A new species of <i>Purpureocillium (Ophiocordycipitaceae)</i> fungus parasitizing trapdoor spiders in Brazil's Atlantic Forest and its associated microbiome revealed through <i>in situ</i> "taxogenomics".

ABSTRACT: 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 Purpureocillium fungus belonging to the P. atypicola group, parasitizing tr

SUBMITTER: Araujo JPM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12717516 | biostudies-literature | 2025

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature