Morphological and phylogenetic analyses reveal three new species of Gibellula (Cordycipitaceae, Hypocreales) from spiders

The genus <i>Gibellula</i> (Cordycipitaceae) comprises spider-pathogenic fungi. Three new species, <i>G. pseudopigmentosa</i>, <i>G. pseudosolita</i>, and <i>G. sinensis</i>, were discovered on spiders in the leaf litter of forests in Yunnan and Jilin provinces, China, and in Vientiane Prefecture and Oudomxay Province, Laos. Morphological and multi-locus phylogenetic analyses (based on nrSSU, ITS, nrLSU, <i>tef-1α</i>, <i>rpb</i>1, and <i>rpb</i>2) support their recognition as distinct taxa. <i>Gibellula pseudopigmentosa</i> is distinguished from its sister species, <i>G. pigmentosinum</i>, by smaller perithecia and shorter ascospores. <i>Gibellula pseudosolita</i> differs from its close relatives by producing multiple synnemata per host and possessing smaller conidia. <i>Gibellula sinensis</i> is characterized by shorter conidiophores and smaller conidial heads compared with morphologically similar species. This study presents the first formal record of <i>Gibellula</i> from Laos, significantly expanding the known distribution of the genus in Southeast Asia and contributing to our understanding of its diversity.