Astraeus ryoocheoninii sp nov from Korea and Japan and phylogenetic relationships within Astraeus

The morphological characteristics of a collection by C.I. Ryoo and K.-H. Ka from the demilitarized zone (DMZ) of Korea, invalidly published as Astraeus koreana, are re-evaluated, described, and illustrated. Phylogenetic analysis using nrITS sequence data indicate that Astraeus koreana, an unnamed Japanese Astraeus group 2, and a Japanese specimen E0059827 all differ from A. hygrometricus var. koreanus and represent a new species, proposed here as Astraeus ryoocheoninii.