Phylogenetic and Morphological Analysis of a Novel Allocucurbitaria Species Isolated from Lelia decempunctata in South Korea.

Abstract

A fungal strain NIBRFGC000512623, belonging to the family Cucurbitariaceae, was isolated from a stink bug (Lelia decempunctata) collected from Gunwi-gun, Daegu, South Korea. Phylogenetic analyses based on the concatenated nucleotide sequences of internal transcribed spacer (ITS) regions and partial sequences of large subunit 28S rRNA, β-tubulin, and RNA polymerase II subunit genes revealed that the strain belonged to the genus Allocucurbitaria but occupied a distinct phylogenetic position. The strain NIBRFGC000512623 was compared with closely related species A. botulispora and A. Mori and morphologically distinguished from A. botulispora by its colony color on MEA medium (white vs. dark olive-brown), A. mori by the smaller size of its conidiogenous cells. According to molecular phylogeny and morphology, we suggested the new species Allocucurbitaria koreanum sp. nov. and provided a descriptive illustration.