Huntiella krugeri F.F. Liu. Marinc. & M.J. Wingf., 2020

Liu, FeiFei, Marincowitz, Seonju, Chen, ShuaiFei, Mbenoun, Michael, Tsopelas, Panaghiotis, Soulioti, Nikoleta & Wingfield, Michael J., 2020, Novel species of Huntiella from naturally-occurring forest trees in Greece and South Africa, MycoKeys 69, pp. 33-52 : 33

Huntiella krugeri F.F. Liu. Marinc. & M.J. Wingf. sp. nov. Fig. 3

Etymology.

The name refers to the Kruger National Park in South Africa, where this fungus was collected.

Mating strategy.

Heterothallic with isolates having either a MAT1-1-1 gene or a MAT1-2-1 gene.

Sexual state. Not observed.

Asexual state. Produced on 2% MEA in 3 weeks. Thielaviopsis -like. Conidiophores macronematous, upright, simple or branched in one tier, 29-37 µm in length, often reduced to conidiogenous cells ; Conidiogenous cells enteroblastic, lageniform, 10-20 µm long, 1.5-3 µm wide, tapering towards apex. Conidia hyaline, rectangular-shaped, usually straight, with top-end conidium often club-shaped, 4-11 × 1-2 µm (avg. 6.2 × 1.7 µm). Aleurioconidia hyaline, holoblastic, mostly terminal, ellipsoidal to subglobose with an extended tube-like base, club-shaped, 4-7 × 2-3 µm (5.6 ± 0.76 × 2.5 ± 0.24 µm).

Culture characteristics.

Cultures on 2% MEA in dark in 8 d showing circular growth with even edge, mycelium superficial, flat, dense, colour above uniformly white, below luteous (19). Optimum growth temperatures were at 30 °C at 9 mm/d, followed by at 25 °C (8.2 mm/d), 35 °C (6.2 mm/d), 20 °C (6 mm/d), 15 °C (3.4 mm/d), 10 °C (0.9 mm/d) and 5 °C (0.3 mm/d).

Specimens examined.

South Africa, Mpumalanga, Kruger National Park, Satara rest camp, Senegalia nigrescens , June 2010, M. Mbenoun, PREM 62883, holotype (dried culture of CMW 36849), culture ex-holotype CMW 36849 = CBS 131676 = PPRI 27952.

Other cultures.

South Africa, Mpumalanga, Kruger National Park, Punda Maria, Colophospermum mopane , April 2009, M. Mbenoun, CMW 55933, CMW 55934, CMW 55935.

Notes.

Huntiella krugeri is closely related to H. hellenica described in the present study, H. cryptoformis ( Mbenoun et al. 2014) and H. savannae ( Kamgan Nkuekam et al. 2008). Due to its heterothallic nature, H. krugeri produced only the asexual state in this study. The bacilliform conidia of H. krugeri (average 6.2 × 1.7 μm) were longer than those of H. hellenica (average 5.9 × 5.3 μm) and H. cryptoformis (average 5.5 × 2.5 μm). In addition, H. krugeri produced hyaline aleurioconidia, which are absent in other closely-related species in the genus.

Figures

Figure 3. Micrographs of Huntiella krugeri sp. nov. (ex-holotype CMW 36849 = CBS 131676 = PPRI 27952). A Culture grown on 2 % MEA in the dark for 34 d B, C Conidiogenous cell D Conidia in various shapes E Chain of conidia in different shapes F Chain of rectangular-shaped conidia with top-end of club-shaped G, H Aleurioconidia. Scale bars: 10 µm (B-H).