Morpho-Phylogenetic Evidence Reveals Novel Pleosporalean Taxa from Sichuan Province, China

Pleosporales is the largest and most morphologically diverse order in Dothideomycetes, including a large proportion of saprobic fungi. During the investigation of microfungi from decaying wood in Sichuan Province, several novel fungal taxa of asexual and sexual morphs were collected, identified, and well-described. Phylogenetic analyses based on SSU, ITS, LSU, RPB2 and TEF1 alpha gene sequences suggested that these new taxa were related to Pleosporales and distributed in five families, viz. Amorosiaceae, Bambusicolaceae, Lophiostomataceae, Occultibambusaceae and Tetraplosphaeriaceae. The morphological comparison and molecular phylogeny evidence justify the establishment of six new taxa, namely Bambusicola guttulata sp. nov., Flabellascoma sichuanense sp. nov., Neoangustimassarina sichuanensis gen. et sp. nov., Occultibambusa sichuanensis sp. nov. and Pseudotetraploa bambusicola sp. nov. Among them, Neoangustimassarina was introduced as the second sexual morph genus in Amorosiaceae; Bambusicola guttulata, O. sichuanensis and P. bambusicola were isolated from bamboos, which contributed to the diversity of bambusicolous fungi. The detailed, illustrated descriptions and notes for each new taxon are provided, as well as a brief note for each family. The potential richness of fungal diversity in Sichuan Province is also discussed.

Automated summary

During the investigation of microfungi from decaying wood in Sichuan Province, several novel fungal taxa of asexual and sexual morphs related to Pleosporales were discovered. Phylogenetic analyses based on gene sequences suggested that these new taxa were distributed in five families and justified the establishment of six new taxa. Among them, Neoangustimassarina was introduced as the second sexual morph genus in Amorosiaceae, and Bambusicola guttulata, O. sichuanensis and P. bambusicola contributed to the diversity of bambusicolous fungi. Detailed descriptions and notes for each new taxon, as well as a brief note for each family, were provided, along with a discussion on the potential richness of fungal diversity in Sichuan Province.