Novel fungal species of Phaeosphaeriaceae with an asexual/sexual morph connection

Abstract

We are studying Dothideomycetes from different hosts in different geographical regions and have introduced new taxa from China, Iran and Italy. In this paper, we introduce Yunnanensis gen. nov. on Poaceae from Yunnan Province, in China, to accommodate Y. phragmitis sp. nov. Neosetophoma iranianum sp. nov. recovered from soil in Iran is also introduced and a sexual morph of Wojnowicia dactylidis on Asperula sp. (Rubiaceae) collected in Italy is also reported. DNA sequence based phylogenies (ribosomal gene) are also generated to infer potential taxonomic relationships. Yunnanensis is morphologically distinct from other genera in Phaeosphaeriaceae in having ascomata with evenly thickened walls comprising with textura angularis and textura angularis to textura prismatica inner layers, broadly cylindrical to cylindric-clavate asci, muriform ascospores with a mucilaginous sheath and a coelomycetous asexual state with muriform conidia. Phylogeny also supports Yunnanensis as a novel genus basal to Neosetophoma. Neosetophoma iranianum is distinct from other species in having subglobose, ovoid to tear-drop shaped transversely septate;, biseptate to triseptate conidia. Neosetophoma iranianum is closely related to N. lunariae but DNA sequence data differences are sufficient to segregate them as two species. Another interesting finding are the asexual/sexual morph connections in Yunnanensis phragmitis and Wojnowiciella dactylidis. All novel taxa investigated herein belong to the family Phaeosphaeriaceae.

Sulcispora supratumida sp. nov. (Phaeosphaeriaceae, Pleosporales) on Anthoxanthum odoratum from Italy

“…The phylogenetic trees obtained from maximum likelihood were topologically congruent to previous studies on Phaeosphaeriaceae (Phookamsak et al 2014; Thambugala et al 2014; Tennakoon et al 2016; Karunarathna et al 2017; Wanasinghe et al 2018). This phylogenetic analysis showed the placement of 45 genera within Phaeosphaeriaceae.…”

“…Phaeosphaeriaceae is a highly diverse and large family in the order Pleosporales (Hyde et al 2013) with more than 42 accepted genera (Hyde et al 2017; Karunarathna et al 2017; Wanasinghe et al 2018). Members of Phaeosphaeriaceae are pathogens or hyper-parasites on living plants and humans and saprobes of decaying plant matter (Tennakoon et al 2016; Ahmed et al 2017).…”

Additions to Phaeosphaeriaceae (Pleosporales): Elongaticollum gen. nov., Ophiosphaerella taiwanensis sp. nov., Phaeosphaeriopsis beaucarneae sp. nov. and a new host record of Neosetophoma poaceicola from Musaceae

“…Hyde as the first report of the sexual morph of Neosetophoma . Neosetophoma species have a diverse distribution as saprobes, endophytes, plant pathogens and soil fungi ( Phookamsak et al 2014 ; Hernandez-Restrepo et al 2016 ; Karunarathna et al 2017 ; Tibpromma et al 2017 ; Wanasinghe et al 2018 ). Currently, 19 Neosetophoma species are accepted in Index Fungorum (2020) .…”

“… Neosetophoma species have been recorded from various host families, viz. Brassicaceae , Caprifoliaceae , Iridaceae , Malvaceae , Ranunculaceae , Salicaceae , but most are reported from Poaceae ( Phookamsak et al 2014 ; Karunarathna et al 2017 ; Tibpromma et al 2017 , Wanasinghe et al 2018 ; Marin-Felix et al 2019 ). Interestingly, this is the first Neosetophoma species record ( MFLU 18-2597) from the plant family Musaceae .…”

Patellariopsidaceae Fam. Nov. With Sexual-Asexual Connection and a New Host Record for Cheirospora botryospora (Vibrisseaceae, Ascomycota)

“…Dead aerial branches of Fagus sylvatica L. (Fagaceae) and Corylus avellana L. (Betulaceae) were collected from Passo la Calla, Stia (province of Arezzo [AR]) Italy and Fiumicello di Premilcuore (province of Forlì-Cesena [FC]) Italy, respectively. Specimens were preserved and observed following the method of Karunarathna et al (2017). Hand-cut sections of the fruiting structures were mounted in water for microscopic studies and photomicrography.…”