Figure 1.
a) Original plate from the 1865 Selecta Fungorum Carpologia of the Tulasne brothers [4], illustrating the holotype of Ophiocordyceps (Torrubia) unilateralis and said to be on the leaf-cutting ant, Atta cephalotes; b) Detail from plate showing the distinctive pronotal plate of Camponotus sericeiventris, as well as a side view of the host which is clearly a carpenter ant and not a leaf-cutter; compare with c) Live worker of C. sericeiventris showing the spines on the pronotal plate (arrow).
Figure 2.
Ophiocordyceps camponoti-rufipedis.
a) Single stroma, characteristic of Ophiocordyceps unilateralis sensu lato, with two lateral ascomatal cushions or plates arising from the dorsal pronotum of Camponotus rufipes (the red-legged ant), firmly attached to a leaf vein (bar = 0.8 mm); b) Detail of fertile region showing the immersed to partially erumpent ascomata within the cushions, with the short necks or ostioles visible (bar = 0.4 mm); c) Section through an ascomatal cushion showing the mainly immersed arrangement of ascomata (bar = 150 µm), and detail of asci within chamber (d, bar = 25 µm); e) Asci, clavate in shape and with prominent refractive cap (arrow, bar = 7.5 µm).
Figure 3.
Ophiocordyceps camponoti-rufipedis.
a) Section of upper part of stroma showing anamorph (Hirsutella A-type), with a palisade of phialides, subulate at the base and tapering to a needle-like neck producing narrowly limoniform conidia (bar = 10 µm); b) Ascospores newly released onto agar, distinctly vermiform in shape (bar = 15 µm); c) Ascospore germinating after 24 h on agar, with a needle-like outgrowth (capilliconidiophore) producing a terminal conidium with prominent cap (bar = 10 µm).
Table 1.
Comparison of main morphological characters of new Ophiocordyceps species.
Figure 4.
Ophiocordyceps camponoti-balzani.
a) Stroma of Ophiocordyceps on Camponotus balzani (bar = 1 mm); b) Detail of semi-erumpent ascomata with prominent ostioles (bar = 0.4 mm); c) Section through cushion showing arrangement and semi-erumpent nature of ascomata (bar = 150 µm); d) Close-ups from a) of mycelial cushions (sporodochia) on legs and antennae (bar = 0.2 mm), showing Hirsutella C-type phialides (e, bar = 10 µm) and apical conidia (f, bar = 5.0 µm); g) Section through ascoma showing prominent ostiole and ascus tips with refractive caps (bar = 30 µm); h) Ascospore, broadly cylindrical, large and multiseptate (bar = 12.5 µm, compare with Fig. 3b); i) Ascospore after one month on agar, slightly swollen and producing a lateral swelling, probably a vestigial appressorium (bar = 12.5 µm).
Figure 5.
Ophiocordyceps camponoti-melanotici.
a) Camponotus melanoticus biting into a leaf, the upper part of the stroma is forked, probably due to damage during growth (bar = 1 mm); b) Detail of ascomatal cushion showing semi-erumpent ascomata with prominent ostioles (bar = 0.25 mm); c) Section through cushion (bar = 200 µm), with detail of ostiolar region (d, bar = 75 µm); e) Ascospores released from ascomata (bar = 25 µm), and f) Ascospore after one month on agar showing solitary phialide (Hirsutella A-type, bar = 10 µm).
Figure 6.
Ophiocordyceps camponoti-novogranadensis.
a) Infected Camponotus novogranadensis biting into a lichen epiphyte with anamorph synnemata (Hirsutella B-type) arising from feet (bar = 0.3 mm), and highlighted in b) and c) (bar = 0.4 mm); d) Section through ascomatal cushion (bar = 100 µm); e) Ascomatal cushions with white masses of discharged ascospores (bar = 0.3 mm).
Figure 7.
Ophiocordyceps camponoti-novogranadensis.
a) Anamorph (Hirsutella B-type) showing detail of conidiogenesis (bar = 15 µm), and biguttulate conidia (b, bar = 10 µm); c) Asci with small but prominent caps (bar = 10 µm). d) Ascospore after 48 h on agar producing four capilliconidiophores (bar = 10 µm); e) Filiform ascospore (bar = 5 µm).