MYCOLab Ai Logo - gold and army green

Morphology and multigene phylogeny reveal three new species of Distoseptispora (Distoseptisporales, Distoseptisporaceae) on palms (Arecaceae) from peatswamp areas in southern Thailand

Summary

Scientists studying swamp forests in Thailand discovered three new types of fungi that live on dead palm plants. These fungi, belonging to a group called Distoseptispora, were identified using both microscopic examination and DNA analysis. The research shows how important it is to combine traditional observation methods with modern genetic testing to properly identify new fungal species, particularly in threatened tropical ecosystems.

Background

Peatswamp forests are unique tropical ecosystems with high biodiversity and significant carbon storage capacity. Although many palm species grow in these forests, fungal studies from peatswamp environments remain scarce. Previous records of sporidesmium-like taxa on palm materials in Thailand peatswamps lack molecular data.

Objective

To identify and describe new fungal species from dead and submerged palm materials collected from a peatswamp forest in Narathiwat Province, Thailand. The study aimed to characterize these species using both morphological features and multigene phylogenetic analyses.

Results

Three new Distoseptispora species were identified and described: D. arecacearum, D. eleiodoxae, and D. narathiwatensis. Phylogenetic analyses of concatenated ITS, LSU, rpb2, and tef1-α sequences clearly distinguished these species from known taxa. All three species are saprobic fungi found on submerged or dead palm materials.

Conclusion

This study demonstrates the necessity of combining morphological and molecular data for accurate fungal species identification. The discovery of three new Distoseptispora species from peatswamp palms highlights the importance of continued exploration of fungal diversity in these endangered ecosystems, particularly in Thailand and Southeast Asia.
  • Published in:MycoKeys,
  • Study Type:Taxonomic Description,
  • Source: 10.3897/mycokeys.102.112815
Scroll to Top