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Two new species of Neohelicomyces (Tubeufiaceae, Tubeufiales) from Hainan Province, China

Summary

Researchers discovered two new species of fungi called Neohelicomyces terrestris and Neohelicomyces tropicus in tropical rainforests in China’s Hainan Province. These microscopic fungi were found living on decaying wood and are identified using DNA analysis combined with microscopic examination. The findings expand our knowledge of fungal diversity in tropical environments and these fungi have potential to produce compounds with medical applications.

Background

Helicosporous hyphomycetes are a diverse group of asexual fungi characterized by helicoid or spiral conidia. The genus Neohelicomyces, established in 2017, currently comprises 32 accepted species distributed across multiple countries. These fungi are saprobes on various substrates and are known to produce bioactive secondary metabolites with potential pharmaceutical applications.

Objective

To characterize and describe two previously undescribed species of Neohelicomyces isolated from decaying wood in terrestrial habitats of Hainan Province, China. The study aimed to expand understanding of Neohelicomyces diversity in tropical terrestrial environments through integrated morphological and phylogenetic analyses.

Results

Two novel species, Neohelicomyces terrestris and N. tropicus, were formally described with comprehensive morphological characterizations. Phylogenetic analyses showed N. terrestris formed a sister clade to N. wuzhishanensis (87% ML, 1.00 BYPP support), while N. tropicus clustered with N. hainanensis (95% ML, 1.00 BYPP support). Sequence comparisons revealed distinct nucleotide differences supporting species recognition.

Conclusion

The two newly described Neohelicomyces species expand the known distribution and diversity of this genus in tropical terrestrial habitats. Multi-gene phylogenetic analyses combined with morphological evidence proved essential for accurate species delineation. These findings contribute to understanding helicosporous hyphomycete diversity in tropical rainforests.
  • Published in:MycoKeys,
  • Study Type:Taxonomic Description Study,
  • Source: 10.3897/mycokeys.126.174186, PMID: 41395223
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