Cladosporium coprophilum Iturrieta-Gonzalez, Dania Garcia, Gene sp. nov. Fig. 4

Etymology.

Name refers to the substrate where the species was isolated, unidentified herbivore dung (ancient Greek, kópros = dung + phílos = loving).

Type.

Spain, Extremadura, Badajoz province, Granja de Torrehermosa, unidentified herbivore dung, Jan. 2017, J. Cano (holotype CBS H-24470; cultures ex-type FMR 16164, CBS 144919).

Description.

Mycelium in vitro superficial and immersed, composed of septate, branched, pale brown, smooth hyphae, 3-5 μm wide. Conidiophores macronematous, arising laterally or terminally from hyphae, erect to slightly flexuous, non-nodulose, septate, unbranched, up to 124 μm long, 3-4 μm wide, pale brown, smooth. Conidiogenous cells integrated, terminal, rarely intercalary, cylindrical, (7-)14-33 × (2-)3-4 μm, bearing up to 3 conidiogenous loci, slightly darkened and refractive. Ramoconidia 0(-1)-septate, subcylindrical to cylindrical, 9-19 × 3-5 μm [av. ( ± SD) 12.3 ( ± 2.8) × 3.9 ( ± 0.54)], pale brown, smooth. Conidia forming branched chains, with up to five conidia in the terminal unbranched part, aseptate, pale brown, smooth to verruculose; small terminal conidia ellipsoidal to slightly obovoid, 4.5-7 × 2.5-4 μm [av. ( ± SD) 6 ( ± 0.64) × 3.1 ( ± 0.31)]; intercalary conidia ellipsoidal, 6-10.5 × 2.5-4 μm [av. ( ± SD) 7.7 ( ± 1.32) × 3.3 ( ± 0.37)]; secondary ramoconidia subcylindrical to cylindrical, 7-12.5 μm long × 3-5 μm [av. ( ± SD) 9.6 ( ± 1.7) × 4.2 ( ± 0.51)].

Culture characteristics

(14 d at 25 °C). Colonies on OA reaching 21-22 mm diam., olive (2F6) to black, dark green margin (30F4), flat, slightly dusty at the center, aerial mycelium scarce, margin regular; reverse dark green (30F8) to black. On PDA attaining 36-37 mm diam., olive (2F6/2E3), greenish gray margin, slightly depressed and irregularly folded at the center, velvety, aerial mycelium scarce, margin regular; reverse dark green (30F8/27F3). On SNA reaching 27-28 mm diam., olive (3F6/2F8), flat, slightly dusty, aerial mycelium scarce, margin regular; reverse dark green (30F8) to black.

Cardinal temperature for growth.

Optimum 20 °C, maximum 25 °C, minimum 5 °C.

Distribution.

Spain.

Additional specimen examined.

Spain, Extremadura, Badajoz province, Granja de Torrehermosa, unidentified herbivore dung, Mar. 2017, J. Cano (FMR 16101).

Notes.

Based on the multi-locus analysis (Fig. 1), C. coprophilum is allocated to a terminal low-supported clade together with C. chasmanthicola and C. sinuatum, species recently described from leaf spots of Chasmanthe aethiopica in South Africa (Marin-Felix et al. 2017) and Alpine soil in China (Ma et al. 2017), respectively. The new species is distinguished from C. chasmanthicola by the production of smooth hyphae (smooth to distinctly verrucose or irregularly rough-walled in C. chasmanthicola), longer conidiogenous cells (up to 33 vs up to 24 μm), shorter ramoconidia (9-19 vs 15-33 μm) with fewer septa [(0(-1) vs 0-1(-3)-septate], and longer terminal conidia (4.5-7 vs 2.5-4.5 μm) (Marin-Felix et al. 2017). Cladosporium coprophilum differs from C. sinuatum by the production of aseptate intercalary conidia (0-1-septate in C. sinuatum). In addition, C. sinuatum is characterized by distinctive geniculate-sinuous conidiophores and a rather fast growth on OA (40-45 mm vs 21-22 mm in C. coprophilum after 14 d at 25 °C) (Ma et al. 2017).