Volutellonectria ciliata J. Luo & W.Y. Zhuang, 2012

Luo, Jing & Zhuang, Wen-Ying, 2012, Volutellonectria (Ascomycota, Fungi), a new genus with Volutella anamorphs, Phytotaxa 44, pp. 1-10 : 7-8

Volutellonectria ciliata J. Luo & W.Y. Zhuang , sp. nov.

FIGS. 2C− D , 4A− F

MycoBank MB561608

Etymology. The specific epithet refers to its correlated anamorph.

Ascomata around old sporodochia, covered with hairs, perithecial, solitary or 2−6 in a group, superficial, obpyriform, 180−240 µm high, 160−215 µm diam, with an acute and red papilla, not collapsing when dry, orange-red when fresh and red when dry, turning dark red in 3% KOH and yellow in lactic acid, smooth. Ascomatal wall 14−21.5 µm thick, of two layers; outer layer 11−16 µm thick, cells 6−10 × 3−5.5 µm, angular, cell wall 1−2 µm thick; inner layer 2−5.5 µm thick, cells flattened, 9−13 × 2−4.5 µm, cell wall 0.5−1 µm thick. Asci subcylindrical to clavate, 8-spored, with an apical ring, 45−60 × 4−6.5 µm (n = 50). Ascospores subellipsoid, uniseptate, not or slightly constricted at the septum, hyaline, smooth, irregularly biseriate, 7.5− 11 × 2.5−3.5 µm (n = 50).

Sporodochia solitary or gregarious on substrate, generally stipitate, with a small and basal stroma, 90−200 µm diam. Setae arising from stromatic base and surrounding the conidiophores, 215−435 µm long, 5−7.5 µm wide at base, tapering to a round apex, 3−8-septate, spinulose, hyaline to yellowish, walls 0.5−1.5 µm thick. Conidiophores branched, 60−95 µm long, 1.5−2.5 µm wide at base, closely aggregated. Conidiogenous cells in whorls of 1−3, adpressed, straight, cylindrical, slightly tapering towards the tip, 5−12 µm long, 1−2 µm wide at base, 0.5−1 µm near aperture (n = 50). Conidia ellipsoid, distally rounded, with a median displaced hilum, straight, 1-celled, hyaline, smooth, 3−5.5 × 1.5−2.5 µm (n = 50).

Holotype. INDONESIA. NORTH SULAWESI, Eastern Dumoga-Bone National Park, Gn muajat, Danau Alia , 1400 m, on herbaceous stem, 26 October 1985, Samuels G.J., 2400A (NY), ex type culture GJS 85.205.

Notes. Volutellonectria ciliata is similar to V. consors and V. asiana in having obpyriform perithecia with a small and red papilla, subcylindrical to clavate asci with an apical ring, smooth ascospores, smooth and 1- celled conidia, and light-colored colonies. However, V. consors differs from V. ciliata in having laterally collapsing perithecia when dry, a hairy perithecial surface, smooth-walled sporodochial setae, somewhat longer conidia (4.5−)5−7(−13) µm long, and red sclerotia formed in culture ( Samuels 1977). Volutellonectria asiana differs in having smaller perithecia 110−210 × 85−190 µm, thinner perithecial walls 7.5−12 µm thick, shorter asci 35−47 µm long, smaller ascospores 4−8.5 × 1.5−2.5 µm, smooth-walled sporodochial setae, and subellipsoid to subfusoid conidia 4−11.5 × 1.5−2.5 µm.

Except for the slightly shorter conidia (3−5.5 × 1.5−2.5 µm vs. 5−7 × 2 µm), morphology of the anamorph of Volutellonectria ciliata fits well the original description of Volutella ciliata ( Saccardo 1886) . This difference is treated as infraspecific variation and thus a teleomorph and anamorph connection is established, which is supported by our molecular data ( FIG. 1 ). In the phylogenetic tree, Volutellonectria ciliata and Volutella ciliata formed a well supported subclade (1.00 BIPP; 100% BP), which was distinguishable from the other two species of the genus.

Figures

FIGURE 1. The BI consensus tree inferred from combined ITS and 28S nrDNA datasets. BI posterior probability values/MP bootstrap support values ≥ 50% are shown at internodes.The dashes indicate the values <50%.

FIGURE 2. Ascomata (left) and sporodochia (right) on natural substrates. A−B. Volutellonectria asiana (HMAS 76861). C−D. Volutellonectria ciliata (GJS85.205). Bars = 200 µm.

FIGURE 4. A−F. Morphology of Volutellonectria ciliata (GJS85.205). A. Median section of an ascoma. B−C. Asci with ascospores. D. Sporodochium from natural substrate. E−F. Conidia from sporodochia on natural substrate.