Molecular Identification of Ophiocordyceps sinensis Genotypes and the Indiscriminate Use of the Latin Name for Multiple Genotypes and the Natural Insect-fungi Complex

¹ State Key Laboratory of Plateau Ecology and Agriculture, Qinghai Academy of Animal and Veterinary Sciences, Qinghai University, Xining, Qinghai 810016, China

² Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Health Science and Technology, Institute of Biopharmaceutical and Health Engineering, Shenzhen International Graduate School, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen 518055, China

^*Corresponding Author

State Key Laboratory of Plateau Ecology and Agriculture

Qinghai Academy of Animal and Veterinary Sciences

Qinghai University, Xining, Qinghai 810016

China

Email: zhujosh@gmail.com

Tel: +18587053789

Abstract

Seventeen genotypes of Ophiocordyceps sinensis have been identified in molecular mycology studies of natural Cordyceps sinensis, comprising multiple fungi and a dead larva from the Hepialidae family. However, these multiple genotypes belonging to independent fungi share the same Latin name, O. sinensis, which has compounded the historical problems associated with the indiscriminate sharing of the same Latin name for both the fungus and the natural insect-fungi complex. This paper reviews the scientific findings for multiple O. sinensis genotypes in natural C. sinensis and the history of and current perspectives on indiscriminately using the Latin names C. sinensis and O. sinensis for the multiple O. sinensis anamorphs and teleomorphs per the nomenclature rule established by the Amsterdam Declaration, “One Fungus=One Name”, and for the natural C. sinensis insect-fungi complex. Although some Chinese scientists have proposed the use of “Chinese cordyceps” or “Ophiocordyceps & Hepialidae” for natural C. sinensis to partially resolve the indiscriminate usage of the Latin name, the mycological research community is facing a scientific challenge because multiple O. sinensis genotypes are currently nonculturable in vitro (except Genotype #1 Hirsutella sinensis), and the mutant sequences of Genotypes #2-17 are not present in the genome of H. sinensis. This paper encourages cooperation among taxonomists across disciplines to resolve the taxonomic nomenclature problem by characterizing O. sinensis fungi with mutant genotypes and to end the centuries-old academic confusion over the indiscriminate use of the same Latin name for O. sinensis fungi and the natural insect-fungi complex.

Keywords: Natural Cordyceps sinensis, multiple genotypes of Ophiocordyceps sinensis, multicellular heterokaryotic structure, genetic heterogeneity, IMA nomenclature rule: One Fungus=One Name

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