Morpho-Phylo Taxonomy of Novel Dothideomycetous Fungi Associated With Dead Woody Twigs in Yunnan Province, China.

Within the field of mycology, macrofungi have been relatively well-studied when compared to microfungi. However, the diversity and distribution of microfungi inhabiting woody material have not received the same degree of research attention, especially in relatively unexplored regions, such as Yunnan Province, China. To help address this knowledge gap, we collected and examined fungal specimens from different plants at various locations across Yunnan Province. Our investigation led to the discovery of four species that are clearly distinct from extant ones. These taxonomic novelties were recognized based on morphological comparisons coupled with phylogenetic analyses of multiple gene sequences (non-translated loci and protein-coding regions). The monotypic genus gen. nov. (type: . ) is introduced in Monoblastiaceae (Monoblastiales) for a woody-based saprobic ascomycete that possesses globose to subglobose or obpyriform ascomata with centric or eccentric, papillate ostioles, an ascomatal wall with thin-walled cells of textura globulosa, cylindric, pedicellate asci with an ocular chamber, and 1-septate, brown, guttulate, longitudinally striated, bicellular ascospores. has a close phylogenetic affinity to , nevertheless, it is morphologically dissimilar by its peridium cells and ornamented ascospores. and . are described and illustrated as new species in Acrocalymmaceae. is introduced with sexual and asexual (coelomycetous) features. The sexual morph is characterized by globose to subglobose, ostiolate ascomata, a peridium with textura angularis cells, cylindric-clavate asci with a furcate to truncate pedicel and an ocular chamber, hyaline, fusiform, 1-septate ascospores which are surrounded by a thick, distinct sheath, and the asexual morph is featured by pycnidial conidiomata, subcylindrical, hyaline, smooth, annelledic, conidiogenous cells, hyaline, guttulate, subcylindrical, aseptate conidia with mucoid ooze at the apex and with a rounded hilum at the base. is phylogenetically distinct from other extant species of and differs from other taxa in in having conidia with three vertical eusepta. sp. nov. is accommodated in Teichosporaceae based on its coelomycetous asexual morph which is characterized by pycnidial, globose to subglobose, papillate conidiomata, enteroblastic, annelledic, discrete, cylindrical to oblong, hyaline conidiogenous cells arising from the inner layer of pycnidium wall, subglobose, oval, guttulate, pale brown and unicelled conidia.