Beauveria species diversity in the Gaoligong Mountains of China

Abstract

The Gaoligong Mountains accommodate diverse ecosystems and biological resources. Beauveria species diversity is inventoried in seven vegetation types of the Gaoligong Mountains along an elevation gradient from 600 to 3800 m. Strains were isolated from soil by using Tenebrio molitor larvae as baits and from naturally occurring insect cadavers carrying anamorphic or teleomorphic fruiting structures of Beauveria spp. The 231 isolated Beauveria strains were identified based on molecular phylogenetic analyses inferred from Bloc, nrSSU, nrLSU, TEF, RPB1, and RPB2 sequences. Eleven species were identified as Beauveria asiatica, B. bassiana, B. brongniartii, B. caledonica, B. medogensis, B. pseudobassiana, and B. sinensis, previously recorded in other Chinese environments, and B. baoshanensis sp. nov., B. malawiensis, B. rudraprayagi, and B. yunnanensis sp. nov., encountered in China for the first time. Species phylogenies are presented and morphological characters of the new species are described. Most isolates were identified as B. bassiana and B. pseudobassiana (86.1%), while the other nine species were isolated rarely. Beauveria was widely distributed in six vegetation types, but not in the vegetation type of the highest altitude. More than four species were encountered in vegetation types with moderate elevation, and these environments also showed highest diversity of plants and insects.