Sulzbacheromyces bicolor Dong Liu, Li S. Wang & Goffinet, Mycologia

Debnath, Ambikesh, Nayaka, Sanjeeva, Joseph, Siljo & Ngangom, Roshinikumar, 2025, New species and new records of the basidiolichen Sulzbacheromyces (Lepidostromataceae) from India, Phytotaxa 683 (3), pp. 189-204 : 197-200

Sulzbacheromyces bicolor Dong Liu, Li S. Wang & Goffinet, Mycologia 109(5): 735 (2018); ( Fig. 5 )

MycoBank: MB816298

Description:— Thallus terricolous, forming a thin, dark green crust on soil, 9–17 cm across. Photobiont chlorococcoid, spherical to angular, contiguous, 8.4–11.1 × 8.2–8.7 µm diam., encircled by a hyaline, fungal hyphae, 2.1–4.4 µm thick. Prothallus white, gray or silver, composed of mycelium. Basidiomata simple, smooth, clavarioid to cylindrical shape, rarely branched, 15–22 mm high, 0.5–1 mm in wide, bicolored, when fresh pale yellow to orange at the tip, remaining area white, turning beige when dry. Apex acute to pointed, base slightly inflated, with hymenium tissue in the upper part of the basidiomata. Trama composed of thin walled, clamped, hyaline, densely agglutinated, inflated, colon shaped parallel hyphae, 4.1–7.4 µm thick, with oil drop like substances, 3.3–6.5 µm diam. Basidia thin walled, subclavate to clavate, guttulate, 31–40 × 6.2–7.8 µm, sterigmata two–four, 3.1–5.7 × 1.2–1.8 µm. Basidiospores (6.1–)6.4–8.3(–8.6) × (4.5–)4.9–6.5(–6.7) µm, L = 7.3 µm, W = 5.9 µm, Q = (1–)1.1–1.3(–1.4), Qm = 1.24, N = 25; ellipsoid, hyaline, thin-walled, smooth, guttulate with hilar appendix. Basidioles clavate, thin walled, hyaline, 28.7–37.3 × 5.2–6.8 µm.

Chemistry:—Thallus and hymenophore K−, C−, KC−, P−; no substances detected by TLC.

Distribution and ecology:— Sulzbacheromyces bicolor was previously reported by Liu et al. (2018) from two localities in southwestern Yunnan Province of China. It is a new distributional record for India collected from Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, and Nagaland between 78 and 1099 m elevation. The sample of Multiclavula vernalis (17- 033657 LWG) reported from Dima Hasau, Assam by Mishra et al. (2019) was studied in detail. However, this sample belongs to S. bicolor owing to its chlorococcoid photobiont and silver-grey thallus (Ertz et al. 2008; Sulzbacher et al. 2012; Hodkinson et al. 2014, Sanders & Masumoto 2021).

Specimens examined:— INDIA, Arunachal Pradesh: East Kameng District, Khenewa , 27°36′34.85″N, 93°00′54.02″ E, on roadside soil bank, elev. 1099 m, 10-11-2022, S. Nayaka and A. Debnath 22-047567 ( LWG), GenBank nrITS PQ283975 ; Assam: Dima Hasau District, Umrangso , on soil, elev. 500–652 m, 06-05-2017, D.K. Upreti, R. Verma and B.A. Khan 17-033657 ( LWG) ; Assam: Karbi Anglong district, Belanchu village , 26°34′18.3″N, 93°23′45.5″E, on soil, elev. 78 m, 03-06-2018, S. Nayaka, S. Joseph and R. Ngangom 18-028461 ( LWG) ; Manipur: Tengnoupal District, Indo- Myanmar Road , 24°20′22.2″N, 94°13′36.3″E, on roadside soil bank, elev. 603 m, 09-06-2018, S. Nayaka, S. Joseph and R. Ngangom 18-028510 ( LWG) ; Nagaland: Mokokchung District, Mariani Mokokchung Road , 26°25′57.3″N, 94°23′1.1″E, on soil, elev. 427 m, 27-09-2018, R. Ngangom 18-029068 ( LWG) .

