Samsoniella subasiatica J. Bu, K. D. Hyde & T. C. Wen sp. nov.

Fig. 7

Etymology.

Referring to the morphology similar to Samsoniella asiatica .

Description.

Parasitic on pupa of Lepidoptera. Sexual morph. Undetermined. Asexual morph. Synnema arising from middle part of pupa, solitary, erect, flexuous, unbranched, 2.8 × 0.2 mm. Stipe cylindrical, pale orange. Hyphae smooth-walled, septate, hyaline 1.3–2.8 µm (x ̄ = 2.0 µm, n = 50). Conidiophores grouped together at the apex of synnema and the head of pupa, verticillate 3.6–7.4 × 2–3 µm (x ̄ = 5.2 × 2.4 µm, n = 20). Phialides lageniform, usually in whorls of two to five, 4.2–6.8 µm (x ̄ = 5.6 µm, n = 50) long, globose at basal portion, tapering gradually toward the apex, from 1.8–2.4 µm (x ̄ = 2.1 µm, n = 50) wide (base) to 0.6–1 µm (x ̄ = 0.8 µm, n = 50) wide (apex). Conidia single, smooth-walled, hyaline, fusiform to oval, 1.9–2.9 × 1.4–1.8 μm (x ̄ = 2.4 × 1.6 µm, n = 50).

Culture characteristics.

Colonies on PDA reaching a diameter of 27–29 mm in two weeks at room temperature, white, circular, velvety, mycelia dense, becoming loose in the outmost ring, reverse brightly yellow.

Type.

China • Guizhou Province, Qiannan Buyei and Miao Autonomous Prefecture, Anlong County (24°99'08.43"N, 105°59'76.06"E, alt. 1395.6 m), on lepidopteran pupa on leaf litter, 07 September 2023, Jing Bu, Al 2023090717 B (holotype HKAS 144400, ex-holotype KUNCC 24-18537) .

Notes.

Samsoniella subasiatica morphologically resembles S. asiatica (Wang et al. 2023 a) by producing a flexuous synnema, pale orange stipe, with a mass of conidia at the apex. However, S. subasiatica differs from S. asiatica in having simple synnema and larger conidia (1.9–2.9 μm vs. 1.1–1.8 μm) (Table 4). The synnema of S. asiatica is branched at the base (Wang et al. 2023 a). Furthermore, phylogenetic analysis based on four loci revealed that S. subasiatica is sister to S. winandae, with moderate statistical support (89 % SH-aLRT / 94 % UFB / 0.99 PP; Fig. 2). However, S. subasiatica can be distinguished from S. winandae by its significantly smaller synnemata and phialides (4.2–6.8 × 1.8–2.4 µm vs. 5–12 × 2–3 µm) (Table 4). Additionally, a comparison of nucleotide sequences between S. subasiatica and S. winandae indicated that there are 6 bp differences in 3 P _ TEF, 14 bp in rpb 1, and 8 bp in rpb 2. Based on the recommendations made by Jeewon and Hyde (2016), we determined this fungus as a novel species.