Morphology and phylogeny of four new species within (Hypocreales) parasitising species.

Species of the family Polycephalomycetaceae grow on insects or entomopathogenic fungi and are distributed from tropical to subtropical regions. This study proposed four new species of hyperparasitic fungi from China based on six molecular markers (ITS, SSU, LSU, , and ) phylogenetic analyses and morphological characteristics. The four new species, i.e. , , and , were described and illustrated. , exhibiting a hyperparasitic lifestyle on , differed from other species in producing subulate β-phialides and ovoid or elliptic α-conidia. was distinct from other species, being parasitic on sp., as producing oval or long oval-shaped α-conidia and columns of β-conidia. differed from other species as having synnemata with fertile head, linear β-conidia and parasitic on . was distinct from other species, being parasitic on the fungus , as producing round or ovoid α-conidia and elliptical β-conidia without synnemata from the colonies. These four species were clearly distinguished from other species in the family Polycephalomycetaceae by phylogenetic and morphological characteristics. The morphological features were discussed and compared to relevant species in the present paper.