Xylaria insolita and X. subescharoidea: two newly described species collected from a termite nesting site in Hua-lien, Taiwan

Novel discoveries of Xylariomycetidae (Ascomycota) taxa from peat swamp forests and other terrestrial habitats in Thailand

In a comprehensive survey of fungi conducted in the northern (Chiang Rai Province) and southern (Narathiwat Province) regions of Thailand, several xylariales-like specimens were discovered. Through the integration of molecular phylogeny and morphological analyses, one previously undocumented taxon, Oxydothisnarathiwatensis sp. nov., was identified, along with Xylariabawanglingensis and Hypoxylonhypomiltum as new host and geographical records from Afzeliaxylocarpa, and Dalbergiacana, respectively. In addition, Annulohypoxylonthailandicum was identified as a new host record from Swieteniamacrophylla in Thailand. The morphological characters, including ascomata, asci, and ascospores, were compared with known Oxydothis, Xylaria, Hypoxylon, and Annulohypoxylon species. Multi-locus phylogenetic analyses based on ITS, LSU, and SSU (for Oxydothidaceae), ITS, rpb2, tub2, and act (for Xylariaceae), and ITS, LSU, rpb2, and tub2 (for Hypoxylaceae) gene regions were carried out to refine the taxonomic classifications of these specimens further. This research contributes to understanding fungal diversity in these ecologically significant regions, highlighting insights into the relationships among xylariales-like species.

Symbiotic Bacteria Regulating Insect-Insect/Fungus/Virus Mutualism

Bacteria associated with insects potentially provide many beneficial services and have been well documented. Mutualism that relates to insects is widespread in ecosystems. However, the interrelation between "symbiotic bacteria" and "mutualism" has rarely been studied. We introduce three systems of mutualism that relate to insects (ants and honeydew-producing Hemiptera, fungus-growing insects and fungi, and plant persistent viruses and vector insects) and review the species of symbiotic bacteria in host insects, as well as their functions in host insects and the mechanisms underlying mutualism regulation. A deeper understanding of the molecular mechanisms and role of symbiotic bacteria, based on metagenomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, metabolomics, and microbiology, will be required for describing the entire interaction network.

Xylaria furcata reconsidered and nine resembling species

BACKGROUND

Xylaria collections from termite nests with dichotomously branched stromata have been identified as X. furcata. However, Léveillé's original material is no longer available, and the modern interpretation of X. furcata is based on a 1908 collection made by von Höhnel from termite nests at Buitenzorg Botanical Garden in Java. A packet of this von Höhnel material at FH was designated as the neotype by Rogers et al. in 2005.

RESULTS

We reexamined the neotype from FH and its duplicates from various herbaria and found that three different species were mixed in these specimens. Despite that all of them have dichotomously branched stromata and tiny ascospores, only one fits the 2005 neotypification of X. furcata, where exposed perithecial mounds on the stromatal surface were unambiguously indicated. This portion of material is redesignated as the neotype, while the other two species with immersed perithecia are described as new: X. hoehnelii and X. robustifurcata. The ITS sequence obtained from the neotype helped us designate a specimen with cultures obtained from it as the epitype. From specimens identifiable as X. furcata, we describe four new species: X. brevifurcata, X. furcatula, X. insignifurcata, and X. tenellifurcata. Additionally, we recognize X. furcata var. hirsuta at the species level as X. hirsuta and consider X. scoparia a distinct species rather than a synonym of X. furcata. Molecular phylogenetic analyses based on three protein-coding loci showed that X. furcata and resembling species were grouped into two clusters: the X. furcata cluster with half-exposed to fully exposed perithecial mounds and the X. hoehnelii cluster with largely immersed perithecial mounds.

CONCLUSION

Ten species are recognized for X. furcata and resembling species, all of which could have been identified as X. furcata in the past. Its diversity has been overlooked primarily due to the small and similar stromata. Several additional species have been confirmed to be related to X. furcata by DNA sequences but are yet to be described due to the lack of mature stromata. While the species diversity of macrotermitine termites is equally high in Africa as in Asia, all of the species are primarily found in Asia, with X. hirsuta as the only exception. This suggests that there may be many more undiscovered species for this fungal group.

