Montagnula aquatica Y.R. Sun, Yong Wang bis & K.D. Hyde, Plants 12 (4, no. 738): 2 (2023)

Wanasinghe, Dhanushka N., Nimalrathna, Thilina S., Qin Xian, Li, Faraj, Turki Kh., Xu, Jianchu & Mortimer, Peter E., 2024, Taxonomic novelties and global biogeography of Montagnula (Ascomycota, Didymosphaeriaceae), MycoKeys 101, pp. 191-232 : 191

Montagnula aquatica Y.R. Sun, Yong Wang bis & K.D. Hyde, Plants 12 (4, no. 738): 2 (2023)

Descriptions and illustrations.

See Sun et al. (2023).

Habitat and distribution.

This species is found in freshwater habitats of Chiang Rai, Thailand, terrestrial habitats of Yunnan, China, inhabiting dead wood of deciduous hosts ( Sun et al. 2023, this study).

Material examined.

China, Yunnan Province, Honghe Hani and Yi Autonomous Prefecture , Honghe County, Dayangjiexiang (23.389965°N, 102.225552°E, 1194 m), on dead woody litter of an unidentified plant, 13 March 2023, D.N. Wanasinghe, DWHH23-51 (HKAS 130322), new country and habitat record, living culture KUNCC 23-14425. ibid. 23.388966°N, 102.224786°E, 1215 m, DWHH23-51-2 (HKAS 130323), living culture KUNCC 23-14557 .

Notes.

Based on our phylogenetic analyses, we have determined that the newly collected strains (i.e. KUNCC 23-14425 and KUNCC 23-14557) are monophyletic with the ex-type strain of Montagnula aquatica (MFLU 22-0171). Further morphological investigations comparing our isolate with the type species have revealed similarities in the size range of the ascomata, asci, and ascospores, as well as the ascospore septation ( Sun et al. 2023). Therefore, we document KUNCC 23-14425 and KUNCC 23-14557 as new records of Montagnula aquatica in China, accompanied by protein sequence data (tef 1-α and rpb 2) for this species. It is worth noting that the holotype of Montagnula aquatica was previously reported on submerged decaying wood in a freshwater habitat in Thailand, while our collection was made from a terrestrial habitat in China. This observation suggests that this fungus exhibits adaptability to a wide range of habitats, although its exploration in diverse geographic locations remains limited. The inclusion of Montagnula aquatica as a new record in China expands our understanding of the distribution and ecological preferences of this species in both terrestrial and aquatic habitats. Additionally, the protein sequence data obtained for this strain contributes valuable information to the existing knowledge on Montagnula aquatica . Further studies exploring the ecological aspects of this fungus in different geographic locations will provide deeper insights into its adaptability and potential ecological roles.