Unravelling the diversity Behind the Ophiocordyceps Unilateralis Complex: Three new species of zombie-ant fungi from the Brazilian Amazon

In tropical forests, one of the most common relationships between parasites and insects is that between the fungus Ophiocordyceps (Ophiocordycipitaceae, Hypocreales, Ascomycota) and ants, especially within the tribe Camponotini. Here, we describe three new and host-specific species of the genus Ophiocordyceps on Camponotus ants from the central Amazonian region of Brazil, which can readily be separated using morphological traits, in particular, ascospore form and function. In addition, we use sequence data to infer phylogenetic relationships between these taxa and closely related species within the Ophiocordyceps unilateralis complex, as well as with other members of the family Ophiocordycipitaceae .