The Cordycipitaceae are a family of parasitic fungi in the Ascomycota, class Sordariomycetes and order Hypocreales.

Their perithecia are superficial to completely immersed in the substrate, and oriented at right angles to the surface of the stroma.

Ascospores are usually cylindrical, contain multiple septa, and disarticulate into part-spores or remain intact at maturity.

[2] Updated in 2020 (with numbers of species)[3] Parengyodontium album can break down polyethylene (PE), one of the most commonly used plastics.

Laboratory experiments suggest that PE marine waste exposed to ultraviolet light could be broken down and used as an energy source by the fungus at a rate of 0.044% per day.