Undiscovered Species Research Articles

Size bias in the documentation of marine biodiversity

Biodiversity exploration is incomplete, with a substantial gap between described and undiscovered species. Biases occur in these taxonomic descriptions, favoring easily observable and common species, leading to a skewed representation of ecological diversity, particularly in marine environments where deep‐sea life and smaller invertebrate groups remain underexplored. Here, we examine dynamics of taxonomic bias in describing marine biodiversity, emphasizing the relationship between the size of species and the timing of their formal description. Analyzing data from over 62 000 marine animal species across nine phyla, we find a significant inverse correlation: smaller species are consistently described more recently. This pattern persists across taxa and habitats, with fluctuations observed over time, including notable inflections coinciding with historical events and technological advancements. These results underscore the implications of taxonomic bias for ecological understanding and conservation efforts, emphasizing the importance of completing inventories of marine life, particularly focusing on small‐bodied, potentially threatened species.

Effects of the interaction between Linnean and Darwinian shortfalls on diversification gradients

It is now widely recognized that broad-scale patterns in species richness, particularly the Latitudinal Diversity Gradients (LDGs), are driven by complex interactions among ecological, evolutionary, and historical processes. However, even if it is now possible to better evaluate evolutionary explanations for LDGs based on speciation and diversification rates estimated from phylogenies, a subtle interaction between such estimates and the geographic structure of the Linnean shortfall, forming the Latitudinal Taxonomy Gradient (LTG), was recently recognized. Here, we expand on previous simulation results and show that a relatively small geographical bias in the Linnean shortfall, adding less than 20% of new species phylogenetically correlated with previously described ones in the southern (richer) region, would be enough to change the patterns in diversification rates, based on different methods (tip rates DR and GeoSSE). Further investigations of the magnitude of LTG and new empirical modeling of problems in species delimitation are thus necessary to evaluate the robustness of the estimates of the diversification gradients to biased knowledge and taxonomic uncertainty, allowing a better understanding of the evolutionary dynamics underlying LDGs. Geographical patterns in the Linnean shortfall, creating Latitudinal Taxonomy Gradients (LTGs), may jeopardize robust estimates of diversification gradients and our understanding of processes underlying diversity patterns. Simulations show that a relatively small geographic bias in the Linnean shortfall, adding new undiscovered species phylogenetically close to the known ones, is sufficient to invert patterns in diversification rates estimated by two distinct methods. A more comprehensive assessment of the magnitude of diversification gradients in respect to the LTGs is necessary to evaluate the robustness of our understanding of LDGs. Empirical modeling of species delimitation quality and simulations adding small branches in the phylogenies, mitigating simultaneously both Linnean and Darwinian shortfalls, may provide more consistent evidence for drivers of LDGs accounting for taxonomic uncertainty.

Extreme elevational migration spurred cryptic speciation in giant hummingbirds

The ecoevolutionary drivers of species niche expansion or contraction are critical for biodiversity but challenging to infer. Niche expansion may be promoted by local adaptation or constrained by physiological performance trade-offs. For birds, evolutionary shifts in migratory behavior permit the broadening of the climatic niche by expansion into varied, seasonal environments. Broader niches can be short-lived if diversifying selection and geography promote speciation and niche subdivision across climatic gradients. To illuminate niche breadth dynamics, we can ask how "outlier" species defy constraints. Of the 363 hummingbird species, the giant hummingbird (Patagona gigas) has the broadest climatic niche by a large margin. To test the roles of migratory behavior, performance trade-offs, and genetic structure in maintaining its exceptional niche breadth, we studied its movements, respiratory traits, and population genomics. Satellite and light-level geolocator tracks revealed an >8,300-km loop migration over the Central Andean Plateau. This migration included a 3-wk, ~4,100-m ascent punctuated by upward bursts and pauses, resembling the acclimatization routines of human mountain climbers, and accompanied by surging blood-hemoglobin concentrations. Extreme migration was accompanied by deep genomic divergence from high-elevation resident populations, with decisive postzygotic barriers to gene flow. The two forms occur side-by-side but differ almost imperceptibly in size, plumage, and respiratory traits. The high-elevation resident taxon is the world's largest hummingbird, a previously undiscovered species that we describe and name here. The giant hummingbirds demonstrate evolutionary limits on niche breadth: when the ancestral niche expanded due to evolution (or loss) of an extreme migratory behavior, speciation followed.

