (12)14-15 mm in 21 days, cottony with high mycelium density, white, reverse pale orange (165D), poor sporulation. Phialides arising from aerial hyphae, solitary, awl-shaped, lecanicillium-like, 20-40 × 1-2 µm . Conidia in chains, hyaline, fusiform, cylindrical, smooth, (3)7.5-10.5(12) × (1.5)2-2.5(3) µm .

Colonies on PDA attaining a diam. of 8-10 mm in 21 days, cottony with high mycelium density in the middle of colonies, mycelium with low density around the margin of colonies, pale orange, reverse moderate orange (167D), poor sporulation. Phialides arising from aerial hyphae, solitary, awl-shaped, lecanicillium-like, 10-35 × 1-2 µm . Conidia in the chains, hyaline, fusiform, cylindrical, smooth, (3)6.5-9.5(10) × (1.5)2-2.5(3) µm .

Host.

Spiders ( Araneae, Thomisidae, Diaea cf. dorsata).

Habitat.

Specimens were found on the underside of dicot leaves of forest plants.

Additional materials examined.

Thailand, Nakhon Ratchasima Province, Khao Yai National Park, 14°26'20.72"N, 101°22'20.02"E, on spider (Non-web builder, Araneae, Thomisidae, Diaea cf. dorsata) attached to the underside of a dicot leaf of forest plants, 23 July 2009, K. Tasanathai, P. Srikitikulchai, S. Mongkolsamrit, R. Ridkaew, MY5032.02 (BBH 29502, paratype), ex-paratype culture BCC 37882 isolated from conidia; idem, 7 August 2011, K. Tasanathai, P. Srikitikulchai, S. Mongkolsamrit, A. Khonsanit, W. Noisripoom, K. Sansatchanon, MY6813 (BBH 30660, culture BCC 48932); idem, 3 August 2011, K. Tasanathai, P. Srikitikulchai, S. Mongkolsamrit, A. Khonsanit, W. Noisripoom, K. Sansatchanon, MY6866 (BBH 30690), culture BCC 49257; idem, 9 August 2012, K. Tasanathai, S. Mongkolsamrit, A. Khonsanit, W. Noisripoom, MY7598 (BBH 32822), culture BCC 54482; MY7599 (BBH 32823), culture BCC 54483; MY7600 (BBH 32824), culture BCC 32824; idem, 26 June 2012, K. Tasanathai, P. Srikitikulchai, S. Mongkolsamrit, A. Khonsanit, W. Noisripoom, K. Sansatchanon, R. Somnuk, MY8636 (BBH 35789), culture BCC 64182; idem, 7 August 2013, P. Srikitikulchai, S. Mongkolsamrit, A. Khonsanit, W. Noisripoom, MY8878 (BBH 336396), culture BCC 66224 .

Notes. In sexual morph specimens found in nature, Jenniferia thomisidarum resembles J. griseocinerea by the formation of non-stipitate ascomata. The perithecia of both species are superficial and aggregate in clusters, challenging the identification of the species rank. The ascospores are of the same type by septate part-spores alternately connected with thread-like structures along the whole ascospore (Fig. 2d). Ascospores in J. thomisidarum are longer than those reported for J. griseocinerea (Table 2). Jenniferia thomisidarum differs from J. griseocinerea in the size and shape of the perithecia and asci. In J. thomisidarum, perithecia and asci are larger and longer than those reported for J. griseocinerea (850- 1100 × 300-400 µm vs. 650-850 × 250-320 µm; 520-700 × 4-6 µm vs. 375-460 × 5-6 µm). The perithecia in J. thomisidarum are obpyriform, while perithecia in J. griseocinerea are ovoid.