Taxonomy and Phylogeny of Novel and Extant Taxa in Pleosporales Associated with Mangifera indica from Yunnan, China (Series I)

Report of endophthalmitis caused by Paradictyoarthrinium diffractum after plant trauma: A case involving left enucleation

During outdoor work in April 2022, a 48-year-old man was stabbed by a tree branch and underwent intraocular foreign body extraction and repair of the scleral wound with sutures and amniotic membrane graft at a local hospital. Steroid therapy with prednisone was prescribed after a diagnosis of uveitis. Vitrectomy was performed in June 2023; a fungal culture was positive, and ITS sequencing identified the organism as Paradictyoarthrinium diffractum. Empiric antifungal therapy did not have an effect, and, because of deterioration of the condition, the left eye was enucleated in October 2023. P. diffractum is a mangrove host-specific saprophytic fungus that has not been reported in humans.

Exploring ascomycete diversity in Yunnan II: Introducing three novel species in the suborder Massarineae (Dothideomycetes, Pleosporales) from fern and grasses

This article presents the results of an ongoing inventory of Ascomycota in Yunnan, China, carried out as part of the research project series "Exploring ascomycete diversity in Yunnan". From over 100 samples collected from diverse host substrates, microfungi have been isolated, identified and are currently being documented. The primary objective of this research is to promote the discovery of novel taxa and explore the ascomycete diversity in the region, utilising a morphology-phylogeny approach. This article represents the second series of species descriptions for the project and introduces three undocumented species found in the families Bambusicolaceae, Dictyosporiaceae and Periconiaceae, belonging to the suborder Massarineae (Pleosporales, Dothideomycetes). These novel taxa exhibit typical morphological characteristics of Bambusicola, Periconia and Trichobotrys, leading to their designation as Bambusicolahongheensis, Periconiakunmingensis and Trichobotryssinensis. Comprehensive multigene phylogenetic analyses were conducted to validate the novelty of these species. The results revealed well-defined clades that are clearly distinct from other related species, providing robust support for their placement within their respective families. Notably, this study unveils the phylogenetic affinity of Trichobotrys within Dictyosporiaceae for the first time. Additionally, the synanamorphism for the genus Trichobotrys is also reported for the first time. Detailed descriptions, illustrations and updated phylogenies of the novel species are provided, and thus presenting a valuable resource for researchers and mycologists interested in the diversity of ascomycetes in Yunnan. By enhancing our understanding of the Ascomycota diversity in this region, this research contributes to the broader field of fungal taxonomy and their phylogenetic understanding.

Morphological and multi-gene phylogenetic analyses reveal five new hyphomycetes from freshwater habitats

During the survey on freshwater hyphomycetes in Guangxi, Guizhou and Hainan Provinces, China, five fresh collections were encountered. Based on their morphology, these five isolates were identified as belonging to Hermatomyces, Kirschsteiniothelia, Paramonodictys, Pleopunctum and Sparticola. Multi-gene phylogenetic analyses were performed for each genus, which resulted in the identification of five new species, namely Hermatomyces hainanensis, Kirschsteiniothelia ramus, Paramonodictys globosa, Pleopunctum guizhouense, and Sparticola irregularis. Detailed descriptions and illustrations of the morphological characteristics of these new taxa were provided. This research enriches the biodiversity of freshwater dematiaceous hyphomycetes.

Exploring ascomycete diversity in Yunnan, China I: resolving ambiguous taxa in Phaeothecoidiellaceae and investigating conservation implications of fungi

Yunnan, located in southwestern China, is known for its high fungal diversity, and many of which are endemic to the region. As part of our ongoing studies on fungi in Yunnan, we introduce two new genera in Phaeothecoidiellaceae (Mycosphaerellales), to accommodate one Repetophragma-like and another Stomiopeltis-like taxa. Pseudorepetophragma gen. nov. is introduced herein as a monotypic genus to accommodate P. zygopetali comb. nov.(≡ Repetophragma zygopetali), whereas Pseudostomiopeltis gen. nov. is introduced to accommodate Ps. xishuangbannaensis gen. et sp. nov. and Ps. phyllanthi comb. nov.(≡ Stomiopeltis phyllanthi), based on a new collection from Yunnan. In addition, Stomiopeltis sinensis is transferred to Exopassalora as E. sinensis comb. nov. due to its phylogenetic affinity and grouped with E. zambiae, the generic type of Exopassalora. This study provides new insights into the biodiversity of fungal species in this region and adds to our understanding of their ecological roles, as well as the resolution to ambiguous taxa in Phaeothecoidiellaceae.

