Research Article |
Corresponding author: Yong-Zhong Lu ( yzlu86@gmail.com ) Academic editor: Nattawut Boonyuen
© 2023 Jian Ma, Li-Juan Zhang, Saranyaphat Boonmee, Xing-Juan Xiao, Ning-Guo Liu, Yuan-Pin Xiao, Zong-Long Luo, Yong-Zhong Lu.
This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY 4.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
Citation:
Ma J, Zhang L-J, Boonmee S, Xiao X-J, Liu N-G, Xiao Y-P, Luo Z-L, Lu Y-Z (2023) Morphological and phylogenetic analyses reveal three new species and one new record of Tubeufia (Tubeufiales, Tubeufiaceae) from southern China. MycoKeys 99: 87-108. https://doi.org/10.3897/mycokeys.99.107606
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During an investigation of helicosporous fungi in China, a total of seven helicosporous hyphomycetes were obtained from decaying wood in the southern region of the country. Based on phylogenetic analyses using a combined LSU, ITS, tef1α, and rpb2 sequence matrix, in conjunction with morphological comparisons, these taxa were classified within Tubeufia (Tubeufiaceae, Tubeufiales) and were recognized as three new species, viz. Tubeufia guttulata, T. hainanensis, and T. muriformis, as well as one new distribution record, viz. T. cocois. Evidence for these new taxa and the new record, descriptions, illustrations, notes, and phylogenetic evidence are provided for the newly collected helicosporous species.
asexual morph, new taxa, phylogeny, taxonomy
Tubeufia was introduced by
No. | Species | Distribution | Habitat | Molecular data | Reference |
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1 | T. abundata | Thailand | Freshwater | Available |
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2 | T. acaciae | India | Terrestrial | Not available |
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3 | T. aciculospora | Japan | Terrestrial | Not available |
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4 | T. aquatica | China, Thailand | Freshwater | Available |
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5 | T. bambusicola | Thailand | Terrestrial | Available |
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6 | T. brevis | Thailand | Freshwater | Available |
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7 | T. brevispina | USA | Terrestrial | Not available |
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8 | T. brunnea | Thailand | Freshwater | Available |
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9 | T. chiangmaiensis | Thailand | Terrestrial | Available |
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10 | T. chlamydospora | Thailand | Freshwater | Available |
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11 | T. claspisphaeria | China | Freshwater | Not available |
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12 | T. cocois | Thailand | Freshwater/ Terrestrial | Available |
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13 | T. cylindrothecia | Thailand, USA | Freshwater | Available |
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14 | T. dactylariae | China | Terrestrial | Not available |
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15 | T. dentophora | China | Terrestrial | Not available |
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16 | T. dictyospora | Thailand | Freshwater/ Terrestrial | Available |
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17 | T. eccentrica | China | Freshwater | Available |
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18 | T. entadae | Thailand | Terrestrial | Available |
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19 | T. eugeniae | India | Terrestrial | Not available |
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20 | T. fangchengensis | China | Freshwater | Available |
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21 | T. filiformis | Thailand | Freshwater | Available |
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22 | T. freycinetiae | Thailand | Terrestrial | Available |
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23 | T. garugae | India | Terrestrial | Not available |
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24 | T. geniculata | China | Freshwater | Available |
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25 | T. guangxiensis | China | Freshwater | Available |
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26 | T. hechiensis | China | Freshwater | Available |
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27 | T. hyalospora | Thailand | Freshwater | Available |
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28 | T. inaequalis | Thailand | Freshwater | Available |
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29 | T. javanica | Thailand | Terrestrial | Available |
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30 | T. krabiensis | Thailand | Freshwater | Available |
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31 | T. latispora | Thailand | Freshwater | Available |
