Species New to Science

Cyathus magnipilosus in Góis, Cruz, Baseia et Hosaka, 2024.  DOI: doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.677.1.3   x.com/RhudsonCruz

 

In this study, we present the first new species of Cyathus from Indonesia. Cyathus magnipilosus is characterized by having light-colored basidiomata, an exoperidium with long tomentum, single-layered cortex, black peridioles with a smooth surface and elongated basidiospores. The new species is presented with morphological illustrated description, and phylogenetic analyses using ITS and LSU sequences. Cyathus magnipilosus fits in the pallidum group, based on recent classifications. Comparative analyses with related taxa and a detailed discussion are provided as well as an identification key to the known species of Cyathus in the pallidum group for the world.

Abstract 

Phellodon is a globally distributed genus of stipitate hydnoid fungi recognised by a white spore print and an ectomycorrhizal life strategy. In Europe, many Phellodon species have declining populations and are used as indicators of forests with high conservation values. However, their use in this context and the correct assessment of their extinction risk, according to IUCN guidelines, are currently hampered by inconsistent name usage and unclear species delimitations, primarily within the species complexes of P. melaleucus, P. niger and P. tomentosus. We analysed 286 ITS sequences of Phellodon, of which 51 were also analysed in conjunction with the corresponding LSU regions. This work included 102 newly sequenced collections, primarily sourced from Sweden and the UK. Our phylogenetic results show that four species are new to science and hence we formally describe P. castaneoleucus within the P. melaleucus morphological complex, P. aquiloniniger and P. frondosoniger within the P. niger complex and P. dititomentosus as a sister species to P. tomentosus. The combination P. melilotinus is made to accommodate an additional, previously described, species that belongs in the P. niger complex. We designate lectotypes and epitypes for P. melaleucus, P. niger and P. tomentosus as well as an epitype for P. melilotinus. Phellodon ellisianus is recorded as new to Europe and the ecological amplitude of P. secretus and P. violaceus is revealed to be wider than previously believed. We provide a key to all 13 species currently known in Europe and assign them to three habitat-based assemblages based on data from the Nordic countries and the UK. We hope this will facilitate the assessment of such habitats for legal protection and other conservation-related actions.

Keywords: ECM fungi ; conservation; new taxa; stipitate hydnoid; tooth fungi

A new species (Geastrum yunnanense) from Yunnan Province in Southwest China is described and illustrated based on morphological and molecular evidence. This species is characterized by the globular or ovate endoperidial body, shallowly saccate exoperidium, and spherical basidiospores (2.0–2.5 × 1.9–2.5 µm in diameter). Sequences of the internal transcribed spacers (ITS) and large subunit (nrLSU) of the nuclear ribosomal DNA (rDNA) markers of the studied samples were generated, and the phylogenetic analyses were performed with maximum likelihood, maximum parsimony, and Bayesian inference methods. The phylogenetic analyses inferred from ITS+nrLSU dataset indicated that G. yunnanense nested within the genus Geastrum, forming a monophyletic lineage sister to G. velutinum, and G. javanicum. A full description, illustrations, and phylogenetic analysis results for the new species are provided.

Key words: 1 new species, Earthstar fungus, Geastraceae, Phylogeny, Taxonomy, Yunnan Province, Fungi

Geastrum yunnanense X. Yang & C.L. Zhao, sp. nov. 

 Diagnosis:—It differs in its unexpanded basidiomata with a few white mycoderma, not easily dislodged mycelial layer, a monomitic hyphal structure with tawny to yellow to pale brown generative hyphae, and spherical basidiospores. 

Etymology:—yunnanense (Lat.) refers to the locality “Yunnan Province” of the holotype.

Xin Yang, Jiangqing Su, Hongmin Zhou and Changlin Zhao. 2024. Morphological Characteristics and Phylogenetic Analyses revealed Geastrum yunnanense sp. nov. (Geastrales, Basidiomycota) from Southwest China.  Phytotaxa. 665(3); 179-192. DOI: doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.665.3.1

Pseudosperma brunneopilosum Aïgnon & Fan sp. nov. 

