In: Sydowia 77, (2025): 27-37; ISSN 0082-0598, DOI 10.12905/0380.sydowia77-2025-0027, Published online on August 5, 2024

Lichtheimia indica, a new species of Mucorales (Mucoromycota) from India

Lal Sahab Yadav*, Pinky Kanade, Vinodkumar Kushwaha, Satish Maurya, Prashant Patil & Andre L.C.M. de A. Santiago

1 P.G. Research Laboratory, Department of Botany, Chandibai Himathmal Mansukhani College, Ulhasnagar 421003, Thane Maharashtra India
2 Department of Botany, Bajaj college of Science, Jamnalal Bajaj Marg, Wardha – 442001, Maharashtra, India
3 Departamento de Micologia, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco. Av Professor Nelson Chaves S/N, 50670-420, Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil
* E-mails: lalsahablal@gmail.com, andrelcabral@msn.com

Yadav L.S, Kanade P., Kushwaha V., Maurya S., Patil P. & Santiago A.L.C.M.A. (2025) Lichtheimia indica, a new species of Mucorales (Mucoromycota) from India. – Sydowia 77: 27–37.

During studies on filamentous oleaginous fungi from industrial area soil of Dombivili, India, some lipase producing mucoraceous fungi were isolated. Based on polyphasic approaches a new species is described here under the family Lichtheimiaceae of the order Mucorales. Lichtheimia indica sp. nov. forms monopodially, sympodially and verticillately branched sporangiophores, as well as sub-globose to ellipsoidal porangiospores. Abundant bulbous giant cells and chlamydospores are observed on MEA, PDA and SMA media. The new species grows best at 35 °C and has its upper maximum growth at 40 °C. Lichtheimia indica is distinguished from the other Lichtheimia species by ITS and LSU rDNA sequences. The phylogenetic tree provides a strong support for the sibling relationship between the newly described species and L. ornata and L. corymbifera. This is the eleventh species within the genus Lichtheimia.

Keywords: ITS, LSU, Lichtheimiaceae, molecular phylogeny, taxonomy. – 1 new species.