A new Ernakulamia (Pleosporales, Tetraplosphaeriaceae) species found on palm in Brazil

Abstract

During a survey of microfungi on decaying leaves of Syagrus coronata (licuri palm), a species related to the Tetraplosphaeriaceae was found on this native palm from northeast Brazil. Tetraplosphaeriaceae comprises ten genera and the hyphomycetous asexual morph is characterized by the production of appendages on the conidial body. The new isolate also has the same morphological features on the conidial body, related to genus Ernakulamia. A comprehensive morphological and phylogenetic analysis revealed that this specimen represents an undescribed taxon within the genus Ernakulamia. Combined phylogenetic analyses (ITS-LSU-SSU-RPB2) positioned this Ernakulamia strain in a well-supported lineage basal to the Ernakulamia clade.