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32 | T. laxispora | Thailand | Freshwater | Available |
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33 | T. lilliputea | Australia, China, India, Japan, USA | Terrestrial | Available |
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34 | T. liyui | China | Freshwater | Available |
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35 | T. longihelicospora | China, Thailand | Freshwater | Available |
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36 | T. longiseta | Thailand | Terrestrial | Available |
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37 | T. machaerinae | China, USA | Freshwater/ Terrestrial | Available |
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38 | T. mackenziei | Thailand | Freshwater | Available |
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39 | T. nigroseptum | China | Freshwater | Available |
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40 | T. minuta | Denmark, Sweden | Terrestrial | Not available |
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41 | T. pachythrix | Brazil | Terrestrial | Not available |
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42 | T. pandanicola | Thailand | Terrestrial | Available |
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43 | T. parvispora | Thailand | Terrestrial | Available |
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44 | T. parvula | Britain, Sweden | Terrestrial | Not available |
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45 | T. roseohelicospora | Thailand | Freshwater | Available |
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46 | T. rubra | Thailand | Freshwater | Available |
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47 | T. sahyadriensis | India | Terrestrial | Available |
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48 | T. sessilis | Thailand | Terrestrial | Available |
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49 | T. silentvalleyensis | India | Terrestrial | Not available |
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50 | T. sympodihylospora | China | Freshwater | Available |
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51 | T. sympodilaxispora | China | Freshwater | Available |
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52 | T. sympodiophora | China, Peru | Freshwater/ Terrestrial | Not available |
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53 | T. taiwanensis | China | Freshwater | Available |
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54 | T. tectonae | Thailand | Freshwater/ Terrestrial | Available |
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55 | T. tratensis | Thailand | Freshwater | Available |
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56 | T. xylophila | China, India | Freshwater/ Terrestrial | Available |
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The helicosporous taxa of Tubeufia represent a promising biological resource capable of producing novel bioactive secondary metabolites.
In this study, seven helicosporous taxa were collected from the southern provinces of Hainan and Guizhou in China. Based on morphological evidence and phylogenetic analyses, three novel species were introduced and designated as Tubeufia guttulata, T. hainanensis and T. muriformis, and one new distribution record, viz. T. cocois. The new species are described with detailed morphological descriptions and illustrations.
From August 2021 to March 2022, decaying wood samples were collected from Hainan and Guizhou provinces in southern China. The collected information includes locations, dates, altitudes, latitudes, and longitude. Fresh specimens were placed in zip-lock bags and sterile, moist plastic boxes, and then incubated at room temperature for a period of two weeks. Using a stereomicroscope (SMZ-168, Nikon, Japan), the fungal colonies growing on decaying wood surfaces were carefully examined, observed, and documented through photography. Morphological features such as conidiophores, conidiogenous cells, and conidia were further captured using an ECLIPSE Ni compound microscope (Nikon, Tokyo, Japan) in conjunction with a Canon 90D digital camera. Measurements were taken with the Tarosoft (R) Image Frame Workprogram. Photoplates were developed with Adobe PhotoShop CC 2019 (Adobe Systems, USA).
According to the method described by
Fresh fungal hyphae were gently scraped and transferred to a 1.5-mL microcentrifuge tube using a sterile toothpick. Genomic DNA was extracted using the Biospin Fungus Genomic DNA Extraction Kit (BioFlux, China) and following the manufacturer’s protocol for DNA extraction. Specific forward and reverse primers, namely ITS5/ITS4, LR0R/LR5, fRPB2-5F/fRPB2-7cR, and EF1-983F/EF1-2218R, were employed to amplify the internal transcribed spacer (ITS,
The original sequences were examined with BioEdit v 7.0.5.3 (
Taxa used in this study and their GenBank accession numbers of DNA sequences.
