Five new Escovopsis species from Argentina

Abstract

Escovopsis atlas, E. catenulata, E. longivesica, E. primorosea, and E. pseudoweberi spp. nov. are described from fungal gardens of higher attine ants in Argentina. All these species possess clear diagnostic features: E. atlas characterized by subglobose vesicles; E. catenulata by the presence of claviform vesicles forming short chains; E. longivesica by longer vesicles than the rest of the species; E. primorosea by pink coloration of colony in mCYA medium; and E. pseudoweberi by the smallest conidia known in the genus.