Deniquelata vittalii sp. nov., a novel Indian saprobic marine fungus on Suaeda monoica and two new records of marine fungi from Muthupet mangroves, East coast of India

Abstract

© Guizhou Academy of Agricultural Sciences. Deniquelata vittalii, a novel species of marine fungi in the genus Deniquelata, found saprobic on a decaying woody stem of the halophyte Suaeda monoica, collected from Muthupet mangroves, southeast coast of India is described and illustrated in this paper. Morphologically D. vittalii resembles D. barringtoniae, but it is distinct in having larger ascomata, asci and golden yellow to dark brown ascospores with 3-6 transverse septa. Phylogenetic analyses inferred from combined LSU, SSU and ITS datasets indicate that D. vittalii shares a sister relationship with D. barringtoniae with high statistical support and forms a strongly supported monophyletic clade. Both morphological differences and DNA based sequence data strongly support the establishment of the new taxon. New records of Farasanispora avicenniae and Hysterium rhizophorae are also reported in this paper supplemented with molecular sequence data.