Taxon | Strain | GenBank Accessions | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
ITS | LSU | tef1α | rpb2 | ||
Acanthohelicospora aurea | GZCC 16-0060 | KY321323 | KY321326 | KY792600 | MF589911 |
A. guianensis | UAMH 1699 | AY916479 | AY856891 | – | – |
T. abundata | MFLUCC 17-2024T | MH558769 | MH558894 | MH550961 | MH551095 |
T. aquatica | MFLUCC 16-1249T | KY320522 | KY320539 | KY320556 | MH551142 |
T. aquatica | DLUCC 0574 | – | KY320538 | KY320555 | MH551141 |
T. aquatica | MFLUCC 17-1794 | MH558770 | MH558895 | MH550962 | MH551096 |
T. bambusicola | MFLUCC 17-1803T | MH558771 | MH558896 | MH550963 | MH551097 |
T. brevis | MFLUCC 17-1799T | MH558772 | MH558897 | MH550964 | MH551098 |
T. brunnea | MFLUCC 17-2022T | MH558773 | MH558898 | MH550965 | MH551099 |
T. chiangmaiensis | MFLUCC 17-1801 | MH558774 | MH558899 | MH550966 | MH551100 |
T. chiangmaiensis | MFLUCC 11-0514T | KF301530 | KF301538 | KF301557 | – |
T. chlamydospora | MFLUCC 16-0223T | MH558775 | MH558900 | MH550967 | MH551101 |
T. cocois | MFLUCC 22–0001T | OM102541 | OL985957 | OM355486 | OM355491 |
T. cocois | GZCC 22-2038 | OR030844 | OR030837 | OR046681 | – |
T. cylindrothecia | BCC 3559 | – | AY849965 | – | – |
T. cylindrothecia | BCC 3585 | AY916482 | AY856908 | – | – |
T. cylindrothecia | DLUCC 0572 | KY320520 | KY320537 | KY320554 | – |
T. cylindrothecia | MFLUCC 16-1253 | KY320519 | KY320536 | KY320553 | – |
T. cylindrothecia | MFLUCC 16-1283 | KY320518 | KY320535 | KY320552 | MH551143 |
T. cylindrothecia | MFLUCC 17-1792 | MH558776 | MH558901 | MH550968 | MH551102 |
T. dictyospora | MFLUCC 17-1805T | MH558778 | MH558903 | MH550970 | MH551104 |
T. dictyospora | MFLUCC 16-0220 | MH558777 | MH558902 | MH550969 | MH551103 |
T. eccentrica | GZCC 16-0048 | MH558780 | MH558905 | MH550972 | MH551106 |
T. eccentrica | GZCC 16-0084 | MH558781 | MH558906 | MH550973 | MH551107 |
T. eccentrica | MFLUCC 17-1524T | MH558782 | MH558907 | MH550974 | MH551108 |
T. eccentrica | GZCC 16-0035 | MH558779 | MH558904 | MH550971 | MH551105 |
T. entadae | MFLU 18-2102 | MK347727 | MK347943 | – | – |
T. fangchengensis | MFLUCC 17-0047T | MH558783 | MH558908 | MH550975 | MH551109 |
T. filiformis | MFLUCC 16-1128T | – | KY092407 | KY117028 | MF535284 |
T. filiformis | MFLUCC 16-1135 | KY092416 | KY092411 | KY117032 | MF535285 |
T. filiformis | MFLUCC 16-0236 | – | MH558938 | MH550976 | MH551110 |
T. freycinetiae | MFLUCC 16-0252T | MH275089 | MH260323 | MH412786 | – |
T. geniculata | BCRC FU30849T | LC335817 | – | – | – |
T. geniculata | NCYU U2-1B | LC335816 | – | – | – |
T. guangxiensis | GZCC 16-0054 | MG012027 | MG012020 | MG012006 | MG012013 |
T. guangxiensis | GZCC 16-0090 | MG012029 | MG012022 | MG012008 | MG012015 |
T. guangxiensis | GZCC 16-0091 | MG012028 | MG012021 | MG012007 | MG012014 |
