Aspergillus korhogoensis, a Novel Aflatoxin Producing Species from the Côte d'Ivoire.

Several strains of a new aflatoxigenic species of , , were isolated in the course of a screening study involving species from section found contaminating peanuts () and peanut paste in the Côte d'Ivoire. Based on examination of four isolates, this new species is described using a polyphasic approach. A concatenated alignment comprised of nine genes (, , , , , , , and ) was subjected to phylogenetic analysis, and resulted in all four strains being inferred as a distinct clade. Characterization of mating type for each strain revealed as a heterothallic species, since three isolates exhibited a singular locus and one isolate exhibited a singular locus. Morphological and physiological characterizations were also performed based on their growth on various types of media. Their respective extrolite profiles were characterized using LC/HRMS, and showed that this new species is capable of producing B- and G-aflatoxins, aspergillic acid, cyclopiazonic acid, aflavarins, and asparasones, as well as other metabolites. Altogether, our results confirm the monophyly of , and strengthen its position in the clade, as the sister taxon of .