Neoastrosphaeriella aquatica

Neoastrosphaeriella aquatica

D.F. Bao, Z.L. Luo, K.D. Hyde & H.Y. Su Phytotaxa 391(3): 201 (2019)

Classification: Ascomycota-Pezizomycotina-Dothideomycetes-Pleosporomycetidae-Pleosporales-Aigialaceae-Neoastrosphaeriella

Host species: Metroxylon sagu

Holotype: MFLU 18-1392

Known distribution: Thailand (Phang-nga Province)

IF Number: IF555357      Mycobank Number: 555357      FOF Number: FoF04910

Description

Saprobic on palms or decaying submerged wood in freshwater habitat. Sexual morph: Ascomata 280–450 µm long, 280–365 µm diam., in vertical section 210–250 µm high × 350–390 µm long, black, coriaceous, slightly carbonaceous, unilocular, hemispherical, scattered, erumpent, semi-immersed to immersed, with a flattened base, beneath the host surface, with a central slit-like ostiole over almost the entire length. Ostioles slit-like, central. Peridium 25–65 µm wide, black, composed of dark brown thick-walled cells of textura angularis. Hamathecium 1–1.5 µm wide, trabeculate pseudoparaphyses, hyaline, anastomosing, embedded in a gelatinous matrix. Asci 90–120 × 10–20 µm (x̅ = 110.8 × 15.9 µm, n= 20), 8-spored, bitunicate, fissitunicate, cylindric-clavate or obclavate, short pedicellate, apex narrow and rounded, with a small ocular chamber. Ascospores 30–40 × 5–8 µm (x̅ = 35.4 × 6.5 µm, n= 40), overlapping, 1–2-seriate, fusiform, hyaline when young, becoming brown and verrucose when mature, tapering to pointed apices, 1-septate, slightly constricted at the septum, surrounded by a mucilaginous sheath. Asexual morph: Undetermined.

Culture conditions: Colonies growing well on PDA media and attaining a diameter about 3.5 cm after 21 days at 25 °C, medium dense, flattened colony, slightly radiating with concentric ring of cottony mycelium at edge of colony, obverse olive to gray-green, reverse dark green.