Ophiocordyceps sphecocephala

Ophiocordyceps sphecocephala
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Fungi
Division: Ascomycota
Class: Sordariomycetes
Order: Hypocreales
Family: Ophiocordycipitaceae
Genus: Ophiocordyceps
Species: O. sphecocephala
Binomial name
Ophiocordyceps sphecocephala
(Klotzsch ex Berk.) G.H. Sung, J.M. Sung, Hywel-Jones & Spatafora (2007)
Synonyms[1]
  • Cordyceps sphaecophila (Klotzsch ex Berk.) Berk. & M.A. Curtis (1868)
  • Cordyceps sphecocephala (Klotzsch ex Berk.) Berk. & M.A. Curtis (1869)
  • Sphaeria sphecocephala Klotzsch ex Berk. (1843)
  • Torrubia sphecocephala (Klotzsch ex Berk.) Tul. & C. Tul. (1865)

Ophiocordyceps sphecocephala is a species of parasitic fungus. It is entomopathogenic, meaning it grows within insects, particularly wasps of the genera Polistes, Tachytes, and Vespa. It has been reported across the Americas and China.[2]

Physically, its stromata can be 2–10 cm long, and form an egg-shaped head. It is cream or yellow in color.[2]

The fungus has possible implications in medicine; it may have anti-asthmatic or anti-cancer properties.[3][4]

References

  1. ↑ "Ophiocordyceps sphecocephala". MycoBank. International Mycological Association. Retrieved 18 July 2016.
  2. 1 2 Mains, E. B. (1958). "North American Entomogenous Species of Cordyceps". Mycologia. Mycological Society of America. 50 (2): 169–222. doi:10.2307/3756193.
  3. ↑ Heo, Jin-Chul; Nam, Sung-Hee (2010). "Anti-asthmatic activities in mycelial extract and culture filtrate of Cordyceps sphecocephala J201". International Journal of Molecular Medicine. Spandidos Publications. 26 (3): 351–356. PMID 20664950.
  4. ↑ Oh, Jung Young (2008). "Apoptosis of human hepatocarcinoma (HepG2) and neuroblastoma (SKN-SH) cells induced by polysaccharides-peptide complexes produced by submerged mycelial culture of an entomopathogenic fungus Cordyceps sphecocephala". Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology. 18 (3): 512–519. PMID 18388470.
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