Bactrospora mangrovei sp. nov., a Novel Marine Lichenized Fungus from Muthupet Mangroves of India Based on Morpho-molecular Data

Abstract

Muthupet mangrove forests in Tamil Nadu is relatively a smaller belt when compared to other mangrove forests on the east coast of India. On 7 mangrove hosts we have recorded more than 78 fungi. The unravelling of novel marine fungi continues with the description of Bactrospora mangrovei, a new marine lichenized fungus, from the Muthupet mangroves, Tamil Nadu, East coast of India which is being reported in this paper. The species B. mangrovei is characterized by having apothecia that are numerous, frequently non-stromatic, round to irregular, coriaceous, reddish brown to black, asci bitunicate, cylindrical with short pedicels, apically rounded and ascospores uniseriate to biseriately arranged, fasciculate, filiform, 8-10 septate, partially overlapping, hyaline, rounded at both ends.