Miracula polaris – A New Species of Miracula from the East Fjords of Iceland

There is increasing evidence that holocarpic oomycetes, i.e., those converting their entire vegetative thallus into zoospores upon maturation, are a phylogenetically diverse group in both freshwater and marine ecosystems. Most of the known holocarpic oomycete species diverge before the main split of Peronosporomycetes and Saprolegniomycetes and are, thus, termed as early-diverging oomycetes. In environmental sequencing studies, it was revealed that of the early-diverging genera especially Sirolpidium, Miracula, and Diatomophthora are widespread. As in these studies especially the Arctic Ocean seemed to harbor many undiscovered species, sampling was conducted at the Blávík research station on Fáskrúðsfjörður in the East Fjords of Iceland, where there is both an influence from the Arctic Ocean and the North Atlantic. During the screening for infected diatoms, a parasitoid was found in the marine diatom genus Melosira, which is one of the most abundant genera in arctic ecosystems. Molecular phylogenetics and morphological characterization revealed that the parasitoid belonged to the genus Miracula and corresponded to one of the lineages previously found in single-cell sequencing. Thus, the current study both contributes to the knowledge of the genus Miracula and the increasing diversity of the genus suggests that the many linages found in environmental sequencing which can still not be associated with known species might represent actual species to be discovered in future studies.

Study of the Bacterial, Fungal, and Archaeal Communities Structures near the Bulgarian Antarctic Research Base "St. Kliment Ohridski" on Livingston Island, Antarctica.

As belonging to one of the most isolated continents on our planet, the microbial composition of different environments in Antarctica could hold a plethora of undiscovered species with the potential for biotechnological applications. This manuscript delineates our discoveries after an expedition to the Bulgarian Antarctic Base "St. Kliment Ohridski" situated on Livingston Island, Antarctica. Amplicon-based metagenomics targeting the 16S rRNA genes and ITS2 region were employed to assess the metagenomes of the bacterial, fungal, and archaeal communities across diverse sites within and proximal to the research station. The predominant bacterial assemblages identified included Oxyphotobacteria, Bacteroidia, Gammaprotobacteria, and Alphaprotobacteria. A substantial proportion of cyanobacteria reads were attributed to a singular uncultured taxon within the family Leptolyngbyaceae. The bacterial profile of a lagoon near the base exhibited indications of penguin activity, characterized by a higher abundance of Clostridia, similar to lithotelm samples from Hannah Pt. Although most fungal reads in the samples could not be identified at the species level, noteworthy genera, namely Betamyces and Tetracladium, were identified. Archaeal abundance was negligible, with prevalent groups including Woesearchaeales, Nitrosarchaeum, Candidatus Nitrosopumilus, and Marine Group II.

New contributions to the taxonomy and phylogeny of the ciliate genus Pleuronema (Ciliophora, Scuticociliatia), with descriptions of two new species collected from the subtropical coastal wetlands in China

Ciliates of the genus Pleuronema are a speciose and ubiquitous group. Recent studies suggest that there may be a sizable amount of undiscovered species diversity. In the present study, two new Pleuronema species have been isolated from the subtropical coastal waters of China and characterized using morphological and taxonomical methods: Pleuronema pulchra n. sp. is characterized by a body size of 75–90 × 25–40 µm in vivo, 32–48 somatic kineties, four to seven preoral kineties, somatic kinety 1 composed of about 80 kinetids, and membranelle 2a with a single-rowed mid-portion and hook-like posterior portion. Pleuronema warreni n. sp. is defined by a body size of 55–80 × 25–45 µm in vivo, 35–42 somatic kineties, three to six preoral kineties, somatic kinety 1 with approximately 75 kinetids, and a mid-portion of membranelle 2a that is single-rowed and extremely long (occupying > 75% length of M2a). The phylogenetic analysis of the small subunit ribosomal RNA genes of Pleuronema members, including those of the two novel species, shows that the genus Pleuronema is a polyphyletic group. Both new species form a cluster with Pleuronema binucleatum KT033424, P. elegans KF840518, and “P. coronatum” JX310014 (identification to be verified). Additionally, we provide an illustrated key for 20 “coronatum-type” Pleuronema species, including the two new ones.

Two centuries of biodiversity discovery and loss in Singapore.

