Pleomorphic Dematiomelanomma yunnanense gen. et sp. nov. (Ascomycota, Melanommataceae) from grassland vegetation in Yunnan, China

Abstract

During a survey of microfungi associated with grasslands and related vegetation types from Yunnan Province in China, various ascomycetous and coelomycetous fungi were isolated. This study reports the discovery of four strains of ascomycetous and coelomycetous fungi from dead stalks of Hypericum monogynum L. (Hypericaceae) and Rubus parvifolius L. (Rosaceae) in the Zhaotong region of Yunnan Province, China. The isolates were characterized using multi-locus phylogenetic analyses and were found to represent a new monophyletic lineage in Melanommataceae (Pleosporales, Dothideomycetes). This new clade was named as Dematiomelanomma yunnanense gen. et sp. nov. which consists of both sexual and asexual morphs. The sexual morph is characterized by globose to subglobose ascomata with a central ostiole, cylindrical asci with a pedicel and ocular chamber, and muriform, ellipsoidal to fusiform ascospores. The asexual morph has synanamorphs including both brown, muriform macroconidia and hyaline, round to oblong or ellipsoidal microconidia. These findings contribute to the understanding of fungal diversity in grasslands and related vegetation types in Yunnan Province, China.

Figure 7 from: Tennakoon DS, Thambugala KM, de Silva NI, Song H-Y, Suwannarach N, Chen F-S, Hu D-M (2024) An overview of Melanommataceae (Pleosporales, Dothideomycetes): Current insight into the host associations and geographical distribution with some interesting novel additions from plant litter. MycoKeys 106: 43-96. https://doi.org/10.3897/mycokeys.106.125044

“…3). All analyses (ML and BYPP) showed similar topologies and concurred with previous studies (Pem et al 2019;Kularathnage et al 2022;Gao et al 2023).…”

“…Assembled sequences were subjected to BLAST search in GenBank to obtain strains which have high similarities (https://blast.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/). In addition, some other sequences for taxa in Melanommataceae were obtained using recent publications (Kularathnage et al 2022;Gao et al 2023). In total, 85 isolates were used for phylogenetic analyses including Hysterium angustatum (MFLU 16-1179) as the outgroup taxon.…”

“…They exhibit a wide range of lifestyles (e.g. biotrophs, endophytes, epiphytes, hemibiotrophs, pathogens, saprobes) and can be found worldwide, including terrestrial, marine and freshwater environments (Jones et al 2019;Hongsanan et al 2020;Calabon et al 2022;Gao et al 2023). In addition, they are extremely adaptable to various ecological niches and can exist in anaerobic, aquatic, mutualistic, terrestrial and even in severe habitats, such as deserts (Zhang et al 2012;Hyde et al 2013;Hongsanan et al 2020).…”

“…The species of Melanommataceae have cosmopolitan distribution worldwide in temperate, subtropical and tropical regions (Hyde et al 2013;Tian et al 2015;Jaklitsch and Voglmayr 2017;Kularathnage et al 2022). They can play a vital role as saprobes, endophytes or hyperparasites and occur on twigs or bark of various woody plants in terrestrial, marine or freshwater habitats (Tian et al 2015;Hashimoto et al 2017;Tennakoon et al 2018;Hongsanan et al 2020;Gao et al 2023). In addition, some species (e.g.…”

“…Consequently, 36 genera are currently accepted in Melanommataceae, viz. Alpinaria, Aposphaeria, Asymmetricospora, Bertiella, Bicrouania, Byssosphaeria, Calyptronectria, Camposporium, Dematiomelanomma, Exosporiella, Fusiconidium, Herpotrichia, Mamillisphaeria, Marjia, Melanocamarosporioides, Melanocamarosporium, Melanocucurbitaria, Melanodiplodia, Melanomma, Monoseptella, Muriformistrickeria, Navicella, Neobyssosphaeria, Petrakia, Phragmocephala, Phragmotrichum, Pleotrichocladium, Praetumpfia, Pseudobyssosphaeria, Pseudodidymella, Pseudostrickeria, Sarimanas, Seifertia, Tumularia, Uzbekistanica and Xenostigmina (Hongsanan et al 2020;Gao et al 2023). Conversely, the species discoveries are much higher during the 1900 and 1999 period (226 species) and thirty-nine species have been introduced between 1800 and 1899.…”