Cordyceps, comprising over 400 species, was historically classified in the Clavicipitaceae, based on cylindrical asci, thickened ascus apices and filiform ascospores, which often disarticulate into part-spores. Cordyceps was characterized by the production of welldeveloped often stipitate stromata and an ecology as a pathogen of arthropods and Elaphomyces with infrageneric classifications empha..