T. guangxiensis | MFLUCC 17-0038 | MG012026 | MG012019 | MG012005 | MG012012 |
T. guangxiensis | MFLUCC 17-0045T | MG012025 | MG012018 | MG012004 | MG012011 |
T. guangxiensis | MFLUCC 17-0046 | MH558784 | MH558909 | MH550977 | MH551111 |
T. guangxiensis | GZCC 16-0041 | MG012030 | MG012023 | MG012009 | MG012016 |
T. guttulata | GZCC 23-0404T | OR030841 | OR030834 | OR046678 | OR046684 |
T. guttulata | GZCC 23-0590 | OR066413 | OR066420 | OR058859 | OR058852 |
T. hainanensis | GZCC 22-2015T | OR030842 | OR030835 | OR046679 | OR046685 |
T. hainanensis | GZCC 23-0589 | OR066414 | OR066421 | OR058860 | OR058853 |
T. hechiensis | MFLUCC 17-0052T | MH558785 | MH558910 | MH550978 | MH551112 |
T. hyalospora | MFLUCC 15-1250T | MH558786 | MH558911 | MH550979 | – |
T. inaequalis | GZCC 16-0079 | MH558787 | MH558912 | MH550980 | MH551113 |
T. inaequalis | GZCC 16-0087 | MH558788 | MH558913 | MH550981 | MH551114 |
T. inaequalis | MFLUCC 17-0053T | MH558789 | MH558914 | MH550982 | MH551115 |
T. inaequalis | MFLUCC 17-1989 | MH558790 | MH558915 | MH550983 | MH551116 |
T. inaequalis | MFLUCC 17-1998 | MH558791 | MH558916 | MH550984 | MH551117 |
T. inaequalis | BCC 8808 | AY916481 | AY856910 | – | – |
T. javanica | MFLUCC 12-0545 | KJ880034 | KJ880036 | KJ880037 | – |
T. krabiensis | MFLUCC 16-0228T | MH558792 | MH558917 | MH550985 | MH551118 |
T. latispora | MFLUCC 16-0027T | KY092417 | KY092412 | KY117033 | MH551119 |
T. laxispora | MFLUCC 16-0013 | MH558793 | MH558918 | MH550986 | MH551120 |
T. laxispora | MFLUCC 16-0219 | KY092414 | KY092409 | KY117030 | MF535286 |
T. laxispora | MFLUCC 16-0232T | KY092413 | KY092408 | KY117029 | MF535287 |
T. laxispora | MFLUCC 17-2023 | MH558794 | MH558919 | MH550987 | MH551121 |
T. lilliputea | NBRC 32664 | AY916483 | AY856899 | – | – |
T. liyui | GZCC 22-2030T | OP888466 | OP888465 | – | – |
T. longihelicospora | MFLUCC 21-0814 | OM331690 | OM331688 | – | – |
T. longihelicospora | MFLUCC 21-0815 | OM331691 | OM331705 | – | – |
T. longihelicospora | MFLUCC21-0151 | OL606156 | OL606149 | OL964520 | OL964526 |
T. longihelicospora | MFLUCC 16-0753T | NR_182938 | – | – | – |
T. longiseta | MFLUCC 15-0188T | KU940133 | – | – | – |
T. machaerinae | MFLUCC 17-0055T | MH558795 | MH558920 | MH550988 | MH551122 |
T. mackenziei | MFLUCC 16-0222T | KY092415 | KY092410 | KY117031 | MF535288 |
T. muriformis | GZCC 22-2039T | OR030843 | OR030836 | OR046680 | OR046686 |
T. muriformis | GZCC 23-0591 | OR066415 | OR066422 | OR058861 | OR058854 |
T. nigroseptum | CGMCC 3.20430T | MZ092716 | MZ853187 | OM022002 | OM022001 |
T. pandanicola | MFLUCC 16-0321T | MH275091 | MH260325 | – | – |
T. parvispora | MFLUCC 17-1992 | MH558796 | MH558921 | MH550989 | MH551123 |
T. parvispora | MFLUCC 17-2003 | MH558797 | MH558922 | MH550990 | MH551124 |
