Neomanoharachariella xizangensis Y. Y. Yang & Q. Zhao

Yang, Yan-Yan, Thiyagaraja, Vinodhini, Wanasinghe, Dhanushka N., Ar, Gomes De Farias & Zhao, Qi, 2024, Phylogenetic and taxonomic appraisal of Neomanoharachariella xizangensis sp. nov. and the first asexual report of Acanthostigmina (Tubeufiaceae, Tubeufiales) from Xizang Autonomous Region, China, Phytotaxa 642 (2), pp. 127-140 : 132-134

Neomanoharachariella xizangensis Y. Y. Yang & Q. Zhao sp. nov. ( Fig. 2 )

Index Fungorum number: IF 901427, Facesofungi number: FOF 15182

Etymology: Referring to the collection site “ Xizang Autonomous Region, China ”, where the holotype was collected. Holotype: HKAS 131153

Saprobic on the dead wood of an unidentified plant. Sexual morph: unidentified. Asexual morph: Hyphomycetous. Colonies on the natural substratum superficial, effuse, black, with dictyosporous. Mycelium partly superficial, partly immersed, and dark brown. Conidiophores 93–163 µm × 3.9–5.5 µm (x̄ = 122 × 4.5 µm, n = 6), macronematous, mononematous, flexuous, unbranched, septate, pale brown, smooth-walled. Setae scattered, mixed with conidiophores, 92–117 µm × 3.1–4.8 µm (x̄ = 103 × 4 µm, n = 8), dark brown, hyaline at the apex, straight, 4–5-septate, solitary, a long cylindrical stipe and a cuspate neck, smooth-walled. Conidiogenous cells 15–23 µm × 3.2–4.9 µm (x̄ = 18 × 4.2 µm, n = 8), terminal, monoblastic, integrated, pale brown to hyaline, smooth-walled, cylindrical. Conidia 34–75 µm × 13–31 µm (x̄ = 54 × 24 µm, n = 26), long oval or ellipsoidal, muriform, shiny, pale brown when immature, becoming dark with black neoplasm when mature, 8–10-transversely septate, with 2–5-longitudinal septa.

Culture characteristics: Conidia germinating on PDA and germ tubes produced from conidia within 12 h. Colonies growing on PDA, subcircular, edge undulate, with a flat surface, sparse, reaching 18 mm in 20 days at 25 ℃, front white to brown in PDA medium, mycelium superficial and partially immersed, reverse dark brown.

Material examined: China, Xizang Autonomous Region, Nyingchi Prefecture , Metuo County, 29.144261 N, 95.195501 E, on an unidentified dead wood. 10 July 2022, Yanyan Yang, YYY318 (holotype: HKAS 131153 ), ex-type living culture KUNCC 23-15799 ; China, Xizang Autonomous Region, Nyingchi Prefecture , Bome County, 30.396643 N, 94.344931 E, on unidentified dead wood, 13 July 2022, Yanyan Yang, YYY318-2 ( HKAS 131156 ), live culture KUNCC 23-15800 .

Notes: In the ITS, LSU, tef 1-α, and rpb2 combined phylogenetic analyses, our species formed a sister subclade to Neomanoharachariella aquatica (CGMCC 3.23539) with high statistical support (100 ML/1.00 PP). The base pair comparison between N. xizangensis (HKAS 131153) and N. aquatica (CGMCC 3.23539) revealed 92.66% for ITS, 98.89 % for LSU, 93.70 % for tef 1-α, and 93.33 % for rpb2 similarity. The new taxon shares similar characteristics to N. aquatica in having cylindrical, integrated conidiogenous cells, forming muriform septate conidia. However, N. aquatica has comparatively shorter (20–31 × 3.5–4.2 µm) conidiophores that are straight or flexuous, paler, tuberculous at the top, smooth conidia, without setae ( Li et al. 2022), whereas N. xizangensis has comparatively longer conidiophores (90–160 × 4–5.5 µm) that are flexuous, septate, pale brown and black neoplasm conidia with straight setae. Based on the recommendation for species boundary delimitation by Chethana et al. (2021), Maharachchikumbura et al. (2021), and Jeewon & Hyde (2016), N. xizangensis is established as a new species.

Figures

FIGURE 2. Neomanoharachariella xizangensis (HKAS 131153, holotype) a Host substrate. b Appearance of colonies on the substrate. c–f Conidiophores and conidia. g–h, l Conidiogenous cells and conidia. i–k Conidia. m Germinated conidium. n, o Front and reverse colonies on PDA. Scale bars: c–f, m = 50 μm, g–l = 20 μm.