Novel and interesting <i>Ophiocordyceps</i> spp. (<i>Ophiocordycipitaceae</i>, <i>Hypocreales</i>) with superficial perithecia from Thailand

<i>Ophiocordyceps</i> is a heterogeneous, species-rich genus in the order <i>Hypocreales</i> (<i>Sordariomycetes</i>, <i>Ascomycota</i>) that includes invertebrate-pathogenic taxa. In this study, seven new species in <i>Ophiocordyceps</i> producing superficial perithecia infecting various insect hosts (Lepidoptera, Hemiptera) are described from Thailand - <i>Ophiocordyceps brunneinigra, O. brunneiperitheciata, O. geometridicola, O. multiperitheciata, O. pauciovoperitheciata, O. pseudoacicularis</i> and <i>O. spataforae</i>. Phylogenetic analyses based on multigene loci comprising the large subunit of the ribosomal DNA (LSU), partial sequences of elongation factor 1-alpha (TEF) and the largest and second largest subunit of the RNA polymerase (RPB1, PRB2) strongly support these new species of <i>Ophiocordyceps</i> in the <i>Ophiocordycipitaceae</i>. They differ from species previously described species <i>Ophiocordyceps acicularis, O. atewensis, O. cochlidiicola,</i> and <i>O. crinalis,</i> in the shape and sizes of distinguishing characters such as perithecia, ascospores and conidia. We also report a new record of <i>O. macroacicularis</i> in Thailand.