Taxonomic and Phylogenetic Studies of Saprobic Fungi Associated with Mangifera indica in Yunnan, China

Fungi are a large and diverse group of microorganisms, and although the estimated number of species ranges between 2 and 11 million, only around 150,000 species have been described thus far. The investigation of plant-associated fungi is beneficial for estimating global fungal diversity, for ecosystem conservation, and for the continued development of industry and agriculture. Mango, one of the world's five most economically important fruit crops, is grown in over 100 countries and has been demonstrated to have a great economical value. During surveys of mango-associated saprobic fungi in Yunnan (China), we discovered three new species (Acremoniisimulans hongheensis, Chaenothecopsis hongheensis and Hilberina hongheensis) and five new records. The phylogenetic analyses of multi-gene sequences (LSU, SSU, ITS, rpb2, tef1-α and tub2) coupled with morphological examinations were used to identify all the taxa.

Taxonomy and Phylogeny of Hyphomycetous Muriform Conidial Taxa from the Tibetan Plateau, China

During the investigation of lignicolous freshwater fungi in the Tibetan Plateau habitat, fifteen collections were isolated from submerged decaying wood. Fungal characteristics are commonly found as punctiform or powdery colonies with dark pigmented and muriform conidia. Multigene phylogenetic analyses of combined ITS, LSU, SSU and TEF DNA sequences showed that they belong to three families in Pleosporales. Among them, Paramonodictys dispersa, Pleopunctum megalosporum, Pl. multicellularum and Pl. rotundatum are established as new species. Paradictyoarthrinium hydei, Pleopunctum ellipsoideum and Pl. pseudoellipsoideum are reported as new records on the freshwater habitats in Tibetan Plateau, China. The morphological descriptions and illustrations of the new collections are provided.

Three new species of Nigrograna (Dothideomycetes, Pleosporales) associated with Arabica coffee from Yunnan Province, China

Coffee is one of the most important cash crops in Yunnan Province, China. Yunnan is ranked as the biggest producer of high-quality coffee in China. During surveys of microfungi from coffee plantations in Yunnan, six fungal strains that resemble Nigrogranaceae were collected. Multi-gene analyses of a combined SSU-LSU-ITS-rpb2-tef1-α sequence data matrix were used to infer the phylogenetic position of the new species in Nigrograna while morphological characteristics were used to deduce the taxonomic position of the new species. Six fungal strains isolated from decaying branches of Coffeaarabica represent three new saprobic species in Nigrograna. The three new species, N.asexualis, N.coffeae, and N.puerensis, are described with full (macro and micro characteristics) descriptions, illustrations, and a phylogenetic tree that shows the phylogenetic position of new taxa.

Taxonomy and Phylogeny of Fungi Associated with Mangifera indica from Yunnan, China

During investigations of saprobic fungi associated with mango (Mangifera indica) in Baoshan and Honghe of Yunnan Province (China), fungal taxa belonging to the orders Botryosphaeriales, Calosphaeriales, Chaetothyriales, Diaporthales, and Xylariales were recorded. Morphological examinations coupled with phylogenetic analyses of multigene sequences (ITS, LSU, SSU, tef1-α, rpb1, rpb2, β-tubulin and CAL) were used to identify the fungal taxa. A new genus viz. Mangifericola, four new species viz. Cyphellophora hongheensis, Diaporthe hongheensis, Hypoxylon hongheensis, and Mangifericola hongheensis, four new host and geographical records viz. Aplosporella artocarpi, Hypomontagnella monticulosa, Paraeutypella citricola and Pleurostoma ootheca, and two new collections of Lasiodiplodia are reported.