T. parvispora | MFLUCC 17-2009 | MH558798 | MH558923 | MH550991 | MH551125 |
T. roseohelicospora | MFLUCC 16-0230 | MH558799 | MH558924 | MH550992 | MH551126 |
T. roseohelicospora | MFLUCC 17-1797 | MH558800 | MH558925 | MH550993 | MH551127 |
T. roseohelicospora | MFLUCC 15-1247T | KX454177 | KX454178 | – | MH551144 |
T. rubra | GZCC 16-0083T | MH558802 | MH558927 | MH550995 | MH551129 |
T. rubra | GZCC 16-0081 | MH558801 | MH558926 | MH550994 | MH551128 |
T. sahyadriensis | NFCCI 4252/RAJ 99.1T | MH033849 | MH033850 | MH033851 | – |
T. sahyadriensis | NFCCI RAJ 99.2 | MN393081 | MN393082 | MN393083 | – |
T. sessilis | MFLUCC 16-0021T | MH558803 | – | MH550996 | MH551130 |
T. sympodihylospora | GZCC 16-0051 | MH558805 | MH558929 | MH550998 | MH551132 |
T. sympodihylospora | MFLUCC 17-0044T | MH558806 | MH558930 | MH550999 | MH551133 |
T. sympodihylospora | GZCC 16-0049 | MH558804 | MH558928 | MH550997 | MH551131 |
T. sympodilaxispora | BCC 3580 | – | DQ296554 | – | – |
T. sympodilaxispora | GZCC 16-0058T | MH558807 | MH558931 | MH551000 | MH551134 |
T. sympodilaxispora | MFLUCC 17-0048 | MH558808 | MH558932 | MH551001 | MH551135 |
T. taiwanensis | BCRC FU30844T | LC316605 | – | – | – |
T. tectonae | MFLUCC 16-0235 | MH558809 | MH558933 | MH551002 | MH551136 |
T. tectonae | MFLUCC 17-1985 | MH558810 | MH558934 | MH551003 | MH551137 |
T. tectonae | MFLUCC 12-0392T | KU144923 | KU764706 | KU872763 | – |
T. tratensis | MFLUCC 17-1993T | MH558811 | MH558935 | MH551004 | MH551138 |
T. xylophila | MFLUCC 17-1520 | MH558813 | MH558937 | MH551006 | MH551140 |
T. xylophila | GZCC 16-0038 | MH558812 | MH558936 | MH551005 | MH551139 |
Tubeufiaceae sp. | BCC 3512 | AY916484 | AY856905 | – | – |
Tubeufiaceae sp. | BCC 3381 | – | AY787932 | – | – |
Maximum likelihood (ML) analysis was carried out using the IQ Tree online website (http://iqtree.cibiv.univie.ac.at/), employing Bayesian Information Criteria (BIC) as the criterion for model selection, as described by
Bayesian inference (BI) analysis was conducted in MrBayes on XSEDE (3.2.7a) (
Phylogenetic trees were visualized and edited using FigTree v. 1.4.4 and Adobe Illustrator CC 2019v. 23.1.0 (Adobe Systems, USA). In addition, Adobe PhotoShop CC 2019 (Adobe Systems, USA) was used to create the photo-plates.
The phylogenetic position of the newly isolated taxa was determined in this study using partial LSU-ITS-tef1α-rpb2 nucleotide sequences. The concatenated sequence matrix consisted of LSU (1–845 bp), ITS (846–1440 bp), tef1α (1441–2352 bp), and rpb2 (2353–3397 bp) for a total of 97 taxa, including two outgroup taxa, resulting in a matrix of 3,397 characters. Maximum likelihood (ML) and Bayesian inference (BI) analyses were conducted on the concatenated datasets of LSU, ITS, tef1α, and rpb2, both yielding similar tree topologies, and the ML tree is shown in Fig.
