MYCOLab Ai Logo - gold and army green

Taxonomic Study of Sixteen Unrecorded and Five New Species of Hypocreales from the Korean Marine Environment

Summary

Researchers in South Korea discovered 21 previously unknown species of fungi living in marine environments like ocean sediments and seaweed. They identified 5 completely new species and 16 species that had never been recorded in Korea before. These fungi belong to a group called Hypocreales that can be found in various ocean habitats and may have potential uses in medicine and agriculture.

Background

Hypocreales is a large order of Ascomycota fungi occupying diverse ecological niches including saprophytic, symbiotic, and parasitic roles. While terrestrial Hypocrealean fungi have been extensively studied, their diversity and ecological roles in marine environments remain poorly understood, with only 88 of 168 documented marine species having DNA-based identification.

Objective

To isolate and identify Hypocrealean fungi from various marine habitats in South Korea using polyphasic analysis including phylogenetic analysis with multiple genetic markers and morphological analysis to determine species diversity.

Results

Through polyphasic analysis, 21 species previously undiscovered in Korea were identified, including 5 new species (Lecanicillium verrucum, Neocosmospora tuberculata, Niesslia marinisedimenta, Parasarocladium mabikii, P. multimorphologicum) and 16 unrecorded species across 10 families and 17 genera.

Conclusion

The study demonstrates significant species diversity of marine Hypocreales in Korean waters, highlighting the need for further research into their ecological functions and potential applications in biotechnology and medicine. The findings underscore the importance of marine fungal diversity research.
  • Published in:Mycobiology,
  • Study Type:Taxonomic Study,
  • Source: PMID: 40098940, DOI: 10.1080/12298093.2024.2418664
Scroll to Top