Amphichorda guizhouensis Y. Wang & D. X. Tang sp. nov.

Fig. 2

Etymology.

Named after the location Guizhou Province where the species was collected.

Type.

China • Guizhou Province, Anshun city, Xixiu District, Liuguan Village (26.25°N, 106.22°E, 1273 m above sea level), on bird feces, 12 July 2023, Yao Wang (holotype, GMB 3005); ex-type culture, GMBC 3005 .

Description.

Sexual morph: Undetermined. Asexual morph: Synnemata arising from bird feces, 1.6–2.0 mm long. Colonies on PDA attaining a diameter of 40–42 mm after a month at 25 ° C, white to pinkish, flat, margin entire, reverse yellowish. Hyphae branched, smooth-walled, septate, hyaline, 0.8–2.2 μm wide. Conidiophores arising laterally from hyphae, cylindrical, straight or slightly curved, occasionally branched, hyaline. Conidiogenous cells arising laterally from aerial hyphae, basal portion cylindrical or flask-shaped, erect or irregularly curved, tapering abruptly towards the apex, 6.0–20.8 × 1.8–3.7 (X ̄ = 15.2 × 2.6, n = 30) μm. Conidia 2.6–4.0 × 1.8–2.6 (X ̄ = 3.1 × 2.2, n = 50) μm, one-celled, smooth-walled, hyaline, subglobose to ellipsoidal, single, often remaining attached to the apex of conidiogenous cells. Chlamydospores not observed.

Other material examined.

China • Guizhou Province, Anshun City, Xixiu District, Liuguan Village (26.25°N, 106.22°E, 1269 m above sea level), on bird feces, 12 July 2023, Yao Wang (paratype: GMB 3006); ex-paratype culture, GMBC 3006 ).

Substrate.

Animal feces.

Distribution.

At present, known only in Anshun City, Guizhou Province, China.

Notes.

Phylogenetic analyses placed A. guizhouensis within the Amphichorda clade, forming a sister lineage to A. felina and A. yunnanensis with strong statistical support (BS / BS / PP = 97 % / 100 % / 1; Fig. 1). The species formed a distinct monophyletic group comprising two sampled strains, demonstrating significant genetic divergence from A. felina and A. yunnanensis . Morphologically, our observations unearthed distinct disparities among the three species. Specifically, A. felina exhibited phialides that were consistently flask-shaped, while A. guizhouensis featured phialides that were either cylindrical or flask-shaped. In contrast, A. yunnanensis possessed phialides ranging from ampulliform to flask-shaped. A particularly notable characteristic of A. guizhouensis was its relatively elongated phialides (6.0–20.8 × 1.8–3.7 µm). This unique morphological trait served as a crucial diagnostic feature, enabling clear differentiation of A. guizhouensis from other species within the Amphichorda genus (see Table 2).