''Ophiocordyceps'' is a
genus
Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms as well as viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus comes above species and below family. In binomial nom ...
of
fungi
A fungus ( : fungi or funguses) is any member of the group of eukaryotic organisms that includes microorganisms such as yeasts and molds, as well as the more familiar mushrooms. These organisms are classified as a kingdom, separately fr ...
within the
family
Family (from la, familia) is a group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its members and of society. Idea ...
Ophiocordycipitaceae
Ophiocordycipitaceae is a family of parasitic fungi in the Ascomycota, class Sordariomycetes.
Genera
*'' Blistum''
*'' Didymobotryopsis''
*'' Haptocillium''
*'' Harposporium'' (Anamorphic)
*'' Ophiocordyceps''; anamorphic genera:
**''Hirsutella' ...
. The widespread genus, first described scientifically by British mycologist
Tom Petch
Thomas Petch (born Hornsea, Yorkshire, 11 March 1870; died King's Lynn, Norfolk, 24 December 1948) was a prolific English mycologist and plant pathologist best remembered for his work on the interaction between fungi and insects.
Biography
Pe ...
in 1931,
[ contains about 140 species that grow on insects.][ ]Anamorphic
Anamorphic format is the cinematography technique of shooting a widescreen picture on standard 35 mm film or other visual recording media with a non-widescreen native aspect ratio. It also refers to the projection format in which a distorted ...
genera that correspond with ''Ophiocordyceps'' species are ''Hirsutella
''Hirsutella'' is a genus of asexually reproducing fungi in the Ophiocordycipitaceae family. Originally described by French mycologist Narcisse Théophile Patouillard in 1892, this genus includes species that are pathogens of insects, mites and ne ...
'', ''Hymenostilbe
''Hymenostilbe'' is a genus of fungi in the Ophiocordycipitaceae family. All members are anamorph
In mycology, the terms teleomorph, anamorph, and holomorph apply to portions of the life cycles of fungi in the phyla Ascomycota and Basidiomyc ...
'', '' Isaria'', ''Paraisaria
''Paraisaria'' is a genus of fungi in the Ophiocordycipitaceae family. Members are anamorph
In mycology, the terms teleomorph, anamorph, and holomorph apply to portions of the life cycles of fungi in the phyla Ascomycota and Basidiomycota:
...
'', and ''Syngliocladium
''Syngliocladium'' is a genus of anamorphic fungi within the Ophiocordycipitaceae family. Members are anamorph
In mycology, the terms teleomorph, anamorph, and holomorph apply to portions of the life cycles of fungi in the phyla Ascomycota an ...
''.[
One ]species complex
In biology, a species complex is a group of closely related organisms that are so similar in appearance and other features that the boundaries between them are often unclear. The taxa in the complex may be able to hybridize readily with each oth ...
, ''Ophiocordyceps unilateralis
''Ophiocordyceps unilateralis'', commonly known as zombie-ant fungus, is an insect-pathogenic fungus, discovered by the British naturalist Alfred Russel Wallace in 1859, and currently found predominantly in tropical forest ecosystems. ''O. unil ...
'', is known for its parasitism
Parasitism is a close relationship between species, where one organism, the parasite, lives on or inside another organism, the host, causing it some harm, and is adapted structurally to this way of life. The entomologist E. O. Wilson ha ...
on ant
Ants are eusocial insects of the family Formicidae and, along with the related wasps and bees, belong to the order Hymenoptera. Ants evolved from vespoid wasp ancestors in the Cretaceous period. More than 13,800 of an estimated total of ...
s, in which it alters the behavior of the ants in such a way as to propagate itself more effectively, killing the ant and then growing its fruiting bodies from the ant's head and releasing its spores. A 48-million-year-old fossil of an ant in the death-grip of ''Ophiocordyceps unilateralis'' was discovered in Germany.
Sources and uses
''Ophiocordyceps sinensis'' is a species used in traditional Chinese medicine
Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is an alternative medical practice drawn from traditional medicine in China. It has been described as "fraught with pseudoscience", with the majority of its treatments having no logical mechanism of acti ...
to reduce inflammation, protect the kidneys, and promote cardiovascular heath scientific evidence
Scientific evidence is evidence that serves to either support or counter a scientific theory or hypothesis, although scientists also use evidence in other ways, such as when applying theories to practical problems. "Discussions about empirical ev ...
