''Metarhizium'' is a

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus com ...

entomopathogenic fungi An entomopathogenic fungus is a fungus that can kill or seriously disable insects. Typical life cycle These fungi usually attach to the external body surface of insects in the form of microscopic spores (usually asexual, mitosporic spores also ...

in the

Clavicipitaceae The Clavicipitaceae are a family of fungi within the order Hypocreales. A 2008 estimate placed 43 genera in the family, but recent work has increased this number to 97. Phylogeny Molecular phylogenetic analysis of multigene DNA sequence data ...

family. With the advent of genetic profiling, placing these fungi in proper taxa has now become possible. Most turn out to be the asexual forms (

anamorph In mycology, the terms teleomorph, anamorph, and holomorph apply to portions of the life cycles of fungi in the phyla Ascomycota and Basidiomycota: *Teleomorph: the sexual reproductive stage (morph), typically a fruiting body. *Anamorph: an ase ...

s) of fungi in the phylum

Ascomycota Ascomycota is a phylum of the kingdom Fungi that, together with the Basidiomycota, forms the subkingdom Dikarya. Its members are commonly known as the sac fungi or ascomycetes. It is the largest phylum of Fungi, with over 64,000 species. The def ...

, including ''

Metacordyceps ''Metacordyceps'' is a genus of fungi in the family Clavicipitaceae. The anamorph In mycology, the terms teleomorph, anamorph, and holomorph apply to portions of the life cycles of fungi in the phyla Ascomycota and Basidiomycota: *Teleom ...

'' spp.

Species

Before molecular techniques were introduced at the end of the 20th century, ''Metarhizium'' species were identified on morphological (notably conidial) characteristics. The 'original' species included: '' M. anisopliae'' (with '' M.a. var. major''), '' M. brunneum'', '' M. cicadinum'', '' M. cylindrosporum'', '' M. flavoviride'', '' M. taii'', '' M. truncatum'', and '' M. viridicolumnare''. In 2009, nine former varieties of the type species '' M. anisopliae'' were assigned species status. New species have continued to be identified, with original names sometimes re-instated (notably '' M. brunneum''). The first complete chromosome length genome sequence for any ''Metarhizium'' was carried-out for this species at Swansea University in 2021. The ''

index fungorum ''Index Fungorum'' is an international project to index all formal names ( scientific names) in the fungus kingdom. the project is based at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, one of three partners along with Landcare Research and the Institute of M ...

'' currently (2021) lists: # '' Metarhizium aciculare'' H. Iwasaki, Tokiwa & Nonaka (2019) # ''

Metarhizium acridum ''Metarhizium acridum'' is the new name given to a group of fungal isolates that are known to be virulent and specific to the Acrididea (grasshoppers). Previously, this species has had variety status in ''Metarhizium anisopliae'' (var. ''acridu ...

'' (Driver & Milner) J.F. Bisch., S.A. Rehner & Humber (2009) (previously ''M. anisopliae'' var. ''acridum'') # '' Metarhizium alvesii'' R.B. Lopes, M. Faria, C. Montalva & R.A. Humber (2018) # ''

Metarhizium anisopliae ''Metarhizium robertsii'' formerly known as ''M. anisopliae'', and even earlier as ''Entomophthora anisopliae'' (basionym) is a fungus that grows naturally in soils throughout the world and causes disease in various insects by acting as a paras ...

'' (Metschn.) Sorokīn (1883) # ''

Metarhizium argentinense ''Metarhizium'' is a genus of entomopathogenic fungi in the Clavicipitaceae family. With the advent of genetic profiling, placing these fungi in proper taxa has now become possible. Most turn out to be the asexual forms ( anamorphs) of fungi in ...

'' A.C. Gutierrez, A. Leclerque & C.C. Lopez Lastra (2019) # ''

Metarhizium atrovirens ''Metarhizium'' is a genus of entomopathogenic fungi in the Clavicipitaceae family. With the advent of genetic profiling, placing these fungi in proper taxa has now become possible. Most turn out to be the asexual forms ( anamorphs) of fungi in ...

'' (Kobayasi & Shimizu) Kepler, S.A. Rehner & Humber (2014) # ''

Metarhizium baoshanense ''Metarhizium'' is a genus of entomopathogenic fungi in the Clavicipitaceae family. With the advent of genetic profiling, placing these fungi in proper taxa has now become possible. Most turn out to be the asexual forms ( anamorphs) of fungi in ...

