Two new species of Penicillium and a new genus in Xylariomycetidae from the forest dump-sites in Chiang Mai, Thailand

Waste accumulation in forest regions can have a severe impact on the soil mycobiome. However, research on soil fungi inhabiting forest disposal sites remains limited. Therefore, this study focused on the taxonomy and phylogeny of ascomycetes isolated from soil in forest dump-sites in Chiang Mai, Thailand.

The fungal strains were identified using morphological characterisations and multigene phylogenetic reconstruction. A new genus, Pseudoleptodontidium, typified by Ps. chiangmaiense sp. nov. (Amphisphaeriales genera incertae sedis, Xylariomycetidae), along with two new species, Penicillium chiangmaiense (series Janthinella, section Lanata - Divaricata) and P. terrae (series Erubescentia, section Exilicaulis) (Aspergillaceae, Eurotiales), are described in detail and compared with closely-related species.

Our discovery offers valuable insights into the soil ascomycetes associated with forest disturbances.