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Phylogenomic, Morphological, and Phylogenetic Evidence Reveals Five New Species and Two New Host Records of Nectriaceae (Hypocreales) from China

Summary

Scientists in China discovered five new species of fungi from the Fusarium and Neocosmospora groups, which can affect plants and, in rare cases, humans. These fungi were found in various environments including plant leaves, insects, and other fungi. The researchers used advanced DNA analysis and genetic sequencing techniques to identify these new species and clarify how they relate to each other evolutionarily.

Background

Fusarium and Neocosmospora are widely distributed fusarioid fungi in the Nectriaceae family with diverse ecological roles including endophytic, saprophytic, and pathogenic lifestyles. These genera include species that are economically important in agriculture and recognized as opportunistic human pathogens. However, species delimitation remains taxonomically challenging due to overlapping morphological characteristics.

Objective

To clarify the taxonomic positions and phylogenetic relationships of 22 fungal strains isolated from plant, fungal, and insect hosts in China using an integrative polyphasic approach. To investigate phylogenetic boundaries between Fusarium and Neocosmospora genera through whole-genome sequencing and phylogenomic analysis.

Results

Five new species were described: F. dracaenophilum, F. puerense, F. wenshanense, N. alboflava, and N. fungicola. Two new host records were reported for F. qiannanense and N. solani. Phylogenomic tree topology was highly congruent with multilocus phylogeny, providing robust support for taxonomic distinction between Fusarium and Neocosmospora.

Conclusion

The study provides comprehensive taxonomic revision of fusarioid fungi in China with important implications for plant disease management and fungal evolution studies. The integration of phylogenomic and multilocus phylogenetic data robustly supports the taxonomic boundaries between Fusarium and Neocosmospora genera and contributes to understanding biodiversity and evolution of fusarioid fungi.
  • Published in:Biology (Basel),
  • Study Type:Taxonomic Study,
  • Source: PMID: 40723428, PMCID: PMC12292661
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