New Species of Preussia from Sedimentary Cost in Basrah Province, Iraq

Abstract

A novel undiscovered fungal species was obtained from brackish environments located in Al-Faw city, situated in the southern region of Basrah, Iraq, through phylogenetic assessments of the ITS and TEF1α genomic regions. Sediment sample was collected from the seacoast of Al- Faw region and cultured on Potato carrot agar (PCA) and Potato dextrose agar (PDA), then incubated at 25 °C for 14 days. It was ascertained that this species clustered within the genus Preussia. Subsequent in-depth examinations of its morphological and anatomical features corroborated its distinctiveness. This previously unknown species is introduced here as P. aseelix. One of its notable characteristics is the absence of a true fruiting body, which is replaced by an asexual state represented by pycnidia.