There is an urgent need for reliable data on the impacts of deforestation on tropical biodiversity. The city-state of Singapore has one of the most detailed biodiversity records in the tropics, dating back to the turn of the 19th century. In 1819, Singapore was almost entirely covered in primary forest, but this has since been largely cleared. We compiled more than 200 y of records for 10 major taxonomic groups in Singapore (>50,000 individual records; >3,000 species), and we estimated extinction rates using recently developed and novel statistical models that account for "dark extinctions," i.e., extinctions of undiscovered species. The estimated overall extinction rate was 37% (95% CI [31 to 42%]). Extrapolating our Singapore observations to a future business-as-usual deforestation scenario for Southeast Asia suggests that 18% (95% CI [16 to 22%]) of species will be lost regionally by 2100. Our extinction estimates for Singapore and Southeast Asia are a factor of two lower than previous estimates that also attempted to account for dark extinctions. However, we caution that particular groups such as large mammals, forest-dependent birds, orchids, and butterflies are disproportionately vulnerable.

Unravelling the hidden diversity of cave mycobiota in Thailand’s Satun Geopark

Karst caves are distinctive ecosystems that have limited nutrients, darkness, low to moderate temperatures, and high moisture levels, which allow for a diverse range of fungal communities to thrive. Despite their significance, little is understood about the fungi found in karst caves in Thailand. In 2019, we studied the cultured mycobiota from five substrate types (air, water, rock, soil/sediment, and organic debris) in two karst caves (Le Stegodon and Phu Pha Phet Caves) of the Satun UNESCO Global Geopark, southern Thailand. A cumulative count of 829 distinct fungal morphological types was identified, encompassing 319 fungal culturable were observed. Based on preliminary analyses of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) sequence using BLAST searches, the most common phylum among the fungal morphotypes was Ascomycota, harboring 282 species in 91 genera, 93.4% of which were distributed in the classes Eurotiomycetes, Sordariomycetes, and Dothideomycetes. The most common fungal genera identified in the two karst caves were Aspergillus, Penicillium, Cladosporium, Talaromyces, Xylaria, and Trichoderma, with 45, 41, 24, 14, 14, and 6 species identified, respectively. Discovering fungi in Thai karst caves highlights the extensive fungal diversity in the Satun UNESCO Global Geopark, implying undiscovered species, and emphasizing the need for comprehensive investigations in other unexplored Thai karst caves.

Xylaria furcata reconsidered and nine resembling species

BackgroundXylaria collections from termite nests with dichotomously branched stromata have been identified as X. furcata. However, Léveillé’s original material is no longer available, and the modern interpretation of X. furcata is based on a 1908 collection made by von Höhnel from termite nests at Buitenzorg Botanical Garden in Java. A packet of this von Höhnel material at FH was designated as the neotype by Rogers et al. in 2005.ResultsWe reexamined the neotype from FH and its duplicates from various herbaria and found that three different species were mixed in these specimens. Despite that all of them have dichotomously branched stromata and tiny ascospores, only one fits the 2005 neotypification of X. furcata, where exposed perithecial mounds on the stromatal surface were unambiguously indicated. This portion of material is redesignated as the neotype, while the other two species with immersed perithecia are described as new: X. hoehnelii and X. robustifurcata. The ITS sequence obtained from the neotype helped us designate a specimen with cultures obtained from it as the epitype. From specimens identifiable as X. furcata, we describe four new species: X. brevifurcata, X. furcatula, X. insignifurcata, and X. tenellifurcata. Additionally, we recognize X. furcata var. hirsuta at the species level as X. hirsuta and consider X. scoparia a distinct species rather than a synonym of X. furcata. Molecular phylogenetic analyses based on three protein-coding loci showed that X. furcata and resembling species were grouped into two clusters: the X. furcata cluster with half-exposed to fully exposed perithecial mounds and the X. hoehnelii cluster with largely immersed perithecial mounds.ConclusionTen species are recognized for X. furcata and resembling species, all of which could have been identified as X. furcata in the past. Its diversity has been overlooked primarily due to the small and similar stromata. Several additional species have been confirmed to be related to X. furcata by DNA sequences but are yet to be described due to the lack of mature stromata. While the species diversity of macrotermitine termites is equally high in Africa as in Asia, all of the species are primarily found in Asia, with X. hirsuta as the only exception. This suggests that there may be many more undiscovered species for this fungal group.