Multigene Phylogeny Reveals Endophytic Xylariales Novelties from Dendrobium Species from Southwestern China and Northern Thailand

Xylariales are common endophytes of Dendrobium. However, xylarialean species resolution remains difficult without sequence data and poor sporulation on artificial media and asexual descriptions for only several species and old type material. The surface-sterilized and morph-molecular methods were used for fungal isolation and identification. A total of forty-seven strains were identified as twenty-three species belonging to Apiosporaceae, Hypoxylaceae, Induratiaceae, and Xylariaceae. Five new species—Annulohypoxylon moniliformis, Apiospora dendrobii, Hypoxylon endophyticum, H. officinalis and Nemania dendrobii were discovered. Three tentative new species were speculated in Xylaria. Thirteen known fungal species from Hypoxylon, Nemania, Nigrospora, and Xylaria were also identified. Another two strains were only identified at the genus and family level (Induratia sp., Hypoxylaceae sp.). This study recorded 12 new hosts for xylarialean endophytes. This is the first report of Xylariales species as endophytes from Dendrobium aurantiacum var. denneanum, D. cariniferum, D. harveyanum, D. hercoglossum, D. moniliforme, and D. moschatum. Dendrobium is associated with abundant xylarialean taxa, especially species of Hypoxylon and Xylaria. We recommend the use of oat agar with low concentrations to induce sporulation of Xylaria strains.

Wulingshen, the massive Xylaria sclerotia used as traditional Chinese medicine, is produced by multiple species

Wulingshen, massive Xylaria sclerotia, was originally reported from Chengdu Plain in western Sichuan of China for medicinal application. Xylaria nigripes is commonly connected to these massive sclerotia produced within abandoned underground macrotermitine termite nests. We sequenced 54 Wulingshen samples procured from traditional Chinese medicine markets in Chengdu Plain and connected them to six different Xylaria species: X. nigripes, X. subescharoidea, two species newly described herein-X. neonigripes and X. rogersionigripes, and two species that are known only as sclerotia thus far. Only teleomorphs of X. subescharoidea and X. rogersionigripes have been collected in Chengdu Plain thus far. In Taiwan, teleomorphs of four of the six species, except for the two only known in sclerotial form, have been collected, and their cultures were obtained; we thus designate the holotypes of X. neonigripes and X. rogersionigripes on the basis of Taiwan specimens. During the collecting activities carried out in Chengdu Plain, a Xylaria species, which is newly described as X. mianyangensis herein, was also collected from termite nests but lacks a known connection to Wulingshen.

Fungal diversity notes 1387-1511: taxonomic and phylogenetic contributions on genera and species of fungal taxa

