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From seagrass roots to saline soils: discovery of two new genera in Lulworthiales (Sordariomycetes) from osmotically stressed habitats

Summary

Scientists discovered two previously unknown types of fungi – one living in the roots of seagrass in Mauritius and another found in salty soils in the Czech Republic. These fungi belong to a special group that thrives in salty environments. By studying their DNA and physical characteristics, researchers confirmed these are entirely new species and determined where they fit in the fungal family tree. The findings suggest that these salt-loving fungi are more widespread than previously thought and can live in both ocean and inland salty habitats.

Background

Marine fungi, particularly those in the order Lulworthiales, are important components of coastal ecosystems specializing in brackish and saline habitats. Recent environmental DNA studies suggest their presence extends beyond marine environments to inland saline soils. This study focuses on discovering and characterizing novel fungi from osmotically stressed habitats.

Objective

To identify and characterize two previously unknown fungi isolated from distinct osmotically stressed habitats: seagrass roots of Thalassodendron ciliatum from Mauritius and saline soils in Czechia. The study aimed to determine their taxonomic placement within Lulworthiales using phylogenetic, morphological, and molecular approaches.

Results

Two novel genera were identified and described: Thalassodendromyces purpureus from T. ciliatum roots forming distinctive dark brown monilioid hyphae clusters, and Halomyrma pluriseptata from saline soils with holoblastic conidiogenesis and multicellular conidia. Thalassodendromyces clustered with Spathulospora while Halomyrma’s closest relatives were Halazoon and Halophilomyces, with H. pluriseptata showing widespread distribution across marine and estuarine ecosystems globally.

Conclusion

The discovery expands the ecological and phylogenetic scope of Lulworthiales, demonstrating their presence in both marine and terrestrial saline habitats. The findings highlight seagrass roots as an important source of novel symbiotic fungi and emphasize the value of combining morphological and molecular approaches with environmental DNA metabarcoding for understanding fungal diversity and distribution.
  • Published in:IMA Fungus,
  • Study Type:Descriptive Study,
  • Source: PMID: 40842674, DOI: 10.3897/imafungus.16.157688
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