In: Sydowia 68, (2016): 49-55 DOI 10.12905/0380.sydowia68-2016-0049 Published online on May 31st, 2016

A new record of Dinemasporium spinificis, comb. nov., (= Stauronema spinificis) from Taiwan
Yu Hung Yeh & Roland Kirschner

Yeh Y.-H. & Kirschner R. (2015) A new record of Dinemasporium spinificis, comb. nov., (= Stauronema spinificis) from Taiwan. – Sydowia 68: 49–55.

The fungus Stauronema spinificis, an asexual morph, hitherto known only from the coastal grass Spinifex littoreus in India was collected on dead leaves of Spinifex littoreus in Taiwan. Phylogenetic analysis of the internal transcribed spacer region of the ribosomal RNA genes indicated a placement within Dinemasporium and confirmed that the species is distinct from the morphologically hardly distinguishable D. cruciferum. Therefore, the new combination D. spinificis is proposed. Outliers of conidial size appear to be better morphological markers for distinguishing between the two species than the number of lateral conidial appendages. The two species seem to be ecologically separated by the occurrence of D. spinificis on coastal Spinifex grasses compared to a broad host range of D. cruciferum outside the coastal habitat. Anatomical investigations show that the stromatic layer of the conidiomata is formed between the cuticle and the epidermis cells. In contrast to other acervular fungi, the cuticle is not ruptured by the conidiophores developing beneath, but remains a recognizable layer between the stroma and the conidiophores, The subcuticular stroma is connected to intra- and intercellular vegetative hyphae.

Keywords: Ascomycota, Chaetosphaeriales, sand dune ecology.