that use of this species has any clinical effect on human diseases.[
]
Species
*'' Ophiocordyceps arborescens''
*'' Ophiocordyceps acicularis''
*'' Ophiocordyceps agriotidis''
*'' Ophiocordyceps ainictos''
*'' Ophiocordyceps amazonica''
*''Ophiocordyceps amazonica'' var. ''neoamazonica''
*'' Ophiocordyceps aphodii''
*'' Ophiocordyceps appendiculata''
*'' Ophiocordyceps arachneicola''
*'' Ophiocordyceps araracuarensis''
*'' Ophiocordyceps arbuscula''
*'' Ophiocordyceps armeniaca''
*'' Ophiocordyceps asyuënsis''
*'' Ophiocordyceps aurantia''
*'' Ophiocordyceps australis''
*'' Ophiocordyceps barnesii''
*'' Ophiocordyceps bicephala''
*'' Ophiocordyceps brunneipunctata''
*'' Ophiocordyceps bispora''
*'' Ophiocordyceps blattae''
*'' Ophiocordyceps blattarioides''
*'' Ophiocordyceps caloceroides''
*'' Ophiocordyceps camponoti-balzani''
*'' Ophiocordyceps camponoti-chartificis''
*'' Ophiocordyceps camponoti-floridani''[Kate Golembiewski]
Mystery parasites on zombie ant fungus identified by scientists
CNN, Fri November 18, 2022. Source: doi:10.1534/g3.120.401290 PMID 32354705 .
*'' Ophiocordyceps camponoti-melanotici''
*'' Ophiocordyceps camponoti-novogranadensis''
*'' Ophiocordyceps camponoti-rufipedis''
*'' Ophiocordyceps camponoti-sexguttati''
*'' Ophiocordyceps cantharelloides''
*'' Ophiocordyceps carabidicola''
*'' Ophiocordyceps cicadicola''
*'' Ophiocordyceps clavata''
*'' Ophiocordyceps clavulata''
*'' Ophiocordyceps coccidiicola''
*'' Ophiocordyceps coccigena''
*'' Ophiocordyceps cochlidiicola''
*'' Ophiocordyceps coenomyia''
*'' Ophiocordyceps communis''
*'' Ophiocordyceps corallomyces''
*'' Ophiocordyceps crassispora''
*'' Ophiocordyceps crinalis''
*'' Ophiocordyceps cuboidea''
*'' Ophiocordyceps cucumispora''
*''Ophiocordyceps cucumispora'' var. '' dolichoderi''
*'' Ophiocordyceps curculionum''
*'' Ophiocordyceps cylindrostromata''
*'' Ophiocordyceps daceti''
*'' Ophiocordyceps dayiensis''
*'' Ophiocordyceps dermapterigena''
*'' Ophiocordyceps dipterigena''
*'' Ophiocordyceps discoideicapitata''
*'' Ophiocordyceps ditmarii''
*'' Ophiocordyceps dovei''
*'' Ophiocordyceps elateridicola''
*'' Ophiocordyceps elongata''
*'' Ophiocordyceps elongatiperitheciata''
*'' Ophiocordyceps elongatistromata''
*'' Ophiocordyceps emeiensis''
*'' Ophiocordyceps engleriana''
*'' Ophiocordyceps entomorrhiza''
*'' Ophiocordyceps evansii''
*'' Ophiocordyceps evdogeorgiae''
*'' Ophiocordyceps falcata''
*'' Ophiocordyceps falcatoides''
*'' Ophiocordyceps fasciculatistromata''
*'' Ophiocordyceps ferruginosa''
*'' Ophiocordyceps filiformis''
*'' Ophiocordyceps formicarum''
*'' Ophiocordyceps forquignonii''
*'' Ophiocordyceps fulgoromorphila''
*'' Ophiocordyceps furcicaudata''
*'' Ophiocordyceps gansuënsis''
*'' Ophiocordyceps geniculata''
*'' Ophiocordyceps gentilis''
*'' Ophiocordyceps glaziovii''
*'' Ophiocordyceps goniophora''
*'' Ophiocordyceps gracilioides''
*'' Ophiocordyceps gracilis''
*'' Ophiocordyceps gryllotalpae''
*'' Ophiocordyceps halabalaensis''
*'' Ophiocordyceps heteropoda''
*'' Ophiocordyceps hirsutellae''
*'' Ophiocordyceps hiugensis''
*'' Ophiocordyceps huberiana''
*'' Ophiocordyceps humbertii''
*'' Ophiocordyceps insignis''
*'' Ophiocordyceps irangiensis''
*'' Ophiocordyceps japonensis''
*'' Ophiocordyceps jiangxiensis''
*'' Ophiocordyceps jinggangshanensis''
*'' Ophiocordyceps kangdingensis''
*'' Ophiocordyceps kniphofioides''
*''Ophiocordyceps kniphofioides'' var. ''dolichoderi''
*''Ophiocordyceps kniphofioides'' var. ''monacidis''
*''Ophiocordyceps kniphofioides'' var. ''ponerinarum''
*'' Ophiocordyceps koningsbergeri''
*'' Ophiocordyceps konnoana''
*'' Ophiocordyceps lachnopoda''
*'' Ophiocordyceps laojunshanensis''