'' Z.H. Chen, Ling Xu, X.N. Yang, Y.G. Zhang & Y.M. Yang (2018) # ''

Metarhizium bibionidarum ''Metarhizium'' is a genus of entomopathogenic fungi in the Clavicipitaceae family. With the advent of genetic profiling, placing these fungi in proper taxa has now become possible. Most turn out to be the asexual forms ( anamorphs) of fungi in ...

'' O. Nishi & H. Sato (2017) # ''

Metarhizium blattodeae ''Metarhizium'' is a genus of entomopathogenic fungi in the Clavicipitaceae family. With the advent of genetic profiling, placing these fungi in proper taxa has now become possible. Most turn out to be the asexual forms ( anamorphs) of fungi in ...

'' C. Montalva, Humber, K. Collier & C. Luz (2016) # ''

Metarhizium brachyspermum ''Metarhizium'' is a genus of entomopathogenic fungi in the Clavicipitaceae family. With the advent of genetic profiling, placing these fungi in proper taxa has now become possible. Most turn out to be the asexual forms ( anamorphs) of fungi in ...

'' Koh. Yamam., Ohmae & Orihara (2019) # ''

Metarhizium brasiliense ''Metarhizium'' is a genus of entomopathogenic fungi in the Clavicipitaceae family. With the advent of genetic profiling, placing these fungi in proper taxa has now become possible. Most turn out to be the asexual forms ( anamorphs) of fungi in ...

'' Kepler, S.A. Rehner & Humber (2014) # ''

Metarhizium brittlebankisoides ''Metarhizium'' is a genus of entomopathogenic fungi in the Clavicipitaceae family. With the advent of genetic profiling, placing these fungi in proper taxa has now become possible. Most turn out to be the asexual forms ( anamorphs) of fungi in ...

'' (Zuo Y. Liu, Z.Q. Liang, Whalley, Y.J. Yao & A.Y. Liu) Kepler, S.A. Rehner & Humber (2014) # ''

Metarhizium brunneum ''Metarhizium brunneum'', is the re-instated name of a group of reassigned ''Metarhizium'' isolates, previously grouped in the species "''Metarhizium anisopliae'' var. ''anisopliae''": based on a multigene phylogenetic approach using near-comple ...

'' Petch (1935) # ''

Metarhizium campsosterni ''Metarhizium'' is a genus of entomopathogenic fungi in the Clavicipitaceae family. With the advent of genetic profiling, placing these fungi in proper taxa has now become possible. Most turn out to be the asexual forms (anamorphs) of fungi in ...

'' (W.M. Zhang & T.H. Li) Kepler, S.A. Rehner & Humber (2014) # ''

Metarhizium carneum ''Metarhizium'' is a genus of entomopathogenic fungi in the Clavicipitaceae family. With the advent of genetic profiling, placing these fungi in proper taxa has now become possible. Most turn out to be the asexual forms (anamorphs) of fungi in ...

'' (Duché & R. Heim) Kepler, S.A. Rehner & Humber (2014) # ''

Metarhizium chaiyaphumense ''Metarhizium'' is a genus (biology), genus of entomopathogenic fungus, entomopathogenic fungi in the Clavicipitaceae family. With the advent of genetic profiling, placing these fungi in proper taxa has now become possible. Most turn out to be ...

'' Tasan., Khons., Thanakitp., Mongkols. & Luangsa-ard (2017) # '' Metarhizium cicadinum'' (Höhn.) Petch (1931) # '' Metarhizium cylindrosporum'' Q.T. Chen & H.L. Guo (1986) # '' Metarhizium dendrolimatilis'' Z.Q. Liang, Wan H. Chen, Y.F. Han & X. Zou (2017) # ''

Metarhizium flavoviride ''Metarhizium flavoviride'' is the name given to a group of fungal genetic isolate, isolates that are known to be virulent against Hemiptera and some Coleoptera. Spores (conidia) are light grey-green and oval-shaped (approximately 7-11 µm ...