How close is an undiscovered species to you after conducting biodiversity sampling?

Based on limited biodiversity data collected from a line transect, what is the minimal distance to find the first individual of a new species that has not been discovered in the original sample? Resolving this puzzle can be of practical value in ecological studies, for example, an assessment of sampling intensity for the purpose of discovering new species. In this study, we develop a simple estimator to predict the minimal distance of finding a single new species. Numerical and empirical tests verified the high predictive power of the proposed estimator.

Chemistry of NH2OH and its related species in the ISM

ABSTRACT Hydroxylamine (NH2OH) is a key precursor of both the formation of amino acids and the concurrent synthesis of pyrimidine and purine nucleosides. Recently, NH2OH was detected towards the quiescent molecular cloud G+0.693-0.027, which is located in the Galactic Centre. In this study, we construct the chemical network for NH2OH and its related species via quantum chemical calculations, and simulate their chemistry using the astrochemical code Nautilus in isothermal models and shock models. According to the disagreement distance formula and molecular abundance ratios, we acquire the best-fitting isothermal model T18 and the best-fitting C-shock model S2, respectively. Of these two models, S2 is more suitable for G+0.693-0.027 due to its reproduction of abundances of all considered molecules. From the model, we found that NH2OH and CH3NH2 are mainly formed on grain surfaces, while HNCN and CH2NH, which are the post-shock tracers, are produced by both gas-phase and grain-surface reactions. Our chemical modelling also agrees with the observed abundances or upper limits of NH2OH and its related species towards IRAS 16293-2422 B and Sgr B2(N). Moreover, we predict that NH2OH and the undiscovered species H2NO and HNOH are of high abundance, thus are detectable in cold clouds and pre-stellar cores, and in G+0.693-0.027, respectively.

New and Additional Records for the Ant Fauna (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) of Morocco

Morocco hosts a high diversity of animal and plant species, including a diverse ant fauna. Here, we report collection records of four ant species not previously known from Morocco: Goniomma kugleri Espadaler, 1986, Strumigenys rogeri Emery, 1890, Temnothorax longipilosus (Santschi, 1912) and Proceratium numidicum Santschi, 1912. G. kugleri is mentioned for the first time for continental Africa. This raises the number of ant species known from Morocco to 242. In addition, we report new data on six ant species in Morocco for which there is little information: Technomyrmex vexatus (Santschi, 1919), Temnothorax convexus (Forel, 1894), Messor brevispinosus Santschi, 1923, Strumigenys baudueri (Emery, 1875), Strumigenys membranifera Emery, 1869 and Monomorium andrei Saunders, 1890. This number of ant species known from Morocco greatly exceeds from neighboring countries in North Africa. In addition, vast regions of Morocco have never been surveyed and probably host many undiscovered species.

Potentially Zoonotic Viruses in Wild Rodents, United Arab Emirates, 2019—A Pilot Study

The majority of emerging viral infectious diseases in humans originate from wildlife reservoirs, such as rodents and bats. We investigated a possible reservoir, namely wild gerbils and mice trapped in a desert reserve within the emirate of Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE). In total, 52 gerbils and 1 jird (Gerbillinae), 10 house mice (Mus musculus), and 1 Arabian spiny mouse (Acomys dimidiatus) were sampled. Oro-pharyngeal swabs, fecal samples, attached ticks, and organ samples (where available) were screened by (RT-q)PCR for the following viruses: Middle East respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus, Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever orthonairovirus, Alkhumra hemorrhagic fever virus, hantaviruses, Lymphocytic choriomeningitis mammarenavirus, Rustrela virus, poxviruses, flaviviruses, and herpesviruses. All of the samples were negative for all investigated viruses, except for herpesviruses: 19 gerbils (35.8%) and seven house mice (70.0%) were positive. The resulting sequences were only partly identical to sequences in GenBank. Phylogenetic analysis revealed three novel betaherpesviruses and four novel gammaherpesviruses. Interestingly, species identification of the positive gerbils resulted in eight individuals clustering in a separate clade, most closely related to Dipodillus campestris, the North African gerbil, indicating either the expansion of the geographic range of this species, or the existence of a closely related, yet undiscovered species in the UAE. In conclusion, we could not find evidence of persistence or shedding of potentially zoonotic viruses in the investigated rodent cohorts of limited sample size.

