Cladosporium propiciense P. H. Félix-Oliveira, J. F. S. A. Prazeres, Souza-Motta & J. D. P. Bezerra sp. nov.

Fig. 15

Etymology.

The name is in reference to the municipality of Vila Propício, where the fungus was collected from a cave.

Typification.

BRAZIL • Goiás state, Vila Propício municipality, Garganta (Samambaia) cave, 15°22'54"S, 48°41'55"W, isol. from air, Sep. 2022, coll. P. H. Félix-Oliveira, J. D. P. Bezerra & R. F. F. Franco, isol. P. H. Félix-Oliveira [holotype URM 9353 HT (preserved in a metabolically inactive state), UFG 39350 (microscopic slide ex-holotype), culture ex-type URM 9353 = FCCUFG 76].

Description.

Hyphae branched, septate, dark brown, smooth, thick-walled. Conidiophores solitary, macronematous, arising terminally and laterally from hyphae, erect to slightly flexuous, cylindrical-oblong to filiform, neither nodular nor geniculate, unbranched to branched, regularly septate, septa often darkened, 90–420 × 2.5–3.5 μm. Conidiogenous cells integrated, cylindrical-oblong, terminal and intercalary, with 1–3 darkened apical conidiogenous loci, 5–11 × 1–3 μm. Ramoconidia frequently formed, transversely and horizontally septate, subcylindrical, cylindrical-oblong and oblong, 10–27 × 2–5 μm. Secondary ramoconidia ellipsoid, fusiform to subcylindrical or cylindrical, septate, with 1–4 distal hila, light brown, smooth to minutely verrucose, walls not thickened or occasionally slightly thickened, 4–16 × 1–3 μm. Intercalary conidia in branched chains, rarely septate, ovoid, ellipsoid, fusiform, 6–9 × 2–6 μm; terminal conidia fusiform to ellipsoid, 4–7 × 1–3 μm.

Culture characteristics.

Colonies average diameters (mm) of 23, 31, 31, and 20 on SNA, PDA, MEA, and OA, respectively. On SNA, olivaceous, with a darker centre and a lighter, diffuse outer edge, reverse dark olivaceous. Aerial mycelium, low, velvety, without exudates. On PDA, greenish olivaceous to olivaceous with well-defined radial furrows, reverse dark olivaceous. Aerial mycelium, compact and velvety with radial furrows, without exudates. On MEA, dark mouse grey, elevated centre, reverse dark olivaceous to almost black. Aerial mycelium, dense, velvety, with some central folds. On OA, dark mouse grey and uniform olivaceous with a smooth and slightly velvety texture, reverse dark olivaceous. Aerial mycelium, low, compact, without exudates. Colonies average diameters (mm) of 29, 38, and 24 on CYA, DG 18, and MY 40 G, respectively. Colony growth on PDA was observed at 30 ° C, and no growth was observed at 36 ° C.

Additional material examined.

BRAZIL • Goiás state, Vila Propício municipality, Garganta (Samambaia) cave, isol. from air, Sep. 2022, coll. P. H. Félix-Oliveira, J. D. P. Bezerra & R. F. F. Franco, isol. P. H. Félix-Oliveira, isolate FCCUFG 123.

Notes.

Cladosporium propiciense sp. nov. (C. cladosporioides SC) is morphologically (Table 3) and phylogenetically (Figs 3, 9) related to C. nogueirae sp. nov. (this study) and C. rugulovarians, a clade having only species described from Brazilian materials. Cladosporium propiciense can be differentiated mainly based on the size and septation of its reproductive structures. Cladosporium propiciense produces longer conidiophores (90–420 × 2.5–3.5 μm), whereas the conidiophores of C. nogueirae are smaller (108–170 × 2.5–3.5 μm). The ramoconidia of C. propiciense are often septate and measure 10–27 × 2–5 μm, whereas those of C. nogueirae are rarely septate and slightly smaller (11–22 × 2–5 μm). The secondary ramoconidia are often septate in C. propiciense but rarely septate in C. nogueirae. The conidiophores of C. rugulovarians are distinctly longer (up to 475 µm), geniculate, and dichotomously branched, in contrast to those of C. propiciense, which are not geniculate and measure 90–420 × 2.5–3.5 μm. The conidiogenous cells are also larger in C. rugulovarians (up to 60 µm long) than in C. propiciense (5–11 × 1–3 μm). The ramoconidia of C. rugulovarians (20–55 × 3–4.5 μm) are larger than those of C. propiciense (10–27 × 2–5 μm). Similarly, the secondary ramoconidia of C. rugulovarians [(9 –) 11–24 (– 30) × (2 –) 2.5–5.5 μm] are larger than those of C. propiciense (4–16 × 1–3 μm). The terminal conidia also differ in shape and size, being fusiform to ellipsoid and measuring 4–7 × 1–3 μm in C. propiciense, and globose to subglobose, measuring 3–6.5 × 3–5 μm in C. rugulovarians. The phylogenetically closest species, C. nogueirae (URM 9209), differs from C. propiciense (URM 9353) by 3 bp in ACT, 11 bp in RPB 2, 3 bp in TEF 1 - α, and 6 bp in TUB, and no differences were observed for ITS; C. rugulovarians (CBS 140495) differs from C. propiciense by 1 bp in ACT, 12 bp in RPB 2, and 2 bp in TEF 1 - α, and no differences were observed for ITS and TUB. The PHI test did not indicate evidence of genetic recombination (Fig. 7 B, C). These isolates were found at sampling points outside the cave.