'' W. Gams & Rozsypal (1973) # '' Metarhizium frigidum'' J.F. Bisch. & S.A. Rehner (2007) # '' Metarhizium gaoligongense'' Z.H. Chen & L. Xu (2018) # '' Metarhizium globosum'' J.F. Bisch., S.A. Rehner & Humber (2009) # '' Metarhizium granulomatis'' (Sigler) Kepler, S.A. Rehner & Humber (2014) # ''

Metarhizium gryllidicola ''Metarhizium'' is a genus of entomopathogenic fungi in the Clavicipitaceae family. With the advent of genetic profiling, placing these fungi in proper taxa has now become possible. Most turn out to be the asexual forms ( anamorphs) of fungi in ...

'' Khons., Thanakitp. & Luangsa-ard (2020) # '' Metarhizium guniujiangense'' (C.R. Li, B. Huang, M.Z. Fan & Z.Z. Li) Kepler, S.A. Rehner & Humber (2014) # '' Metarhizium indigoticum'' (Kobayasi & Shimizu) Kepler, S.A. Rehner & Humber (2014) # '' Metarhizium kalasinense'' Tasan., Khons., Thanakitp., Mongkols. & Luangsa-ard (2017) # '' Metarhizium khaoyaiense'' (Hywel-Jones) Kepler, S.A. Rehner & Humber (2014) # '' Metarhizium koreanum'' Kepler, S.A. Rehner & Humber (2014) # '' Metarhizium kusanagiense'' (Kobayasi & Shimizu) Kepler, S.A. Rehner & Humber (2014) # '' Metarhizium lepidiotae'' (Driver & Milner) J.F. Bisch., S.A. Rehner & Humber (2009) # '' Metarhizium lepidopterorum'' W.H. Chen, Y.F. Han, J.D. Liang & Z.Q. Liang (2019) # ''

Metarhizium majus ''Metarhizium majus'' is the name given to a group of fungal isolates that are known to be virulent against Scarabaeidae, a family of beetles. Previously, this species has had variety status in ''Metarhizium anisopliae'' (var. ''majus'') and it ...

'' (J.R. Johnst.) J.F. Bisch., S.A. Rehner & Humber (2009) # '' Metarhizium marquandii'' (Massee) Kepler, S.A. Rehner & Humber (2014) # '' Metarhizium minus'' (Rombach, Humber & D.W. Roberts) Kepler, S.A. Rehner & Humber (2014) # '' Metarhizium novozealandicum'' (Driver & Milner) Kepler, S.A. Rehner & Humber (2014) # '' Metarhizium owariense'' (Kobayasi) Kepler, S.A. Rehner & Humber (2014) # '' Metarhizium pemphigi'' (Driver & Milner) Kepler, Humber & S.A. Rehner (2014) # '' Metarhizium phasmatodeae'' Khons., Thanakitp. & Luangsa-ard (2020) # '' Metarhizium prachinense'' Tasan., Khons., Thanakitp., Mongkols. & Luangsa-ard (2017) # '' Metarhizium pseudoatrovirens'' (Kobayasi & Shimizu) Kepler, S.A. Rehner & Humber (2014) # '' Metarhizium purpureogenum'' O. Nishi, S. Shimizu & H. Sato (2017) # '' Metarhizium reniforme'' (Samson & H.C. Evans) Luangsa-ard, Boucias & Hywel-Jones (2017) # ''

Metarhizium rileyi ''Metarhizium rileyi''Kepler, Humber, Bischoff, Rehner SA (2014) ''Mycologia'' 106(4): 824. is a species of entomopathogenic fungus in the family Clavicipitaceae The Clavicipitaceae are a family of fungi within the order Hypocreales. A 2008 es ...

'' (Farl.) Kepler, S.A. Rehner & Humber (2014) # ''

Metarhizium robertsii ''Metarhizium robertsii'' formerly known as ''M. anisopliae'', and even earlier as ''Entomophthora anisopliae'' ( basionym) is a fungus that grows naturally in soils throughout the world and causes disease in various insects by acting as a par ...

'' J.F. Bisch., S.A. Rehner & Humber (2009) # '' Metarhizium rongjiangense'' W.H. Chen, Y.F. Han, J.D. Liang & Z.Q. Liang (2019) # '' Metarhizium samlanense'' Luangsa-ard, Thanakitp., Tasan., Mongkols. & Hywel-Jones (2017) # '' Metarhizium taii'' Z.Q. Liang & A.Y. Liu (1991) # '' Metarhizium takense'' Tasan., Thanakitp., Mongkols. & Luangsa-ard (2017) # ''

Metarhizium truncatum ''Metarhizium'' is a genus of entomopathogenic fungi in the Clavicipitaceae family. With the advent of genetic profiling, placing these fungi in proper taxa has now become possible. Most turn out to be the asexual forms ( anamorphs) of fungi in ...