The Kew’s "World Checklist of Vascular Plants" and its relevance to the knowledge of the flora of Mexico

Background: The 8th version of the "World Checklist of Vascular Plants" (WCVP) was recently published under the coordination of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. It consists of a list of taxonomic names of species, genera, and families of vascular plants representing the most comprehensive and integrated list available today.
 Questions: How many accepted species does the WCVP include? Is the quality of the included information acceptable? How has the publication of worldwide species names evolved over time? Does the checklist include the species recorded for Mexico?
 Studied species: Worldwide species of vascular plants included in the WCVP.
 Study site: Worldwide and Mexico.
 Methods: A database was created based on the WCVP to answer the research questions. The number of genera and species by taxonomic status (accepted and synonyms) was quantified, some information quality tests were carried out, and the potential number of undiscovered species in the world was estimated using non-parametric techniques.
 Results: The WCVP contains 1,233,172 names, of which 418,737 are accepted. It is estimated that around 25 % more unknown species remain to be discovered in the world. The quality of the information contained in the WCVP is quite reliable and complete; only 3 % of Mexican species are not included in the WCVP.
 Conclusions: The WCVP synthesizes current taxonomic knowledge in an integrated manner and is useful for systematic and automated analyses. At the country level, at least for Mexico, it stands as an important reference source when attempting to understand and evaluate floristic knowledge.

Begoniafimbristipulasubsp.siamensis (sect. Diploclinium, Begoniaceae), a new taxon of the megadiverse genus endemic to Thailand.

The genus Begonia has not only been recognised to be one of the mega-diverse plant genera but also as one found to comprise many undiscovered species. In particular, the increase of extensive field surveys in tropical regions of Southeast Asia has added to the discovery of many new species that are often found only in a few localities. In this study, the new taxon Begoniafimbristipulasubsp.siamensissubsp. nov. from Thailand is described. The Thailand accessions are highly similar in their morphology to accessions of B.fimbristipula from southern China but differ in their tuber shape, peduncle trichomes, petiole trichomes and number of female tepals. The new taxon has been found only in the northern parts of Thailand occurring at elevations above 1,300 meters. The new findings not only contribute to our knowledge of the plant diversity of Thailand but provide also critical information contributing to the protection of this species. In China, this species is endangered which is of special concern given its utilisation as a medical herb in traditional Chinese medicine. Considering IUCN Red List Categories, the new subspecies is considered to be Vulnerable. The disjunct distribution of the two subspecies of B.fimbristipula encourages urgently needed comparative taxonomic studies across the Indo-Burma biodiversity hotspot.

Integrative studies on the taxonomy and molecular phylogeny of four new Pleuronema species (Protozoa, Ciliophora, Scuticociliatia)

The ciliate genus Pleuronema comprises approximately 30 nominal species and has been reported in freshwater, brackish water, and marine habitats. Nevertheless, recent studies have indicated that there might be a large undiscovered species diversity. In the present work, four new Pleuronema species, namely P. foissneri sp. nov., P. parasmalli sp. nov., P. parasalmastra sp. nov., and P. paraorientale sp. nov., collected from Shenzhen, southern China, was investigated using taxonomic methods. The diagnosis, description, comparisons with morphologically related species and detailed morphometric data are supplied for each. The small subunit ribosomal RNA (SSU rRNA) gene of the four new species is sequenced and their molecular phylogeny is analyzed. The SSU rRNA gene tree shows that Pleuronema is polyphyletic comprising several separate clades. All four new species cluster consistently with P. orientale KF206429, P. puytoraci KF840520 and P. setigerum FJ848874 within the core Pleuronematidae + Peniculistomatidae clade. Phylogenies of Pleuronematidae-related taxa are also discussed.

