The genus Rachicladosporium: introducing new species from sooty mould communities and excluding cold adapted species

Abstract

The fungal genus Rachicladosporium (Cladosporiales, Cladosporiaceae), typified by cladosporium-like Rachicladosporium luculiae, includes a morphologically diverse assemblage of species. The species of this genus were reported from different substrates, habitats and environments, including plant leaves and needles, twig, black mould on baobab trees, rocks and insects. In this study, four new Rachicladosporium species (R. europaeum, R. ignacyi, R. kajetanii, R. silesianum) isolated from sooty mould communities covering leaves and needles of trees and shrubs in Poland are described. The new species are delineated based on morphological characteristics and molecular phylogenetic analyses using concatenated ITS, LSU, and rpb2 sequences. All newly described species are nested in the main Rachicladosporium lineage (centred around the type species), which contains species that are able to grow at 25 °C. By contrast, four cold adapted, endolithic species known from Antarctica (R. antarcticum, R. aridum, R. mcmurdoi) and Italian Alps (R. monterosanum) form distant phylogenetic lineage and do not grow at this temperature. Therefore, they are accommodated in the new genus Cryoendolithus, typified by Cryoendolithus mcmurdoi.

Inhalable Fungi and Opportunistic Pathogens During Haze and Haze‐Dust Events From Winter to Springtime in One Typical Inland City of Northern China

“…In contrast, Saprotrophic Rachicladosporium and plant pathogen Gibberella became more prevalent. Prior research has established that the saprophytic fungus Rachicladosporium originates from a variety of environments, including plant leaves and needles, as well as soil and rocks (Piatek et al, 2023). Gibberella has been frequently identified as a plant pathogen, causing damage to winter wheat and rice.…”