New taxonomic combinations in endophytic representatives of the genus Nigrograna.

Abstract

Nigrograna (Ascomycota: Pleosporales), with the type species N. mackinnonii, has been considered a synonym of Biatriospora. Recently, it was shown that these two genera are distinct. In this study, four species earlier described in Biatriospora, i.e. B. antibiotica, B. carollii, B. peruviensis and B. yasuniana, which are phylogenetically related to N. mackinnonii, are combined in Nigrograna. Recently, three teams of authors published eight Nigrograna species almost simultaneously (2016–2017), thus some were not compared phylogenetically. A comparison of available sequences showed that all nine accepted species are unique. It can be concluded that Nigrograna is ecologically diverse, comprising species living as endophytes or saprobes of plants (some of them associated with other fungi living on those plants) as well as species living in marine or estuarine environments. Interestingly, all associations with vascular plants concern angiosperms.