LSU Sequence Data Research Articles

Nemania hydei sp. nov. (Xylariaceae) from Avicennia marina in Central Thailand

ABSTRACT A novel fungus species, Nemania hydei, isolated from Avicennia marina in Pranburi District, Prachuap Khiri Khan, Thailand is described. The samples were collected from mangrove habitats, and the fungus was isolated and characterised. Nemania species produce carbonaceous, superficial stromata that are multi-peritheciate with papillate ostioles. They are frequently isolated from decomposing angiospermous wood and are primarily considered saprophytic, although some are endophytic, while a few are pathogenic. DNA extraction was performed on pure cultures, and the ITS, LSU, RPB-2, and TUB sequence data were amplified. Molecular phylogenetic investigation revealed that the isolate formed a distinct and well-supported clade with Nemania viridis as a sister taxon. Morphological observations further demonstrated unique characteristics that distinguish N. hydei from its closest taxonomic relative. Primarily, they differ in the shape and size of ascospores, asci, and the characteristic reaction of the apical ring. Despite the existence of over 70 known species within the genus Nemania, only four species have been previously documented from mangrove ecosystems. The discovery of N. hydei contributes to knowledge of species from mangroves, expanding our understanding of the diversity within Nemania in marine habitats.

Morphophylogenetic evidence reveals four new fungal species within Tetraplosphaeriaceae (Pleosporales, Ascomycota) from tropical and subtropical forest in China.

Tetraplosphaeriaceae (Pleosporales, Ascomycota) is a family with many saprobes recorded from various hosts, especially bamboo and grasses. During a taxonomic investigation of microfungi in tropical and subtropical forest regions of Guizhou, Hainan and Yunnan provinces, China, several plant samples were collected and examined for fungi. Four newly discovered species are described based on morphology and evolutionary relationships with their allies inferred from phylogenetic analyses derived from a combined dataset of LSU, ITS, SSU, and tub2 DNA sequence data. Detailed illustrations, descriptions and taxonomic notes are provided for each species. The four new species of Tetraplosphaeriaceae reported herein are Polyplosphaeriaguizhouensis, Polyplosphaeriahainanensis, Pseudotetraploayunnanensis, and Tetraploahainanensis. A checklist of Tetraplosphaeriaceae species with available details on their ecology is also provided.

Myrmecridium hydei, a novel marine species from Thailand

Myrmecridium hydei was isolated from decaying branch of Areca species submerged in seawater from Prachuap Khiri Khan Province, Thailand. The new species is supported by phylogenetic analysis of combined ITS and LSU sequence data. Myrmecridium hydei formed a distinct clade from M. phragmitigenum, M. phragmiticola and M. sambuci with moderate statistical support. The species also differs from other Myrmecridium species by having a longer sympodial, straight or flexuous to geniculate-sinuous conidiophore and obovoid or fusoid to irregular, guttulate conidia without a wing-like sheath. Myrmecridium hydei is described as a novel species based on morphology and phylogeny.

Four New Endophytic Apiospora Species Isolated from Three Dicranopteris Species in Guizhou, China.

Endophytic fungi isolated from medicinal ferns serve as significant natural resources for drug precursors or bioactive metabolites. During our survey on the diversity of endophytic fungi from Dicranopteris species (a genus of medicinal ferns) in Guizhou, Apoiospora was observed as a dominant fungal group. In this study, seven Apiospora strains, representing four new species, were obtained from the healthy plant tissues of three Dicranopteris species-D. ampla, D. linearis, and D. pedata. The four new species, namely Apiospora aseptata, A. dematiacea, A. dicranopteridis, and A. globosa, were described in detail with color photographs and subjected to phylogenetic analyses using combined LSU, ITS, TEF1-α, and TUB2 sequence data. This study also documented three new hosts for Apiospora species.

Morpho-Phylogenetic Evidence Reveals Novel Species and New Records of Botryosphaeriaceae in China and Thailand.

Species in the Botryosphaeriaceae are common plant pathogens, endophytes, and saprobes found on a variety of mainly woody hosts. Botryosphaeriaceae is a high-profile fungal family whose genera have been subjected to continuous revisions in recent years. Surveys conducted during 2019 and 2020 on several decaying woody hosts (from dead arial twigs, branches, stems, bark, and seed pods) in China and Thailand revealed a high diversity of Botryosphaeriaceae fungi. Identification of 16 Botryosphaeriaceae isolates was carried out based on both morphological characteristics and phylogenetic analyses of combined ITS, LSU, tef1-α, and tub2 sequence data. Four novel species (Dothiorella ovata, Do. rosacearum, Do. septata, and Lasiodiplodia delonicis) and seven previously known species (Botryosphaeria fujianensis, Diplodia mutila, Di. seriata, L. crassispora, L. mahajangana, Macrophomina euphorbiicola and Sphaeropsis eucalypticola) were identified while new hosts and geographical records were reported. This study indicates that the fungal family Botryosphaeriaceae seems to be common and widespread on a broad range of hosts in China and Thailand.

