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

Summary

Researchers discovered two previously unknown types of fungi living in extreme saltwater and salty soil environments. One fungus lives symbiotically within seagrass roots in Mauritius, while the other was found in saline soils in the Czech Republic. These findings show that fungi traditionally thought to live only in marine environments actually have a broader range of habitats and ecological roles than previously understood.

Background

Marine fungi in the order Lulworthiales are specialized for brackish and saline habitats and play important roles in nutrient cycling and organic matter decomposition. Recent environmental DNA studies suggest their presence extends beyond marine environments to inland saline soils. Seagrass roots represent understudied ecosystems that harbor diverse fungal communities.

Objective

To characterize and describe two previously unknown fungi isolated from osmotically stressed habitats: one from seagrass roots of Thalassodendron ciliatum in Mauritius and another from saline soils in Czechia. The study aimed to assess their phylogenetic placement within Lulworthiales and their ecological distribution.

Results

Two new genera were identified: Thalassodendromyces purpureus from T. ciliatum roots forming distinctive clusters of dark brown monilioid hyphae, and Halomyrma pluriseptata from saline soils characterized by holoblastic conidiogenesis and multicellular conidia. H. pluriseptata shows wide distribution across temperate, subtropical, and tropical regions with preference for aquatic biomes, while T. purpureus appears narrowly specialized to its seagrass host.

Conclusion

The discovery of these fungi expands the ecological and phylogenetic scope of Lulworthiales, bridging marine and terrestrial fungal communities. Seagrass roots represent important sources of novel symbiotic marine fungi, and findings highlight 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 Taxonomic Study,
  • Source: 40842674
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