Neobaryopsis teloschistis Darmostuk, Etayo, Kukwa & Flakus, 2025

Darmostuk, Valerii, Etayo, Javier, Rodriguez-Flakus, Pamela, Kukwa, Martin & Flakus, Adam, 2025, Expanding the genus Neobaryopsis (Calcarisporiaceae, Hypocreales): descriptions of two new species and two new combinations based on morphological and molecular data, MycoKeys 124, pp. 291-308 : 291-308

Neobaryopsis teloschistis Darmostuk, Etayo, Kukwa & Flakus sp. nov.

Fig. 3

Typus.

Bolivia • Dept. Chuquisaca, Prov. Luis Calvo, close to Ticucha, between Tranqua and Monte Agudo, Parque Nacional y Área Natural de Manejo Integrado Serranía del Iñao , 19°39'50"S, 63°49'14"W, 1022 m, on corticolous Teloschistes flavicans , 18 Jul. 2015, M. Kukwa 16418 ( holotype UGDA, isotype LPB) .

Etymology.

Named after the host lichen genus, Teloschistes .

Description.

Ascomata perithecioid, scattered, superficial, white loose arachnoid subiculum observed only at the lower part, pyriform to elongate pyriform, collapsing by lateral pinching when dry, (400 –) 480–530 (– 550) μm high, (190 –) 200–230 (– 270) μm wide (n = 12), smooth, orange, apical part bright orange. Perithecial wall 30–40 µm thick, not changing color in K, composed of two regions: external, yellow region with thick-walled, isodiametric cells, 2.5–3 μm diam., and inner region with hyaline, thin-walled, flattened cells, 3.5–10 × 2.5–4.0 μm. Asci cylindrical to narrowly cylindrical, 8 - spored, (220 –) 260–300 (– 360) × (4.2 –) 4.4–5.0 (– 5.5) µm (n = 15), apex thickened with a conspicuous cap c. 3–4 µm high. Ascospores thread-like, multiseptate (septa hardly visible on young ascospores), not constricted at the septum, hyaline, with rounded apical parts, smooth-walled, twisted in the ascus, (220 –) 250–280 (– 300) × (1.2 –) 1.4–2.0 (– 2.2) µm (n = 20). Asexual stage hyphomycetous, present near the lower part of perithecia, colonies effuse. Conidiophores short, unbranched, 0–2 - septate, hyaline. Conidiogenous cells terminal, hyaline, thin-walled, smooth, cylindrical to slightly tapering, phialidic, 20–30 × 1.5–2 μm. Conidia ellipsoidal, at one end wider, sometimes slightly constricted in the middle, hyaline, 0 - septate, smooth, truncated, (8.4 –) 9.0–11.2 (– 11.6) × (3.2 –) 3.4–3.6 (– 4.8) µm (n = 30).

Host, distribution, and ecology.

Neobaryopsis teloschistis is currently known from a few localities in Bolivia, where it occurs on the thallus of Teloschistes flavicans . The fungal infection does not induce discoloration or necrosis of the host thallus. A specimen previously identified as Nectria byssophila on Teloschistes flavicans from Ecuador ( Etayo 2017) likely represents Neobaryopsis teloschistis .

Notes.

This species is morphologically similar to Neobaryopsis andensis , but it can be distinguished by its scattered ascomata (400 –) 480–530 (– 550) µm (vs. aggregated ascomata 500–700 µm in N. andensis ), narrower asci (4.2 –) 4.4–5.0 (– 5.5) µm wide (vs. asci 5–7 µm wide in N. andensis ), and different lichen host ( Flakus et al. 2019). Other species of the genus Neobaryopsis differ by smaller asci and ascospores, as well as their lichen hosts.

Specimens examined.

Bolivia • Dept. Tarija, Prov. Aniceto Arce, Papachacra , 21°41'52"S, 64°29'15"W, 1900 m, Tucumano-Boliviano altimontano forest, on Teloschistes sp. , 8 Aug. 2012, J. Etayo 28243, 28350 (hb. Etayo, LPB) .

Figures

Figure 3. Neobaryopsis teloschistis (all from holotype). A, B. Ascomata on the host thallus; C. Squashed ascoma; D. Section of the ascoma; E. Asci; F. Ascus apex (in LPCB); G. Ascomatal wall; H. Conidia. Scale bars: 250 µm (A, B), 100 µm (C, D), 50 µm (E), 10 µm (G, H), 5 µm (F).