Morphological and molecular data reveal Albicollum khorasanicum, sp. nov., from Iran

Mehdi Mehrabi

Sydowia 78: 57-64

Published online on May 15th, 2025

During a survey of microfungi in the North Khorasan Province of Iran, I collected and isolated a new taxon belonging in Albicollum (Xylariaceae). Both morphological characters and phylogenetic analyses based on a combined matrix of LSU, ITS and TUB2 loci provide strong evidence to place the new taxon in the genus Albicollum where it is described as Albicollum khorasanicum. Morphologically, A. khorasanicum was most similar to A. chionostomum, from which it differs by wider asci and more narrowly ellipsoid or apiculate ascospores as well as more coiled germ slits. A description, photoplates of the macro- and micro-characters, and a phylogenetic tree based on a combined LSU-ITS-TUB2 matrix to resolve the placement of A. khorasanicum are provided.

Key words: Ascomycota, biodiversity, new species, Xylariaceae, phylogeny, taxonomy

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