Phylogenetic tree generated from maximum likelihood (ML) analysis based on a combined LSU, ITS, tef1α, and rpb2 sequence data. The bootstrap support values of ML are equal to or greater than 75%, and Bayesian posterior probabilities (PP) equal to or greater than 0.95 are given near the nodes as ML/PP, respectively. Acanthohelicospora aurea GZCC 16–0060 and A. guianensis UAMH 1699 were used as outgroup taxa. The new species are indicated in red bold and newly generated sequences are indicated in black bold. “T” denotes ex-type strain. Symbols after generic names in Tubeufia indicate the habitats of taxa as explained in the phylogram.
Based on the multigene phylogenetic tree depicted in Fig.
The epithet ‘‘guttulata’’ refers to the guttulate conidia of this taxon.
Saprobic on decaying wood in a terrestrial habitat. Sexual morph Undetermined. Asexual morph Hyphomycetous, helicosporous. Colonies on natural substrate superficial, effuse, gregarious, white. Mycelium partly immersed, hyaline to pale brown, septate, branched hyphae, smooth, with masses of crowded, glistening conidia. Conidiophores macronematous, mononematous, flexuous, cylindrical, branched or unbranched, septate, 101–247 μm long, 5.5–8 μm wide (x̄ = 165 × 7 μm, n = 20), the lower part pale brown and the upper part hyaline, smooth-walled. Conidiogenous cells holoblastic, mono- to polyblastic, integrated, sympodial, intercalary or terminal, cylindrical, with a denticulate protrusion, truncate at apex after conidial secession, 9–16 μm long, 4–6 μm wide (x̄ = 12 × 5 μm, n = 25), hyaline to pale brown, smooth-walled. Conidia solitary, acropleurogenous, helicoid, rounded at tip, 25–34 μm diam and conidial filament 4–6 μm wide (x̄ = 29 × 5 μm, n = 30), 170–220 μm long (x̄ = 189 μm, n = 30), indistinctly septate, coiled 11/4–21/4 times, becoming uncoiled in water, guttulate, hyaline, smooth-walled.
Tubeufia guttulata (
Conidia germinating on water agar and producing germ tubes within 8 h. Colonies on PDA circular with umbonate surface and undulate edge. Growth rate 21 mm diam in 42 days at 25 °C, with a brown center with pale brown edges on PDA.
China, Hainan Province, Wuzhishan City, Shui Man Town, Wuzhishan National Nature Reserve, 18°92′N, 109°63′E, on rotting wood in a terrestrial habitat, 26 December 2021, Jian Ma, WZS70 (
Tubeufia guttulata is a sister species to T. cocois with 100% ML/1.00 PP supports, however, the phylogenetic tree shows that they are distinct species. Morphologically, Tubeufia guttulata differs from T. cocois in that it has longer conidiophores (101–247 μm vs. 38–123 μm) and larger conidia (170–220 μm vs. 116–136 μm). In addition, the helicoid conidia of T. guttulata become uncoiled in water, while T. cocois are coiled (
The epithet ‘‘hainanensis’’ refers to the collecting site.
Saprobic on decaying wood in moist ground. Sexual morph Undetermined. Asexual morph Hyphomycetous, helicosporous. Colonies on natural substrate superficial, effuse, gregarious, white. Mycelium superficial, partly immersed, hyaline to pale brown, septate, branched hyphae, smooth. Conidiophores macronematous, mononematous, straight to slightly flexuous, cylindrical, unbranched, septate, 44–56 μm long, 4–5 μm wide, pale brown to hyaline, smooth-walled. Conidiogenous cells holoblastic, mono- to polyblastic, integrated, sympodial, intercalary or terminal, cylindrical, with a denticulate protrusion, truncate at apex after conidial secession, 8–14 μm long, 3–5 μm wide (x̄= 9.5 × 4 μm, n = 20), hyaline to pale brown, smooth-walled. Conidia solitary, acropleurogenous, helicoid, rounded at tip, 16–21 μm diam conidial filament 1.5–4 μm wide (x̄ = 19 × 3 μm, n = 30), 127–175 μm long (x̄ = 144 μm, n = 30), indistinctly septate, coiled 31/2–33/4 times, becoming uncoiled in water, guttulate, hyaline, smooth-walled.
