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New Tricoderma Species and Six Unrecorded Species of Endolichenic Fungi Isolated from Lichens

Summary

Researchers in South Korea discovered seven species of fungi living inside lichens, including one completely new species to science. By examining the fungi’s physical characteristics and analyzing their genetic material, scientists confirmed the identity of each species. These fungi, particularly those in the Trichoderma genus, show promise for producing useful compounds that could have applications in agriculture, medicine, and industry.

Background

Endolichenic fungi are asymptomatic colonizers of lichen thalli that contribute to fungal diversity within lichen ecosystems. The genera Sesquicillium and Trichoderma are globally distributed and recognized for their biotechnological applications, biocontrol properties, and production of industrially relevant enzymes and antibiotics.

Objective

To describe the taxonomic information of seven fungal species previously unrecorded or novel in South Korea through comprehensive molecular phylogenetic analysis and detailed morphological examination of fungi isolated from lichens.

Results

Seven fungal species were identified: Sesquicillium lasiacidis, Sesquicillium essexcoheniae, Trichoderma asperellum, Trichoderma paraobovatum sp. nov. (novel species), Trichoderma rifaii, Trichoderma sparsum, and Trichoderma texanum. Phylogenetic analyses demonstrated robust clustering with respective type strains, with high bootstrap support values.

Conclusion

This study expands the known geographic distributions of these fungal species and highlights lichens as important reservoirs of fungal diversity. The findings suggest significant potential of lichen-associated fungi as sources of bioactive compounds and enzymes with industrial and pharmaceutical applications.
  • Published in:Mycobiology,
  • Study Type:Descriptive Taxonomic Study,
  • Source: PMID: 40741292, DOI: 10.1080/12298093.2025.2519854
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