MYCOLab Ai Logo - gold and army green

Three new species of Talaromyces sect. Talaromyces discovered in China

Summary

Scientists discovered three new species of Talaromyces fungi in soil samples from China. These fungi are important because they can break down plant material for industrial use and produce compounds with medical value, though some related species can cause serious infections in people with weakened immune systems. The researchers identified these new species by studying their physical characteristics and comparing their DNA sequences to known species.

Background

Talaromyces species play important roles in nutrient cycling, biomass degradation, and have medical implications, but the species diversity of this genus is not fully understood. The genus currently includes about 208 reported species resolved into eight sections, with sect. Talaromyces being the largest containing approximately 90 species.

Objective

To propose three new Talaromyces species isolated from soil in China using a polyphasic taxonomic approach integrating morphological comparisons and molecular phylogenetic analyses based on BenA, CaM, Rpb2, and ITS sequences.

Results

Three new species of sect. Talaromyces were proposed: T. disparis (ex-type AS3.26221) characterized by low growth rate and polymorphic conidia, T. funiformis (ex-type AS3.26220) belonging to the T. pinophilus complex with mycelial funicles, and T. jianfengicus (ex-type AS3.26253) belonging to the T. verruculosus complex with verrucose-walled conidia. All three species were supported by morphological distinctiveness and phylogenetic analyses.

Conclusion

The polyphasic taxonomy approach integrating morphological and molecular phylogenetic characters is effective for establishing new Talaromyces species. The three novelties are supported by their morphological distinctiveness and confirmed by phylogenetic analyses of concatenated and individual gene sequences, contributing to understanding the species diversity of this important genus.
  • Published in:PeerJ,
  • Study Type:Taxonomic Description,
  • Source: 10.7717/peerj.18253
Scroll to Top