Lophosiphonia obscura and Polysiphonia sukatarii sp. nov. (Rhodomelaceae, Rhodophyta) from mesohaline Lake Bafa, Turkey

ABSTRACT Species discovery is facilitated by the application of molecular tools and the exploration of poorly studied habitats. Recent surveys in Bafa Lake, Turkey, which experienced a transition from oligo- to mesohaline conditions during the last 40 years, led to the finding of two species of the genera Lophosiphonia and Polysiphonia. Our molecular and morphological study showed that one of the species corresponded to L. obscura, while the other differs from previously described Polysiphonia species and is proposed as P. sukatarii sp. nov. The new species differs from related congeners by a rbcL sequence divergence ≥5.8% and is morphologically distinguished by having four pericentral cells and trichoblasts arranged several segments apart. Lophosiphonia obscura, and its closely related species L. hemisphaerica comb. nov. and L. boldii comb. nov., have been previously found in similar habitats in Europe and Atlantic North America. Along with its record from Bafa Lake, P. sukatarii sp. nov. has been discovered in open shore algal turfs from the Canary Islands, suggesting that it is a euryhaline species with probably a wide distribution. Our work highlights that poorly studied habitats still harbour undiscovered species and additional surveys are necessary to acquire a more comprehensive understanding of the macroalgal diversity.

A New Species of Acoela Possessing a Middorsal Appendage with a Possible Sensory Function.

Acoels, belonging to Xenacoelomorpha, are small worms with a relatively simple body plan and are considered a critical clade for understanding the evolution of bilaterians. Despite acoels' importance, however, many undiscovered species are predicted to be present worldwide. Here, we describe a new marine acoel species, Amphiscolops oni sp. nov., based on materials collected from the intertidal and subtidal zones of rocky shores at several localities along the Japanese Pacific coast. The new species is approximately 3 mm long and shows typical characteristics of the family Convolutidae, such as the presence of eyespots, symbiosis with algae, position of the gonopores, morphology of the bursal nozzles, lack of central singlet microtubules in the axonemes of spermatozoa, and funnel-like posture of the anterior end. Based on morphology and the results of molecular phylogenetic analyses, we assign this species to the genus Amphiscolops. Interestingly, these worms show unique behaviors such as swimming by flapping the lateral sides and actively capturing prey by swinging the anterior funnel. Furthermore, they possess a dorsal appendage-a characteristic previously unreported in Xenacoelomorpha-representing an evolutionary novelty acquired by this species.

Hybrid de novo Genome Assembly of Erwinia sp. E602 and Bioinformatic Analysis Characterized a New Plasmid-Borne lac Operon Under Positive Selection.

Our previous study identified a new β-galactosidase in Erwinia sp. E602. To further understand the lactose metabolism in this strain, de novo genome assembly was conducted by using a strategy combining Illumina and PacBio sequencing technology. The whole genome of Erwinia sp. E602 includes a 4.8 Mb chromosome and a 326 kb large plasmid. A total of 4,739 genes, including 4,543 protein-coding genes, 25 rRNAs, 82 tRNAs and 7 other ncRNAs genes were annotated. The plasmid was the largest one characterized in genus Erwinia by far, and it contained a number of genes and pathways responsible for lactose metabolism and regulation. Moreover, a new plasmid-borne lac operon that lacked a typical β-galactoside transacetylase (lacA) gene was identified in the strain. Phylogenetic analysis showed that the genes lacY and lacZ in the operon were under positive selection, indicating the adaptation of lactose metabolism to the environment in Erwinia sp. E602. Our current study demonstrated that the hybrid de novo genome assembly using Illumina and PacBio sequencing technologies, as well as the metabolic pathway analysis, provided a useful strategy for better understanding of the evolution of undiscovered microbial species or strains.

Characterization of Diaporthe species on Camelliaoleifera in Hunan Province, with descriptions of two new species.

Tea-oil tree (Camelliaoleifera Abel.) is an important edible oil woody plant with a planting area over 3,800,000 hectares in southern China. Species of Diaporthe inhabit a wide range of plant hosts as plant pathogens, endophytes and saprobes. At present, relatively little is known about the taxonomy and genetic diversity of Diaporthe on C.oleifera. Here, we conducted an extensive field survey in Hunan Province in China to identify and characterise Diaporthe species associated with tea-oil leaf spots. As a result, eleven isolates of Diaporthe were obtained from symptomatic C.oleifera leaves. These isolates were studied by applying a polyphasic approach including morphological and phylogenetic analyses of partial ITS, cal, his3, tef1 and tub2 gene regions. Two new Diaporthe species (D.camelliae-oleiferae and D.hunanensis) were proposed and described herein, and C.oleifera was revealed to be new host records of D.hubeiensis and D.sojae. This study indicated there is a potential of more undiscovered Diaporthe species from C.oleifera in China.