A novel species of Loculosulcatispora (Sulcatisporaceae, Pleosporales) on Juglans regia from Sichuan, China

A novel species, Loculosulcatispora juglans, dwelling on twigs of the English walnut (Juglans regia), is introduced through a combination of phylogenetic analysis utilizing LSU, SSU, ITS, rpb2, and tef1-α sequence data, as well as morphological characteristics. Multi-locus phylogenetic analysis revealed that L. juglans forms a clade (MLBP/BYPP, 98%/0.95) together with L. hongheensis, L. thailandica, and Parasulcatispora clematidis. L. juglans distinguishes itself from phylogenetically similar species due to its unique characteristics, including exclusively 4-spored asci and larger ascospores encased in a thinner mucilaginous sheath.

Taxonomy and phylogeny of Paradictyoarthrinium salsipaludicola sp. nov. (Paradictyoarthriniaceae, Pleosporales) from mangroves

A new fungal species found on decaying wood in a mangrove habitat is described. The analysis of combined LSU, ITS, and rpb2 sequence data revealed that it belongs to the family Paradictyoarthriniaceae (Pleosporales). Maximum likelihood and Bayesian analyses were used to determine the taxon’s phylogenetic affinities. The novel species is typical of Paradictyoarthrinium in its gregarious, black, powdery colonies with macronematous conidiophores and unevenly dictyoseptate, muriform, green to brown conidia. The new taxon is compared to other Paradictyoarthrinium species, and a detailed morphological description and illustration are provided.

Unraveling Capnodiaceae species in Northern Thailand

Sooty mold is a common fungal foliar epiphyte that can significantly impact agricultural crops. In this study, we found four different species of sooty molds belonging to Capnodiaceae occurring on different plants in northern Thailand viz. Broussonetia papyrifera, Carica papaya, Mangifera indica, Manihot esculenta, and Rosa × damascene. These hosts showed dark brown mycelia covering their leaves. Phylogenetic analyses using a combination of LSU, ITS, tef-1α, and rpb2 sequence data showed that the newly obtained sequences belong to Capnodium coartatum, Ca. gamsii, Conidiocarpus caucasicus, and Phragmocapnias betle. The morphological characteristics of these four species concurred with the phylogenetic results. Notably, these four species are reported as new host records. Additionally, we validate Ca. paracoartatum sp. nov., and synonymize Co. asiaticus and Co. siamensis under Co. caucasicus based on morphological and phylogenetic analyses.

A new lignicolous hyphomycete species of Neospadicoides in Xenospadicoidaceae (Xenospadicoidales) from Thailand

Neospadicoides amphibia sp. nov. (Xenospadicoidaceae, Xenospadicoidales) was found on dead and submerged decaying woods in freshwater and terrestrial habitats in Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai Provinces, Thailand. This new species is characterized by asexual hyphomycete, hairy effuse, dark colonies, erect, straight to flexuous, dark brown conidiophores, with polytretic, integrated terminal and intercalary conidiogenous cells and obovoid, 3-euseptate, pigmented conidia. The multi-gene phylogeny of the combined ITS, LSU, SSU, and RPB2 sequence data placed these two isolates within Neospadicoides as a distinct sister lineage to species N. thailandica with highly support. Therefore, the new species, Neospadicoides amphibia, was described and illustrated based on morphological and phylogenetic evidence.

Wongia suae sp. nov., a lignicolous freshwater fungus from Yuanjiang (Red River) Basin, China

Diversity of lignicolous freshwater fungi in Yuanjiang (Red River) basin, Yunnan, China is currently being studied. Three fresh collections of Papulosaceae were collected. Wongia suae sp. nov. and W. fusiformis were identified based on morphology and phylogenetic analysis of combined ITS, LSU, rpb2, SSU and tef1-α sequence data. The detailed descriptions and illustrations of these two species are provided, as well as the morphological comparison with similar taxa.