Tubeufia hainanensis (
Conidia germinating on water agar and producing germ tubes within 8 h. Colonies on PDA circular with umbonate surface and undulate edge. Growth rate 43 mm diam in 50 days at 25 °C, with a pale brown surface.
China, Hainan Province, Haikou City, Xiuying District, Ecological leisure trail, 20°01′N, 110°25′E, on decaying wood in terrestrial habitat, 10 August 2021, Jian Ma, HK1 (
Tubeufia hainanensis resembles T. parvispora morphologically, with solitary, acropleurogenous, hyaline, helicoid conidia. However, Tubeufia hainanensis can be distinguished from T. parvispora by its unbranched conidiophores (
The epithet ‘‘muriformis’’ refers to the multi-septate conidia of this taxon.
Saprobic on decaying bamboo in a terrestrial habitat. Sexual morph Undetermined. Asexual morph Hyphomycetous, helicosporous. Colonies on natural substrate superficial, effuse, gregarious, white. Mycelium superficial, partly immersed, hyaline to pale brown, septate, branched hyphae, smooth, with masses of crowded, glistening conidia. Conidiophores macronematous, mononematous, straight or flexuous, simple, cylindrical, branched or unbranched, indistinctly septate, 13–36 μm long, 3.5–7.5 μm wide, hyaline, smooth-walled. Conidiogenous cells holoblastic, monoblastic, integrated, sympodial, terminal, cylindrical, truncate at apex after conidial secession, hyaline, smooth-walled. Conidia solitary, acrogenous, muriform, curved, 23–25 μm diam and conidial filament 11–15 μm wide (x̄ = 24 × 13 μm, n = 20), 16.5–58.5 μm long (x̄ = 49 μm, n = 20), composed of two rows of cells with pale, multi-septate, apical cells cylindrical, basal cells truncate, constricted at septae, tapering toward base and top of conidia, coiled 1/4–1 times, not becoming loose in water, guttulate, hyaline to pale brown, thick-walled, smooth-walled.
Conidia germinating water agar and producing germ tubes within 12 h. Growth on PDA with a circular shape and umbonate surface and entire edge. Growth rate 42 mm diameter in 40 days at 25 °C with a pale brown surface.
China, Guizhou Province, Qianxinan Prefecture, Xianheping National Forest Park, 24°97′N, 105°63′E, on submerged decaying wood in a freshwater stream, 16 March 2022, Jian Ma, XHP38 (
Tubeufia muriformis shares morphological similarities with Xenosporium helicominum, characterized by the presence of mononematous, straight or flexuous conidiophores, monoblastic, terminal, cylindrical conidiogenous cells, and muriform, curved, hyaline to pale-brown conidia. However, T. muriformis can be distinguished from X. helicominum with its branched conidiophores and larger conidia (23–25 × 11–15 μm vs. 14–16.5 × 5.5–6.5 µm;
The phylogenetic analysis indicated that Tubeufia muriformis formed a closely related clade with T. bambusicola, supported by ML bootstrap value of 100% and PP of 1.00. This phylogenetic relationship confirms that Tubeufia muriformis and T. bambusicola are distinct species, as demonstrated by the phylogenetic tree.
