Pseudoophiobolus galii
Pseudoophiobolus galii Phookamsak, Wanas., Camporesi & K.D. Hyde, in Phookamsak, Wanasinghe, Hongsanan, Phukhamsakda, Huang, Tennakoon, Norphanphoun, Camporesi, Bulgakov, Promputtha, Mortimer, Xu & Hyde, Fungal Diversity 87: 326 (2017)
Index Fungorum number: IF 553925; Facesofungi number: FoF 03802
Etymology: The specific epithet ‘‘galii’’ refers to the host Galium, on which the species was collected
Holotype: MFLU 17-0927
Saprobic on Galium sp. Sexual morph: Ascomata 200–260 μm high (excluding papilla), 280–380 μm diam., dark brown to black, scattered, solitary to gregarious, immersed to semi-immersed in host epidermis, becoming erumpent through host epidermis by papilla, globose to subglobose, cupulate when dried, uni-loculate, glabrous, ostiolate, papillate. Papilla 130–200 μm high, 110–160 μm diam., mammiform to oblong, with rounded apex, composed of several cell layers of dark brown to black, pseudoparenchymatous cells, arranged in a textura angularis, Peridium 13–30 μm wide, composed of 3–5 cell layers of black, thick-walled, pseudoparenchymatous cells, arranged in textura angularis to textura prismatica, with hyaline, flattened cells towards the inner layers. Hamathecium composed of dense, 2–3.5 μm wide, filamentous, cellular pseudoparaphyses, distinctly septate, slightly constricted at the septa, anastomosing at the apex, embedded in a hyaline gelatinous matrix. Asci (120–)125–145(–152) × (6–)7–8(–9) μm (x̄ = 136.2 × 7.6 μm, n = 30), 8-spored, bitunicate, fissitunicate, cylindrical, short pedicellate, apically rounded, with well-developed ocular chamber. Ascospores (103–)105–135(–142) × 1.5–3 μm (x̄ = 118.5 × 2.2 μm, n = 30), fasciculate, scolecosporous, hyaline to subhyaline, becoming pale yellowish to brown at maturity, filiform, with rounded ends, tapered towards the lower cells, slightly swollen at the 9th cell near the septum, 17–18-septate, not constricted at the septa, smooth-walled. Asexual morph: Undetermined
Culture characteristics: Colonies on PDA reaching 32–38 mm diam. after 4 weeks at 25–30 °C, medium dense, circular, flattened, slightly raised at the middle, surface slightly rough, with edge entire, velvety to fluffy, slightly radiated outwards, colony from above, white pinkish to white-orangish, with white to pinkish-brown turfs or granules, colony from below, pale orangish radiated towards the margin, not producing pigmentation in agar.
Material examined: ITALY, Province of Forlì-Cesena [FC]), near Passo la Calla—Santa Sofia, on dead stem of Galium sp. (Rubiaceae), 4 June 2014, E. Camporesi, IT1914 (MFLU 17-0927, holotype), ex-type living culture, MFLUCC 17-2257 = KUMCC 17-0161
GenBank:
Notes: Multi-gene phylogenetic analyses show that Pseudoophiobolus galii is related to P. rosae, P. achilleae, P. erythrosporus and P. urticicola but resolves in weakly supported independent lineage. Pseudoophiobolus galii differs from related species in having larger asci and ascospores, while its ascospores are swollen at the 9th cell, near the septum.
Figure x. Pseudoophiobolus galii (MFLU 17-0927, holotype). a Appearance of ascomata on the host surface. b Section through ascoma. c Section through papilla. d, e Section through peridium. f Pseudoparaphyses. g, h Asci. i–k Ascospores. Scale bars:b = 100 μm, c–e = 50 μm, f–k = 20 μm.
References:
Phookamsak R, Wanasinghe DN, Hongsanan S, Phukhamsakda C et al. 2017 – Towards a natural classification of Ophiobolus and ophiobolus-like taxa; introducing three novel genera Ophiobolopsis, Paraophiobolus and Pseudoophiobolus in Phaeosphaeriaceae (Pleosporales). Fungal Diversity. 87, 299–339.