Diagnosis: A species distinguished from other tropical African Pseudosperma by the combination of the small basidiomata, brownish hairy and rimose pileus, lighter colored stipe, and isolated phylogenetic position.

 

Etymology: brunneopilosum, in reference to brownish densely fibrillose pileus.

 

Background: As a genus within the Clavicipitaceae, Metarhizium exhibits rich morphological and ecological diversity, with a wide distribution and a variety of hosts. Currently, sixty-eight species of Metarhizium have been described.

New information: A new species of Metarhizium, M. puerense (Hong Yu bis), was described in Pu'er City, Yunnan Province, south-western China. Based on morphological characteristics and multilocus phylogenetic analyses, Metarhizium puerense was confirmed to be phylogenetically related to M. album, but was clearly separated and formed a distinct branch. In contrast, the host of Metarhizium album was plants and leafhoppers and that lepidopteran larvae were the host of M. puerense. The diagnostic features of M. puerense were solitary to multiple stromata and smooth-walled, cylindrical with rounded apices conidia.

Keywords: Metarhizium, morphology, phylogenetic analyses

Jin Mei Ma, Zhi Qin Wang, Zhi Li Yang, Yue Chen, Song Yu Li and Hong Yu. 2024. Metarhizium puerense (Hypocreales, Clavicipitaceae): A New Species from Yunnan, south-western China. Biodiversity Data Journal. 12: e129087. DOI: doi.org/10.3897/BDJ.12.e129087

The genus Peniophora is known to be distributed from boreal to tropical regions worldwide. During surveys of plant diseases in southern Thailand in 2022 and 2023, two specimens of rotten snake fruits (Salacca zalacca) were collected. The new species, Peniophora salaccae, is described based on collections with morphological and molecular data. This species is characterized by orange-gray to brownish-orange basidiomes, simple-septate generative hyphae, brown lamprocystidia, subclavate to subcylindrical gloeocystidia, and subtriangular basidiospores. It can be distinguished from P. trigonosperma by its larger basidiospores and shorter lamprocystidia. Molecular phylogenetic analyses of the internal transcribed spacers (ITS) and the large subunit (nrLSU) of the nuclear ribosomal DNA (rDNA) confirmed the position of the new species within the genus Peniophora. The full description, color photographs, illustrations, and the phylogenetic tree showing the position of P. salaccae are provided. Additionally, pathogenicity tests showed that P. salaccae could infect snake fruits, which developed the same symptoms under artificial inoculation conditions as those observed in the field.

An updated description of the genus Atheniella, combining macro- and micromorphological characters that elaborate on the original generic characterisation, is presented. Atheniella is characterised by a brightly coloured pileus, all tissues inamyloid and pileipellis covered with simple to branched excrescences. Previously, nine Atheniella species were known globally, of which three species were accepted in China. Three newly-recognised species classified in the genus are here formally described from Yunnan Province: Atheniella flavida sp. nov., A. rutila sp. nov. and A. taoyao sp. nov. The new species are characterised by a yellow, orange, pink or red pileus, fusiform cheilocystidia and pleurocystidia, non-smooth pileipellis, stipitipellis smooth or with cylindrical ornamentation, caulocystidia fusiform or subglobose, if present and all tissues inamyloid. Morphological descriptions, photographs, line drawings and comparisons with closely-related taxa are presented for the new species. A phylogenetic analysis of sequence data for the rDNA internal transcribed spacer region and nuclear large ribosomal subunit (ITS + nLSU) supported that Atheniella is resolved as monophyletic and also supported the taxonomic recognition of the new species. A key to the 12 species of Atheniella is also provided.

Keywords: new taxon, polygenes, taxonomy, white basidiospores