New species and records of Neomassaria, Oxydothis and Roussoella (Pezizomycotina, Ascomycota) associated with palm and bamboo from China

Several micro fungi were gathered from bamboo and palm in Guizhou Province, China. In morphology, these taxa resemble Neomassaria, Roussoella and Oxydothis. Multi-gene phylogenetic analyses based on combined ITS, LSU, SSU, rpb2 and tef1 loci confirmed that two are new geographical records for China, (viz. Roussoellasiamensis, Neomassariafabacearum), while two of them are new to science (viz. Oxydothisfortunei sp. nov. and Roussoellabambusarum sp. nov.). The stromata of Roussoellabambusarum are similar to those of R.thailandica, but its ascospores are larger. In addition, multi-gene phylogenetic analyses show that Oxydothisfortunei is closely related to O.inaequalis, but the J- ascus subapical ring as well as the ascospores of O.inaequalis are smaller. Morphological descriptions and illustrations of all species are provided.

Description of Four Novel Species in Pleosporales Associated with Coffee in Yunnan, China

In Yunnan Province, the coffee-growing regions are mainly distributed in Pu’er and Xishuangbanna. During the surveys of microfungi associated with coffee in Yunnan Province, seven taxa were isolated from coffee samples. Based on molecular phylogenetic analyses of combined ITS, LSU, SSU, rpb2, and tef1-α sequence data and morphological characteristics, four new species viz. Deniquelata yunnanensis, Paraconiothyrium yunnanensis, Pseudocoleophoma puerensis, and Pse. yunnanensis, and three new records viz. Austropleospora keteleeriae, Montagnula thailandica, and Xenocamarosporium acaciae in Pleosporales are introduced. In addition, Paracamarosporium fungicola was transferred back to Paraconiothyrium based on taxonomy and DNA sequences. Full descriptions, illustrations, and phylogenetic trees to show the placement of new and known taxa are provided. In addition, the morphological comparisons of new taxa with closely related taxa are given.

Insight into the Taxonomic Resolution of the Pleosporalean Species Associated with Dead Woody Litter in Natural Forests from Yunnan, China

In the course of investigating the systematics of woody litter micromycete associates in Yunnan Province, China, we found one new species in Phaeoseptaceae, one new genus and three new species in Sulcatisporaceae from 16 specimens collected (ten collections of ascomycetous teleomorphs, four collections of hyphomycetous and two collections of coelomycetes anamorphs) from Ailaoshan, Chuxiong, Diqing, Honghe, Kunming, Lancang, Mengla and Yuxi in Yunnan Province. These taxonomic novelties were recognized with the aid of morphological comparisons and phylogenetic analyses of multiple gene sequences (non-translated loci and protein-coding regions). Pleopunctum menglaense sp. nov. is accommodated in Phaeoseptaceae (Pleosporales) based on its hyphomycetous anamorph, which is characterized by superficial sporodochia on the host surface, macronematous, mononematous, cylindrical, unbranched, aseptate, hyaline and smooth-walled conidiophores, monoblastic, terminal, hyaline conidiogenous cells, hyaline, muriform α conidia, and brown, muriform β conidia with tri-lobed wing like basal cells. Kazuakitanaka gen. nov. (type: K. yuxiensis) is introduced in Sulcatisporaceae (Massarineae, Pleosporales) for a saprobic ascomycete with teleomorphic and anamorphic (coelomycetous) features. The teleomorph possesses globose to subglobose ascomata with acentric ostiole, a peridial wall of textura angularis to textura prismatica, cylindric-clavate, pedicellate asci with an ocular chamber, and 1–2-septate, hyaline, fusiform, guttulate ascospores with a distinct mucilaginous sheath. The anamorph features pycnidial conidiomata, phialidic, ampulliform to cylindrical, hyaline conidiogenous cells and ampulliform to cylindrical, one-to-three-septate, hyaline, guttulate conidia. Loculosulcatispora was known only from its anamorph of L. thailandica. We observed the teleomorph of Loculosulcatispora hongheensis sp. nov. and amended the generic description of Loculosulcatispora accordingly. Loculosulcatispora hongheensis is characterized by globose to subglobose ascomata with a central ostiole, a peridial wall of textura angularis to globosa, branched, septate, pseudoparaphyses, clavate asci with a short pedicel and a minute ocular chamber and hyaline, fusiform, 1-septate ascospores with a thick irregular mucilaginous sheath. This study provides some insights into the diversity of fungi on dead woody litter in terrestrial habitats.