Digitopodium citri sp. nov.; an endophytic species associated with Citrus medica L. var. sarcodactylis from Guangdong Province, China

Fingered citron (Citrus medica var. sarcodactylis), is one of the fragrant herbs of the family Rutaceae. This plant is widely cultivated for its medicinal properties, food and flavoring uses, ornamental value, and cultural significance. In this study, we collected fruits of fingered citron in Deqing County, Zhaoqing City, Guangdong Province, China, and several isolates of an endophytic, pigmented hyphomycetes species were obtained. The DNA sequences of our isolates were compared and analysed with those in the NCBI database, revealing that they are closely related to Digitopodium. Maximum likelihood, Maximum parsimony and Bayesian analyses of combined LSU and ITS sequence data were performed to clarify the phylogenetic affinities of the species. Based on the distinctive morphological characters and phylogenetic support, a new species, Digitopodium citri sp. nov. is introduced. The new species is compared with other similar taxa and comprehensive descriptions and illustrations are provided. This is the first endophytic species of Digitopodium.

Morphology and multi-gene phylogeny reveal a novel Torula (Pleosporales, Torulaceae) species from the plateau lakes in Yunnan, China.

During an investigation into lignicolous freshwater fungi from the plateau lakes in Yunnan Province, China, two fresh collections of Torula taxa were collected and examined morpholgically. Torulaluguhuensis is characterised by: conidiophores which are semi-macronematous mononematous, erect, septate, smooth, slightly flexuous and pale brown; conidiogenous cells which are holoblastic, mono- to polyblastic, integrated, terminal, terminal or intercalary in conidial chains, doliiform and pale brown; conidia which are branched chains, acrogenous, straight or slightly curved, dark brown to blackish, pale brown or subhyaline at apex, 1-3 septate, strongly constricted at the septa, verruculose or finely echinulate and rounded at both ends. A new species was introduced, based on morphological and phylogenetic analysis of combined ITS, LSU, RPB2 and TEF sequence data. Detailed descriptions and illustrations are provided, with an updated phylogenetic tree depicting intergeneric relationships within the Torulaceae.

Helminthosporium paraoligosporum sp. nov., a new ascomycetous fungus from Ontario, Canada

A novel anamorphic ascomycetous fungus, Helminthosporium paraoligosporum (Pleosporales, Ascomycota), isolated from branches of linden trees is described and characterized. The species is morphologically distinct from other Helminthosporium spp. by shorter conidiophores and conidia, and culture characteristics. Phylogenetic analysis of a combined set of ITS and LSU sequence data also supports the establishment of a new species. H. paraoligosporum is clustered with H. caespitosum, H. oligosporum, and H. tiliae. The species in this clade have similar morphological characteristics and host affiliation. In particular, conidiophores of the species (except H. tiliae) can be reduced to elongated conidiogenous cells. H. caespitosum is associated with Betula spp., while the other species in this clade have been collected from Tilia spp. only.

Two novel species and three new records of Torulaceae from Yunnan Province, China.

While investigating the diversity of lignicolous fungi in Yunnan Province, China, six fresh collections of Torulaceae were collected and identified based on morphological examination and phylogenetic analyses of combined LSU, ITS, SSU, tef1-α, and rpb2 sequence data. Two new species, viz. Neopodoconisyunnanensis and Torulasuae, and three new records, viz. T.canangae (new freshwater habitat record), T.masonii (new host record), and T.sundara (new freshwater habitat record) are reported. Detailed descriptions, illustrations, and a phylogenetic tree to show the placement of these species are provided.

Dictyosporium duliujiangense sp. nov. (Dictyosporiaceae, Pleosporales) from freshwater habitat in Guizhou Province, China

A survey of the taxonomy and diversity of freshwater fungi from Karst Plateau wetlands in Guizhou Province, China, three fresh collections were collected from a freshwater river. They have cheiroid, digitate, dictyosporous conidia with one or two hyaline appendages. Phylogenetic analysis of the combined ITS, LSU and tef1-α sequence data support their placement with genera Dictyocheirospora and Dictyosporium (Dictyosporiaceae, Pleosporales). Two collections represent the same species, Dictyocheirospora rotunda. The other collection is introduced as a new species Dictyosporium duliujiangense. An updated phylogenetic backbone tree, descriptions and illustrations of the two taxa are provided for Dictyosporiaceae.

Triplosphaeria guizhouensis sp. nov. (Tetraplosphaeriaceae, Pleosporales), a novel taxon from freshwater habitat in Guizhou Province, China

During our survey of the taxonomy and diversity of freshwater fungi of Guizhou Province, China, a Tetraploa-like taxon was collected from stream in China. The taxon has quite smaller, oblong, dark brown to black, three or four-columned conidia with three or four setose appendages. Phylogenetic analyses of combined LSU, SSU, ITS, tef1-α and β-tubulin sequence data revealed that the newly obtained isolate clustered as a monophyletic clade with the species of Triplosphaeria with strong statistical support (98% ML BS/1.0 PP). Based on the morphological comparison and multi-locus phylogeny, we introduce T. guizhouensis as a new species in Triplosphaeria. The description and illustration of the newly discovered taxon, and updated backbone tree of Tetraplosphaeriaceae are provided.

