New Fungi Found Across China

Three studies published in the open‑access journal MycoKeys report newly described fungi discovered throughout China. The first paper documents three new species of Penicillium (section Lanata‑Divaricata) from agricultural soils in mountainous regions of Yunnan Province. The isolates were named P. longyangense, P. longlingense, and P. zhenyuanense based on morphological traits and multi‑locus phylogenetic analyses that used ITS, BenA, CaM, and RPB2 gene regions. These findings expand the known diversity of this section and improve our understanding of soilborne Penicillium distribution in Yunnan’s agricultural ecosystems ¹.net].

The second study surveyed entomopathogenic fungi in Fodingshan Nature Reserve, Guizhou, and identified three new species within the family Cordycipitaceae. They are Arachnidicola fodingshanensis, Simplicillium fodingshanense, and S. shiqianense. The former was isolated from a dead spider; the latter two came from a lepidopteran cocoon and another dead spider, respectively. Phylogenetically, A. fodingshanensis clusters with A. kanyawimiae and A. sinensis but is distinguished by longer phialides and ovoid to ellipsoidal conidia in culture. These discoveries highlight the potential of natural habitats like Fodingshan for finding biocontrol agents against insect pests ¹.net].

The third paper addresses taxonomy and phylogeny of the corticioid genera Litschauerella (Hymenochaetales) and Tubulicium (Trechisporales). It presents the first ITS sequence for L. abietis, the type species of Litschauerella, and combines it with 28S rDNA data and morphological re‑examination of East Asian collections. Bayesian inference and maximum likelihood analyses confirm that Litschauerella forms a monophyletic clade within Litschauerellaceae, while Tubulicium remains in Hydnodontaceae as sister to Membranohymenium. This work contributes to a better comprehension of corticioid genera within Hymenochaetales and Trechisporales orders, providing insights into their evolutionary relationships ¹.net].