*'' Ophiocordyceps larvarum''
*'' Ophiocordyceps larvicola''
*'' Ophiocordyceps lloydii''
*''Ophiocordyceps lloydii'' var. '' binata''
*'' Ophiocordyceps longissima''
*'' Ophiocordyceps lutea''
*'' Ophiocordyceps macroacicularis''
*'' Ophiocordyceps macularis''
*'' Ophiocordyceps melolonthae''
*''Ophiocordyceps melolonthae'' var. ''rickii''
*'' Ophiocordyceps michiganensis''
*'' Ophiocordyceps minutissima''
*'' Ophiocordyceps monticola''
*'' Ophiocordyceps mrciensis''
*'' Ophiocordyceps multiaxialis''
*'' Ophiocordyceps myrmecophila''
*'' Ophiocordyceps myrmicarum''
*'' Ophiocordyceps naomipierceae''
*'' Ophiocordyceps neovolkiana''
*'' Ophiocordyceps nepalensis''
*'' Ophiocordyceps nigra''
*'' Ophiocordyceps nigrella''
*'' Ophiocordyceps nigripes''
*'' Ophiocordyceps nutans''
*'' Ophiocordyceps obtusa''
*'' Ophiocordyceps octospora''
*'' Ophiocordyceps odonatae''
*'' Ophiocordyceps oecophyllae''
*'' Ophiocordyceps osuzumontana''
*'' Ophiocordyceps owariensis''
*''Ophiocordyceps owariensis'' f. ''viridescens''
*'' Ophiocordyceps oxycephala''
*'' Ophiocordyceps paludosa''
*'' Ophiocordyceps paracuboidea''
*'' Ophiocordyceps pentatomae''
*'' Ophiocordyceps petchii''
*'' Ophiocordyceps proliferans''
*'' Ophiocordyceps prolifica''
*'' Ophiocordyceps pruinosa''
*'' Ophiocordyceps pseudolloydii''
*'' Ophiocordyceps pseudolongissima''
*'' Ophiocordyceps pulvinata''
*'' Ophiocordyceps purpureostromata''
*''Ophiocordyceps purpureostromata'' f. '' recurvata''
*'' Ophiocordyceps ravenelii''
*'' Ophiocordyceps rhizoidea''
*'' Ophiocordyceps ridleyi''
*'' Ophiocordyceps robertsii'' - Vegetable caterpillar, āwheto
*'' Ophiocordyceps rubripunctata''
*'' Ophiocordyceps rubiginosiperitheciata''
*'' Ophiocordyceps ryogamiensis''
*'' Ophiocordyceps salebrosa''
*'' Ophiocordyceps satoi''
*'' Ophiocordyceps scottiana''
*'' Ophiocordyceps selkirkii''
*'' Ophiocordyceps sichuanensis''
*'' Ophiocordyceps smithii''
*'' Ophiocordyceps sobolifera''
*''Ophiocordyceps sinensis
''Ophiocordyceps sinensis'' (formerly known as ''Cordyceps sinensis''), known colloquially as caterpillar fungus, is an entomopathogenic fungus (a fungus that grows on insects) in the family Ophiocordycipitaceae. It is mainly found in the mead ...
'' - Caterpillar fungus, chong cao
*'' Ophiocordyceps sphecocephala''
*'' Ophiocordyceps stipillata''
*'' Ophiocordyceps stylophora''
*'' Ophiocordyceps subflavida''
*'' Ophiocordyceps subunilateralis''
*'' Ophiocordyceps superficialis''
*''Ophiocordyceps superficialis'' f. '' crustacea''
*'' Ophiocordyceps takaoënsis''
*'' Ophiocordyceps taylorii''
*'' Ophiocordyceps thyrsoides''
*'' Ophiocordyceps tiputini''
*'' Ophiocordyceps tricentri''
*'' Ophiocordyceps truncata''
*'' Ophiocordyceps uchiyamae''
*''Ophiocordyceps unilateralis
''Ophiocordyceps unilateralis'', commonly known as zombie-ant fungus, is an insect-pathogenic fungus, discovered by the British naturalist Alfred Russel Wallace in 1859, and currently found predominantly in tropical forest ecosystems. ''O. unil ...
''
*''Ophiocordyceps unilateralis'' var. ''clavata''
*'' Ophiocordyceps variabilis''
*'' Ophiocordyceps voeltzkowii''
*'' Ophiocordyceps volkiana''
*'' Ophiocordyceps wuyishanensis''
*'' Ophiocordyceps yakusimensis''
*'' Ophiocordyceps zhangjiajiensis''
See also
* ''Cordyceps
''Cordyceps'' is a genus of ascomycete fungi (sac fungi) that includes about 600 species. Most ''Cordyceps'' species are endoparasitoids, parasitic mainly on insects and other arthropods (they are thus entomopathogenic fungi); a few are para ...
''
References
External links
*
{{Taxonbar, from=Q1610767
Hypocreales genera
Ophiocordycipitaceae
Parasites of Hymenoptera
Taxa described in 1931
Taxa named by Thomas Petch