Morphology, phylogeny, and mitogenomics reveal a new entomopathogenic fungus, <i>Blackwellomyces changningensis</i> (Hypocreales, Clavicipitaceae), from southwestern China

Two species of <i>Blackwellomyces</i> (Clavicipitaceae, Hypocreales, Ascomycota) were discovered during an investigation of the diversity of entomopathogenic fungi. A new fungus and one known fungal species that were gathered from Yunnan Province were described in this study. <i>Blackwellomyces changningensis</i>, sp. nov. was described using morphology and phylogenetic evidence from 14 mitochondrial protein-coding gene (PCG) data sets (<i>atp6, atp8, atp9, cob, cox1, cox2, cox3, nad1, nad2, nad3, nad4, nad5, nad6</i>, and <i>nad4L</i>) and six nuclear genes (ITS [ITS4 and ITS5], 18S nuc rDNA [18S], 28S nuc rDNA [28S], <i>tef1-α, rpb1</i>, and <i>rpb2</i>). <i>B. changningensis</i> were found parasitic to Lepidoptera larvae and to produce filiform ascospores with septations. The asexual conidia were ovoid to ellipsoid in shape. Phylogenetic analysis and morphological observations concurred that the fungus belonged to a different species within the genus of <i>Blackwellomyces</i>. The foundation for further taxonomic, genetic, and evolutionary biological studies of the genus <i>Blackwellomyces</i> was laid by this work.