Sulzbacheromyces yunnanensis Dong Liu, Li S. Wang & Goffinet, Mycologia 109(5): 742 (2018) ( Fig. 6 ) MycoBank: MB816299

Description:— Thallus terricolous, forming a dark green, thin crust on the soil, prothallus absent. Photobiont chlorococcoid, in clusters, globose to angular, contiguous, 8–10 μm diam., enclosed by thin, hyaline fungal hyphae, 1–2.1 μm thick. Basidiomata solid, simple to sparingly branched, clavarioid to fusiform, heliciform with prominent longitudinal grooves not developing into transverse cracks at maturity, orange, turning ochraceous when dry, apex obtuse to truncate, ending abruptly, 32–50 mm high and 1.5–2 mm wide, surface flaky, hymenium tissue covering the upper part of basidiomata. Trama with densely agglutinated, parallel, clamped, hyaline hyphae, 4–6.4 μm thick. Basidia oblong, subclavate to clavate, hyaline, apex inflated, 40–55 × 6.3–7.5 μm, with four sterigmata, 5.2–5.8 × 1.1–1.9 µm. Basidiospores (8.5–)9.1–11.5(–11.9) × (3.8–)4.2–5.6(–5.9) µm, L = 9.9 µm, W = 4.8 µm, Q = (1.8–)1.9–2.2(–2.4), Qm = 2.04, N = 25, ellipsoidal to elongate cylindrical, smooth, thin walled, hyaline with hilar appendix, rarely guttulate. Basidioles thin walled, hyaline, clavate 38.6–48.8 × 5.1–5.9 µm.

3. S. caatingae Clavarioid-caloceroid Dull orange-pink to Clavate; 23–45 × Ellipsoid, guttulate; Single celled green Parallel, densely Absent - Brazil ITS, nuLSU Sulzbacher et (Sulzbacher & Lücking) unbranched; 20–30 × overall dull yellow 4–7 µm 5–8.5 × 3.5–4.5 µm algae agglutinated; 2·5–9·5 al. (2016) B.P. Hodk. & Lücking 1·0–1·5 mm surface µm diam hyphae circumferentially crack 4. S. chocoensis Coca, Fusiform to clavarioid, Reddish orange to Clavate; 25–40 × Ellipsoid; 4 × 6 µm Olive green algae, Hyphae irregular - - Colombia ITS Coca et al. Lücking & B. Moncada unbranched; 4–10 × 1–2 yellowish 5–7 µm chlorococcoid; 3–6 × isodiametric (2018) mm 6–11 µm 5. S. fossicola (Corner) Solid , clavarioid, When fresh pale or Oblong to clavate Ellipsoidal or Clusters of single- Hyphae parallel, Absent Absent China 28S, 18S, Liu et al. Dong Liu & Li S. Wang cylindrical branched; cream white, when inflated, guttulate; reniform, guttulate; celled dark green, globose inflated ITS (2017) 3–25 × 0.5–1.2 mm dry beige 17–22 × 2.5–8 μm 5–6.6 × 2.5–5 μm chlorococcoid algae agglutinated, densely; 2–10 μm

Distribution and ecology:—Earlier, the species was known from Yunnan Province of China ( Liu et al. 2018) and Thailand ( Suwannarach et al. 2019). The species is a new report for India collected from the Senapati District of Manipur where it was growing on soil at an elevation of 1158 m.

Specimen examined:— INDIA, Manipur: Senapati District, Henbung, EMRC campus area, 25°13′43.00″N, 94°00′9.9″E, on soil, elev. 1158 m, 12-06-2018, S. Nayaka, S. Joseph and R. Ngangom 18-029060 (LWG), GenBank nrITS PQ158543.

Figures

FIGURE 5. Sulzbacheromyces bicolor, 22-047567(LWG).A.Field photograph showing basidiomata, thallus,and silvery white prothallus, B. Enlarged view of the fresh basidiomata, C. Dried basidiomata, D. Mycobiont hyphae surrounding the chlorococcoid photobiont (black arrow), E. Basidium with basidiospore, F. Basidium with two sterigmata, G–H. Basidiospores. Scale bars: A–C= 15µm; D–F= 10µm; G–H= 5µm.

FIGURE 6. Sulzbacheromyces yunnanensis 18-029060 (LWG). A. Field photograph showing orange coloured basidiomata, B. Dried basidiomata with longitudinal groove, C. Mycobiont hyphae surrounding the chlorococcoid photobiont (black arrow), D. Basidium with basidiospore, E–F. Basidiospores. Scale bars: A–B= 10mm; B= 5µm; C= 20µm D–E= 10µm.