The new species Colletotrichum gilo associated with Solanum gilo in northeastern Brazil

Elaine C.S. Muniz, Rejane M.F. Silva, Thays G.L. Oliveira, Cristina M. Souza-Motta & Gladstone A. Silva

Sydowia 78: 221-231

Published online on January 12th, 2026

During an investigation of the diversity of endophytic fungi in healthy Solanum gilo leaves in Brazil, a new species was identified within the Colletotrichum boninense species complex. Colletotrichum gilo is characterised by closed conidiomata pale brown, globose to subglobose; conidiophores hyaline, simple or septate, branched or unbranched; conidiogenous cells hyaline to pale brown, cylindrical to ampulliform, often extending to form new conidiogenous loci; and conidia hyaline, cylindrical, aseptate with rounded apex and base; and appressoria dark brown and irregular in shape. The new species, C. gilo, was described through phylogenetic analyses using sequences of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS), partial actin gene (ACT), partial glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase gene (GAPDH), partial beta-tubulin 2 (TUB2) and partial chitin synthase 1 gene (CHS-1) aligned with morphological characteristics. To substantiate the delimitation of the new species, we employed the Genealogical Phylogenetic Species Recognition principle (GCPSR). Based on the GCPSR principle, the C. gilo clade was recovered separately in four of the five individual phylogenies, presenting high support values according to the genealogical concordance criterion.

Keywords: endophytic, Glomerellaceae, Solanaceae, taxonomy.

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