A new species of Helvella (Helvellaceae, Pezizomycetes) within the H. macropus group from China

The brown cupulate saddle fungi with villus surface in China, have long been named as Helvella macropus, a well-known European and North American species. In this study, Helvella fruiting bodies from Austria, China (the Tibetan Plateau), and Germany were examined. Phylogenetic analyses of combined LSU, TEF and HSP90 sequence data showed that the Chinese H. macropus-like samples represent two phylogenetic species, one of which is H. macropus s.s., and the other is H. guttata, which is introduced as new species here. Helvella guttata and H. macropus are described and illustrated in detail and compared with their similar species. In addition, a key to the morphologically recognizable taxa of the H. macropus complex is provided.

Varicosporellopsis shangrilaensis sp. nov. (Nectriaceae, Hypocreales), a new terricolous species isolated from the rhizosphere soil of Astragalus polycladus in northwestern Yunnan, China

Two fungal strains were isolated from the rhizosphere soil of a Chinese medicinal herb plant, Astragalus polycladus, in northwestern Yunnan, China. Both of them were identified as a new fungal species of Varicosporellopsis based on the evidence of morphology and phylogenetic analysis of ITS, LSU, TUB and ACT sequences data. Phylogenetic analysis of combined ITS and LSU sequence data revealed that strains MTF 7 and KLF 01 belong to the genus Varicosporellopsis with the highest sequence similarity (95.51%) to the type strain V. americana CBS 148257 and formed a sister lineage to V. americana CPC 40768 with high support values (100% ML, 1.00 BI). Morphologically, V. shangrilaensis is characterized by macronematous, branched conidiophores, phialidic conidiogenous cells, reniform macroconidia and spherical microconidia. This new species is the first reported of Varicosporellopsis in China. The morphological description, illustrations and phylogenetic analysis of V. shangrilaensis are provided in this study.

Two new fungal genera (Diaporthales) found on Dipterocarpaceae in Thailand.

Diaporthales is a species-rich order of fungi that includes endophytes, saprobes, and pathogens associated with forest plants and crops. They may also occur as parasites or secondary invaders of plant tissues injured or infected by other organisms or inhabit living animal and human tissues, as well as soil. Meanwhile, some severe pathogens wipe out large-scale cultivations of profitable crops, timber monocultures, and forests. Based on morphological and phylogenetic analyses of combined ITS, LSU, tef1-α, and rpb2 sequence data, generated using maximum likelihood (ML), maximum parsimony (MP), and MrBayes (BI), we introduce two new genera of Diaporthales found in Dipterocarpaceae in Thailand, namely Pulvinaticonidioma and Subellipsoidispora. Pulvinaticonidioma is characterized by solitary, subglobose, pycnidial, unilocular conidiomata with the internal layers convex and pulvinate at the base; hyaline, unbranched, septate conidiophores; hyaline, phialidic, cylindrical to ampulliform, determinate conidiogenous cells and hyaline, cylindrical, straight, unicellular, and aseptate conidia with obtuse ends. Subellipsoidispora has clavate to broadly fusoid, short pedicellate asci with an indistinct J- apical ring; biturbinate to subellipsoidal, hyaline to pale brown, smooth, guttulate ascospores that are 1-septate and slightly constricted at the septa. Detailed morphological and phylogenetic comparisons of these two new genera are provided in this study.

Insights into Diversity, Distribution, and Systematics of Rust Genus Puccinia.

Puccinia, which comprises 4000 species, is the largest genus of rust fungi and one of the destructive plant pathogenic rust genera that are reported to infect both agricultural and nonagricultural plants with severe illnesses. The presence of bi-celled teliospores is one of the major features of these rust fungi that differentiated them from Uromyces, which is another largest genus of rust fungi. In the present study, an overview of the current knowledge on the general taxonomy and ecology of the rust genus Puccinia is presented. The status of the molecular identification of this genus along with updated species numbers and their current statuses in the 21st century are also presented, in addition to their threats to both agricultural and nonagricultural plants. Furthermore, a phylogenetic analysis based on ITS and LSU DNA sequence data available in GenBank and the published literature was performed to examine the intergeneric relationships of Puccinia. The obtained results revealed the worldwide distribution of Puccinia. Compared with other nations, a reasonable increase in research publications over the current century was demonstrated in Asian countries. The plant families Asteraceae and Poaceae were observed as the most infected in the 21st century. The phylogenetic studies of the LSU and ITS sequence data revealed the polyphyletic nature of Puccinia. In addition, the presences of too short, too lengthy, and incomplete sequences in the NCBI database demonstrate the need for extensive DNA-based analyses for a better understanding of the taxonomic placement of Puccinia.