Saprobic on submerged decaying wood in a freshwater stream. Sexual morph Undetermined. Asexual morph Hyphomycetous, helicosporous. Colonies on natural substrate superficial, effuse, gregarious, white. Mycelium superficial and partly immersed, hyaline, septate, branched hyphae, smooth, with glistening conidia. Conidiophores macronematous, mononematous, straight or slightly flexuous, cylindrical, unbranched, septate, 33–85 μm long, 5–7.5 μm wide (x̄ = 48.5 × 6 μm, n = 20), the lower part pale brown and the upper part hyaline, smooth-walled. Conidiogenous cells holoblastic, polyblastic, integrated, sympodial, terminal, cylindrical, denticulate, with a tooth-like protrusion, 1.5–4 μm long, 1.5–2.5 μm wide, truncate at apex after conidial secession, 4.5–10.5 μm long, 4.5–6 μm wide (x̄ = 8.5 × 5.5 μm, n = 20), hyaline, smooth-walled. Conidia solitary, acropleurogenous, helicoid, rounded at tip, 23–29 μm diam and conidial filament 4–6.5 μm wide (x̄ = 26 × 5.5 μm, n = 30), 100.5–138 μm long (x̄ = 118 μm, n = 25), indistinctly septate, coiled 2–21/2 times, not becoming loose in water, guttulate, hyaline, smooth-walled.
Conidia germinating on water agar and producing germ tubes within 8 h. Colonies on PDA circular with flat surface and undulate edge. Growth rate 26 mm diameter in 35 days at 25 °C, with a dark brown to black surface.
China, Hainan Province, Qiongzhong Li and Miao Autonomous County, Baihualing Rainforest cultural tourism area, 18°98′N, 109°82′E, on rotting wood in a freshwater stream, 29 December 2021, Jian Ma, BH5 (GZAAS 22–2038), living culture GZCC 22–2038.
In this study, a total of seven helicosporous hyphomycetous taxa were collected from the southern Chinese provinces of Guizhou and Hainan. By utilizing a combination of multigene phylogenetic analysis and morphological evidence, three previously unknown species were characterized and designated as Tubeufia guttulata, T. hainanensis, and T. muriformis. Additionally, an additional taxon, T. cocois, was documented for the first time in this study.
Tubeufia is the largest genus within the family Tubeufiaceae. Currently, this genus contains 59 species (
It should be noted that the morphological features of helicosporous fungi belonging to the genus Tubeufia exhibit distinct differences compared to other helicosporous genera. Summarizing the morphological characteristics of Tubeufia at the genus level is challenging due to the absence of similarity in conidiophores and conidia among its species. Such as the morphology of the newly discovered species Tubeufia muriformis resembles Xenosporium rather than Tubeufia (
We would like to thank Shaun Pennycook (Manaaki Whenua Landcare Research, New Zealand) for advising us on fungal nomenclature. The authors would like to express their sincere appreciation to the two reviewers for their invaluable input and insightful feedback. Their valuable contributions have greatly contributed to the development and improvement of this manuscript.
The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.
No ethical statement was reported.
This work was funded by Guizhou Provincial Key Technology R&D Program (grant No. Qian Ke He Zhi Cheng [2021] Generally 200), Guizhou Province high-level talent innovation and entrepreneurship merit funding project (No. 202104), Youth Science and Technology Talent Development Project from Guizhou Provincial Department of Education (QJHKYZ [2021]263) and the academic emerging project of the Guizhou Institute of Technology (GZLGXM-15).
Morphological data, photo-plates and phylogenetic analyzes were completed by Jian Ma, Li-Juan Zhang and Xing-Juan Xiao. The original draft was written by Jian Ma, and Saranyaphat Boonmee, Ning-Guo Liu, Yuan-Pin Xiao, Zong-Long Luo, Yong-Zhong Lu revised the paper.
Jian Ma https://orcid.org/0009-0008-1291-640X
Li-Juan Zhang https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3234-6757
Saranyaphat Boonmee https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5202-2955
Xing-Juan Xiao https://orcid.org/0009-0003-8769-4534
Ning-Guo Liu https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9169-2350
Yuan-Pin Xiao https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1730-3545
Zong-Long Luo https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7307-4885
Yong-Zhong Lu https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1033-5782
All of the data that support the findings of this study are available in the main text.