Morpho-molecular characterization of Discosia ravennica sp. nov. and a new host record for Sporocadus rosigena

Abstract

Collections of fungal samples from two dead leaf specimens from Italy were subjected to morphological examination and phylogenetic analyses. Two coelomycetous taxa belonging to two different genera in Xylariomycetidae, Sordariomycetes, namely Discosia and Sporocadus, were identified. The Discosia taxon is revealed as a new species and is herein introduced as Discosia ravennica sp. nov. while the Sporocadus taxon is identified as Sporocadus rosigena. Multi-locus phylogeny based on DNA sequence data of the large subunit (LSU) and internal transcribed spacer (ITS) of nuclear ribosomal genes, β-tubulin (β-tub) and RNA polymerase II second largest subunit (rpb2) showed that D. ravennica is related to D. neofraxinea but it forms an independent lineage that supports its new species status. The new taxon also differs from other Discosia species by its unilocular to bilocular, superficial and applanate conidiomata with basal stroma composed of cells of textura angularis, elongate-ampulliform conidiogenous cells and conidia smaller in size. Sporocadus rosigena is here reported as a new host record from Quercus ilex from Italy. Descriptions, illustrations and molecular data for both species are provided in this paper.