'' Petch (1931) # '' Metarhizium viride'' (Segretain, Fromentin, Destombes, Brygoo & Dodin ex Samson) Kepler, S.A. Rehner & Humber (2014) # '' Metarhizium viridicolumnare'' (Matsush.) Matsush. (1993) # '' Metarhizium viridulum'' (Tzean, L.S. Hsieh, J.L. Chen & W.J. Wu) B. Huang & Z.Z. Li (2004) # '' Metarhizium yongmunense'' (G.H. Sung, J.M. Sung & Spatafora) Kepler, S.A. Rehner & Humber (2014)

Other Reclassified Species Names

* ''M. album'' Petch, 1931 is now assigned to ''M. anisopliae'' * '' M. glutinosum'' is now placed in the Stachybotryaceae as '' Albifimbria (

Myrothecium ''Myrothecium'' is a genus of fungi in the order Hypocreales and is now placed in the family Stachybotryaceae. Species The Catalogue of Life The Catalogue of Life is an online database that provides an index of known species of animals, pla ...

) verrucaria'' (Alb. & Schwein.) L. Lombard & Crous * ''M. martiale'' is now placed as '' Nigelia martiale'' (Speg.) Luangsa-ard & Thanakitp. (

Teleomorphs

The

teleomorph In mycology, the terms teleomorph, anamorph, and holomorph apply to portions of the life cycles of fungi in the phyla Ascomycota and Basidiomycota: *Teleomorph: the sexual reproductive stage (morph), typically a fruiting body. *Anamorph: an ase ...

s of ''Metarhizium'' species appear to be members of the genus ''

''. ''Metacordyceps taii'' (as ''Cordyceps taii'') has been described as the teleomorph of ''Metarhizium taii'': a name that has now been restored. Whether the other varieties of ''M. anisopliae'' have their own teleomorphs is not yet clear. Some, if not most, strains of ''M. anisopliae'' possibly have lost the capability of reproducing sexually.

Natural pesticide

The artificially grown fungi's spores are also used as a natural pesticide. Certain strains are advised against use in food-growing fields and in close proximity to water sources due to risk of their contamination.In this case only ''

'' F52 strain is concerned.

Locust control

In the 1990s, the

LUBILOSA LUBILOSA was the name of a research programme that aimed at developing a biological alternative to the chemical control of locusts. This name is an acronym of the French title of the programme: Lutte Biologique contre les Locustes et les Sauter ...

research programme proved that '' M. acridum'' in its spore form was effective in killing locusts and other members of the Acrididea families with no deleterious effects found in field trials on any nontarget species except for the domesticated silk worm ''

Bombyx mori The domestic silk moth (''Bombyx mori''), is an insect from the moth family Bombycidae. It is the closest relative of ''Bombyx mandarina'', the wild silk moth. The silkworm is the larva or caterpillar of a silk moth. It is an economically imp ...

''. It is currently produced as a

biopesticide A Biopesticide is a biological substance or organism that damages, kills, or repels organisms seens as pests. Biological pest management intervention involves predatory, parasitic, or chemical relationships. They are obtained from organisms inclu ...

under the name Novacrid by the company Eléphant Vert in their factory in

Meknès Meknes ( ar, مكناس, maknās, ; ber, ⴰⵎⴽⵏⴰⵙ, amknas; french: Meknès) is one of the four Imperial cities of Morocco, located in northern central Morocco and the sixth largest city by population in the kingdom. Founded in the 11th ...

Morocco Morocco (),, ) officially the Kingdom of Morocco, is the westernmost country in the Maghreb region of North Africa. It overlooks the Mediterranean Sea to the north and the Atlantic Ocean to the west, and has land borders with Algeria to ...

. The same company recently (2019) obtained the licence to produce and market the original product developed by LUBILOSA, which is called Green Muscle. A third product, Green Guard, is produced by BASF of

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...

for the control of Australian plague locusts and wingless grasshoppers.BASF website
/ref>

Notes

References

External links

* * {{Taxonbar, from=Q713212 Sordariomycetes genera Clavicipitaceae Parasitic fungi