Ophiostoma sugadairense, a new species in the Ophiostoma piceae complex associated with bark beetles infesting Japanese larch in Japan

Abstract

A new species in the Ophiostoma piceae complex was isolated from bark beetles and beetle galleries infesting Japanese larch in Japan, and was described as Ophiostoma sugadairense. Phylogenetic analyses of the internal transcribed spacer of the nuclear ribosomal RNA genes region, partial β-tubulin, and elongation factor-1α genes revealed that O. sugadairense was clearly separated from other species of the O. piceae complex. The sexual morph of O. sugadairense morphologically resembled that of O. breviusculum, but the asexual morph was clearly distinguishable based on morphological characteristics of the synnemata, such as their color and shape. Mating compatibility tests indicated that there is some degree of reproductive isolation between O. sugadairense and O. piceae, O. breviusculum, and O. subalpinum.