Morphological and Phylogenetic Evidence for Recognition of Two New Species of Phanerochaete from East Asia

Two new corticioid fungal species, Phanerochaete pruinosa and P. rhizomorpha spp. nov. are proposed based on a combination of morphological features and molecular evidence. Phanerochaete pruinosa is characterized by the resupinate basidiomata with the pruinose hymenial surface, a monomitic hyphal system with simple-septate generative hyphae and subcylindrical basidiospores measuring as 3.5-6.7 x 1.5-2.7 mu m. Phanerochaete rhizomorpha is characterized by having a smooth hymenophore covered by orange hymenial surface, the presence of rhizomorphs, subulate cystidia, and narrower ellipsoid to ellipsoid basidiospores. Sequences of ITS+nLSU nrRNA gene regions of the studied specimens were generated and phylogenetic analyses were performed with maximum likelihood, maximum parsimony, and Bayesian inference methods. These phylogenetic analyses showed that two new species clustered into genus Phanerochaete, in which P. pruinosa was sister to P. yunnanensis with high supports (100% BS, 100% BT, 1.00 BPP); morphologically differing by a pale orange to greyish orange and densely cracked hymenial surface. Another species P. rhizomorpha was closely grouped with P. citrinosanguinea with lower supports; morphologically having yellow to reddish yellow hymenial surface, and smaller cystidia measuring as 31-48 x 2.3-4.8 mu m.

Automated summary

Two new corticioid fungal species, Phanerochaete pruinosa and P. rhizomorpha, are proposed based on a combination of morphological features and molecular evidence. Phanerochaete pruinosa is characterized by specific features such as pruinose hymenial surface and subcylindrical basidiospores, while P. rhizomorpha is distinctive by its smooth hymenophore, presence of rhizomorphs, and narrower basidiospores. Phylogenetic analyses show their relationships within the genus Phanerochaete.