A new species of Purpureocillium (Ophiocordycipitaceae) fungus parasitizing trapdoor spiders in Brazil’s Atlantic Forest and its associated microbiome revealed through in situ “taxogenomics”
Our planet is inhabited by an estimated 2.5 million species of fungi, of which fewer than 10% have been scientifically described. Some of the most understudied yet remarkable fungal species are those capable of parasitizing arthropods, notably insects and spiders. Here, we explore the hidden diversity of a spider-attacking (araneopathogenic) fungus and its associated microbiome in one of the world's most biodiverse yet threatened biomes, the Atlantic Forest. We apply a field-based "taxogenomic" approach, comprising the integration of classical fungal taxonomy and genomic characterization of a sample's endogenous, associated, and incidental DNA. The data we produced in the field reveal a new species of <i>Purpureocillium</i> fungus belonging to the <i>P. atypicola</i> group, parasitizing trapdoor spiders, and provide a snapshot of its associated bacterial and fungal microbiota. Molecular, morphological, and ecological data support <i>P. atypicola</i> as a complex of cryptic species infecting a variety of ecologically distinct spider species globally. We call for consolidated efforts to accelerate and facilitate the publication of both new species and the characterization of the genomic composition of their associated taxa.
Authors
- Pável F. Matos‐Maraví (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2885-4919)
- Genivaldo Alves-Silva (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8142-6665)
- Kelmer Martins-Cunha (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0545-5966)
- Elisandro Ricardo Drechsler‐Santos (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3702-8715)
- Oscar A. Pérez‐Escobar (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9166-2410)
- Natalia A. S. Przelomska (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9207-4565)
- Mar Repullés (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0006-9195-0379)
- Allison Perrigo (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6565-6305)
- Alexandre Antonelli (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1842-9297)
- Roseina Woods (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7144-7251)
- Tsuyoshi Hosoya (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5360-5677)
- Rhian J. Smith (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2836-0246)
- João P. M. Araújo (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2529-7691)
- Janet Jennifer Luangsa-ard (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6801-2145)
Institutions
- University of Copenhagen (DK)
- Lund University (SE)
- Czech Academy of Sciences (CZ)
- Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (GB)
- University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice (CZ)
- University of Oxford (GB)
- Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina (BR)
- Institute for Biodiversity (DE)
- Institute of Entomology (CZ)
- National Museum of Nature and Science (JP)
- Czech Academy of Sciences, Biology Centre (CZ)
- University of Portsmouth (GB)
- University of Gothenburg (SE)
- National Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (TH)
Publication Details
- Journal
- IMA Fungus
- Published
- 2025-12-12
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.3897/imafungus.16.168534
- Primary Topic
- Infectious Diseases and Mycology
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00
Funders
- Stiftelsen för Miljöstrategisk Forskning
- Kungl. Vetenskaps- och Vitterhets-Samhället i Göteborg
- Grantová Agentura České Republiky
- Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico
- Vetenskapsrådet