Novel species and new host records of Apiospora and Nigrospora (Amphisphaeriales, Apiosporaceae) from Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau, China

Abstract

The family Apiosporaceae is a cosmopolitan family of fungi that occurs as endophytes, pathogens, and saprobes. Due to the morphological similarity of species within this family, both morphological and phylogenetic analyses are required to determine their taxonomic status. In this study, eleven specimens were collected from Yunnan and Guizhou provinces in China.

Morphological and phylogenetic analyses based on ITS, LSU, tef 1 - α, and tub 2 sequence data were performed to identify Apiospora (A.) and Nigrospora (N.) isolates. Five new species are described: A. huaxiensis sp. nov., A. nanmingensis sp. nov., A. qingzhenensis sp. nov., A. tongrenensis sp. nov., and Nigrospora neosaccharicola sp. nov. Six new host record species are reported: A. locuta-pollinis, A. setariae, N. chinensis, N. endophytica, N. osmanthi, and N. sphaerica.

Furthermore, A. mediterranea syn. nov. is synonymized under A. hispanica, and A. euphorbiae syn. nov., A. magnispora syn. nov., and A. malaysiana syn. nov. are reduced to synonyms of A. vietnamensis based on morphological comparison and phylogenetic analysis. In addition, Apiospora sinensis is reinstated, with Arthrinium sinense (Ar. sinense) syn. nov. treated as its synonym. Statistical analysis of host preferences indicates that Poaceae is the dominant host family.

Analysis of their regional distributions showed that Apiospora is more prevalent in Europe, while Nigrospora is more widespread in Asia. This study refines the taxonomy and expands the phylogenetic understanding of Apiosporaceae in China.