Three new Penicillium species isolated from the tidal flats of China

Abstract

During a survey of culturable fungi in the coastal areas of China, three new species of Penicillium sect. Lanata-Divaricata were discovered and studied with a polyphasic taxonomic approach, and then named as P. donggangicum sp. nov. (ex-type AS3.15900T DLN5H1-4), P. hepuense sp. nov. (ex-type AS3.16039T DTT2-4X3, AS3.16040DTT2- 6X3) and P. jiaozhouwanicum sp. nov. (ex-type AS3.16038T D 0801H2-2, AS3.16207 D ZZ2-9-3). In morphology, P. donggangicum is unique in showing light yellow sclerotia and mycelium, sparse sporulation, restricted growth at 37 °C, irregular conidiophores, intercalary phialides and metulae, and pyriform to subspherical conidia. P. hepuense is distinguished by the fast growth on CYA and YES and slow growth on MEA at 25 °C, weak or absence of growth at 37 °C, biverticillate and monoverticillate penicilli, and ellipsoidal conidia. P. jiaozhouwanicum is characterized by abundant grayish-green conidia en masse and moderate growth at 37 °C, the appressed biverticillate penicilli and fusiform, smooth-walled conidia. These three novelties were further confirmed by the phylogenetic analyses based on either the combined BenA-CaM-Rpb2 or the individual BenA, CaM, Rpb2 and internal transcribed spacer (ITS) sequences.