This article is the 13th contribution in the Fungal Diversity Notes series, wherein 125 taxa from four phyla, ten classes, 31 orders, 69 families, 92 genera and three genera incertae sedis are treated, demonstrating worldwide and geographic distribution. Fungal taxa described and illustrated in the present study include three new genera, 69 new species, one new combination, one reference specimen and 51 new records on new hosts and new geographical distributions. Three new genera, Cylindrotorula (Torulaceae), Scolecoleotia (Leotiales genus incertae sedis) and Xenovaginatispora (Lindomycetaceae) are introduced based on distinct phylogenetic lineages and unique morphologies. Newly described species are Aspergillus lannaensis, Cercophora dulciaquae, Cladophialophora aquatica, Coprinellus punjabensis, Cortinarius alutarius, C. mammillatus, C. quercoflocculosus, Coryneum fagi, Cruentomycena uttarakhandina, Cryptocoryneum rosae, Cyathus uniperidiolus, Cylindrotorula indica, Diaporthe chamaeropicola, Didymella azollae, Diplodia alanphillipsii, Dothiora coronicola, Efibula rodriguezarmasiae, Erysiphe salicicola, Fusarium queenslandicum, Geastrum gorgonicum, G. hansagiense, Helicosporium sexualis, Helminthosporium chiangraiensis, Hongkongmyces kokensis, Hydrophilomyces hydraenae, Hygrocybe boertmannii, Hyphoderma australosetigerum, Hyphodontia yunnanensis, Khaleijomyces umikazeana, Laboulbenia divisa, Laboulbenia triarthronis, Laccaria populina, Lactarius pallidozonarius, Lepidosphaeria strobelii, Longipedicellata megafusiformis, Lophiotrema lincangensis, Marasmius benghalensis, M. jinfoshanensis, M. subtropicus, Mariannaea camelliae, Melanographium smilaxii, Microbotryum polycnemoides, Mimeomyces digitatus, Minutisphaera thailandensis, Mortierella solitaria, Mucor harpali, Nigrograna jinghongensis, Odontia huanrenensis, O. parvispina, Paraconiothyrium ajrekarii, Parafuscosporella niloticus, Phaeocytostroma yomensis, Phaeoisaria synnematicus, Phanerochaete hainanensis, Pleopunctum thailandicum, Pleurotheciella dimorphospora, Pseudochaetosphaeronema chiangraiense, Pseudodactylaria albicolonia, Rhexoacrodictys nigrospora, Russula paravioleipes, Scolecoleotia eriocamporesi, Seriascoma honghense, Synandromyces makranczyi, Thyridaria aureobrunnea, Torula lancangjiangensis, Tubeufia longihelicospora, Wicklowia fusiformispora, Xenovaginatispora phichaiensis and Xylaria apiospora. One new combination, Pseudobactrodesmium stilboideus is proposed. A reference specimen of Comoclathris permunda is designated. New host or distribution records are provided for Acrocalymma fici, Aliquandostipite khaoyaiensis, Camarosporidiella laburni, Canalisporium caribense, Chaetoscutula juniperi, Chlorophyllum demangei, C. globosum, C. hortense, Cladophialophora abundans, Dendryphion hydei, Diaporthe foeniculina, D. pseudophoenicicola, D. pyracanthae, Dictyosporium pandanicola, Dyfrolomyces distoseptatus, Ernakulamia tanakae, Eutypa flavovirens, E. lata, Favolus septatus, Fusarium atrovinosum, F. clavum, Helicosporium luteosporum, Hermatomyces nabanheensis, Hermatomyces sphaericoides, Longipedicellata aquatica, Lophiostoma caudata, L. clematidis-vitalbae, Lophiotrema hydei, L. neoarundinaria, Marasmiellus palmivorus, Megacapitula villosa, Micropsalliota globocystis, M. gracilis, Montagnula thailandica, Neohelicosporium irregulare, N. parisporum, Paradictyoarthrinium diffractum, Phaeoisaria aquatica, Poaceascoma taiwanense, Saproamanita manicata, Spegazzinia camelliae, Submersispora variabilis, Thyronectria caudata, T. mackenziei, Tubeufia chiangmaiensis, T. roseohelicospora, Vaginatispora nypae, Wicklowia submersa, Xanthagaricus necopinatus and Xylaria haemorrhoidalis. The data presented herein are based on morphological examination of fresh specimens, coupled with analysis of phylogenetic sequence data to better integrate taxa into appropriate taxonomic ranks and infer their evolutionary relationships.

Twelve New Taxa of Xylaria Associated with Termite Nests and Soil from Northeast Thailand

Simple Summary

Xylaria species are known for their medicinal value and production of a variety of bioactive compounds. They usually grow on rotten wood, fallen leaves, seeds, and fruits. Some species can be found growing on soil or associated with termite nests, which belong to subgenus Pseudoxylaria. They share with other Xylaria species a suite of morphological characteristics, including conspicuous or massive upright stromata with a light-coloured interior, a longer than wide ascal apical ring, bluing in an iodine reagent, and brown unicellular ascospores possessing a germ slit. In Thailand, there are only limited reports on Xylaria diversity and taxonomy, especially on species associated with termite nests. In the present study, we describe 12 new Xylaria taxa and report two species closely resembling known species from termite nests or soil. Their morphological and cultural characteristics are described and illustrated, and their nucleotide sequences of ITS rDNA, alpha-actin, and beta-tubulin genes were obtained. Phylogenetic inference based on these sequences confirmed that all taxa analyzed belong to subgenus Pseudoxylaria and differ from all other species with sequences available in public databases. Our study is the first to report on the novel Xylaria species associated with termite nests or growing on soil in Thailand. Subgenus Pseudoxylaria is likely highly diverse in the country.

Abstract

The diversity of Xylaria species associated with termite nests in northeast Thailand was investigated. Among the 14 taxa included in this study, 11 species and one variety were described as new, and another two species resemble the existing taxa, X. escharoidea and X. nigripes. The newly described taxa are X. chaiyaphumensis, X. conica, X. fulvescens, X. ischnostroma, X. margaretae, X. minima, X. reinkingii var. microspora, X. siamensis, X. sihanonthii, X. subintraflava, X. thienhirunae, and X. vinacea. Their morphological and cultural characteristics are described and illustrated, and their ITS, α-actin and β-tubulin sequences were analysed. A dichotomous key to the 17 species of Xylaria occurring in Thailand is provided.