Sporothrix cracoviensis R. Jankowiak, 2021

Ostafinska, Agnieszka, Jankowiak, Robert, Bilanski, Piotr, Solheim, Halvor & Wingfield, Michael J., 2021, Six new species of Sporothrix from hardwood trees in Poland, MycoKeys 82, pp. 1-32 : 1

Sporothrix cracoviensis R. Jankowiak sp. nov.

Fig. 6

Etymology.

From Latin, referring to the capital of Małopolskie Voivodeship and the former capital of Poland (Cracovia in Latin, Kraków in Polish); the region where this fungus was collected.

Type.

Poland, Małopolskie Province, Krzeszowice , from adult Tryopodendron domesticum beetle on Fagus sylvaticum , January 2014, R. Jankowiak (O-F- 258628 holotype, culture ex-type CBS 147942) .

Description.

Sexual and asexual structures produced on sterilised beech twigs on surface of malt agar in Petri dishes. Ascomata abundant, superficially or partly embedded in the agar, single or in groups; ascomatal bases black, globose, (66-)89-153(-245) μm diam., with brown hyphal hairs, 12 to 165 μm long and 1 to 1.8 μm wide at the base; ascomatal necks black, straight or curved, (187-)272-462(-611) μm long, diameter (9-)10.4-16.7(22.5) μm at the apex and (26.8-)29.9-50.5(-63.9) μm at the base. Ostiolar hyphae present, pale brown, septate, straight or slightly waved, tapering towards the apex or sporadically dichotomous branching at the tip, (7-)8-16(-22) in number (17.8-)29.6-48.4(-64.5) μm long, (0.3-)0.5-1(-1.5) μm at the apex and (1.2-)1.6-2.3-(3) μm at the base. Asci evanescent. Ascospores one-celled, allantoid in side view (2.8-)3.1-3.8(-5.1) × (1-)1.1-1.4(-1.6) μm, elliptical in front view (2.8-)3.1-4.2(-4.8) × (1-)1.2-1.5(-1.8) μm, sometimes with residual sheath up to 1 μm thick, accumulated in creamy-colored mass at the tip of the neck. Conidiophores hyaline, micronematous, simple or branched, straight, simple or branched, bearing several conidiogenous cells, either borne on vegetative hyphae or on upright hyphae. Conidiogenous cells blastics, cylindrical, terminal, lateral or intercalary, straight or curved, tapering towards the apex, swollen apical part forming conidia by sympodial proliferation on visible denticles, (4.2-)17.5-43.1(-72.2) μm long, (0.8-)1.1-1.7(-2.1) μm wide at the base. Apical part with denticles (0.8-)1.3-3.7(-7.3) μm long and (1.2-)1.7-3.7(-7.3) μm wide. Conidia hyaline, unicellular, smooth, obovoid to clavate, sometimes slightly curved, with slightly pointed bases, (2.8-)3.2-6.4(-8.7) × (1.1-)1.4-2.1(-2.7) μm, formed directly on denticles. Culture characteristics: Cultures showing optimal growth at 25 °C (1 mm/d) with somewhat slower growth by at 20 °C (0.8 mm/d), white, flat, floccose, growing in a circular pattern with smooth margins.

Host tree.

Fagus sylvatica .

Insect vector.

Trypodendron domesticum , T. signatum .

Distribution.

Poland

Additional specimen examined.

Poland, Małopolskie Province, Krzeszowice, from adult Tryopodendron domesticum beetle on Fagus sylvaticum , January 2014, R. Jankowiak (O-F-258629, cultures CBS 147941).

Notes.

Sporothrix cracoviensis is phylogenetically distinct from the other Sporothrix species based on the βT, CAL and TEF1-α sequences. This species is closely related to S. fusiformis , S. lunata and S. prolifera . Sporothrix cracoviensis has smaller ascomatal necks (187-611 μm) compared to S. fusiformis (301-1168) μm ( Aghayeva et al. 2004). Their conidial dimensions and shapes showed also differences. Sporothrix fusiforme has Sporothrix fusiforme conidia ( Aghayeva et al. 2004), whereas S. cracoviensis has obovoid to clavate conidia. Sporothix lunata has also different shape of conidia (crescent) ( Aghayeva et al. 2004) compared to S. cracoviensis (obovoid to clavate). In addition, S. lunata has smaller conidia (2.3-6.2 × 0.8-1.6 μm) ( Aghayeva et al. 2004) compared to S. cracoviensis (2.8-8.7 μm × 1.1-2.7 μm). Sporothrix prolifera could be distinguished from S. cracoviensis by its smaller ascomatal base ( S. prolifera : 65-90 μm ( Kowalski and Butin 1989); S. cracoviensis : 66-245 μm) and smaller ascomatal necks ( S. prolifera : 75-160 μm ( Kowalski and Butin 1989); S. cracoviensis : 187-611 μm). In addition, S. prolifera has shorter ostiolar hyphae ( S. prolifera : 15-30 μm ( Kowalski and Butin 1989); S. cracoviensis : 26.8-63.9 μm) and shorter and wider ascospores ( S. prolifera : 3.2-3.8 × 1.8-2 μm ( Kowalski and Butin 1989); S. cracoviensis : 2.8-5.1 × 1-1.6 μm). The conidia of S. prolifera are also smaller ( S. prolifera : 4-5.8 × 1.6-2.2 μm ( Kowalski and Butin 1989) compared to S. cracoviensis (2.8-8.7 × 1.1-2.7 μm).

Sporothrix cracoviensis was represented by four isolates collected from adult Trypodendron domesticum beetles on Fagus sylvatica . It corresponds to Sporothrix sp. 7 in the study of Jankowiak et al. (2019a).

Figures

Figure 6. Sporothrix cracoviensis sp. nov. (CBS 147942) a ascoma b ascomatal base c ostiolar hyphae d ascospores e, f conidiogenous cell with an inflated cluster of denticles at the apex g conidiogenous cells arising directly from hyphae h conidia i fourteen-day-old culture on MEA. Scale bars: 50 μm (a, b), 25 μm (c), 10 μm (d-h).