Vermiconidia endohyphata sp. nov., Vermiconidia lapidea sp. nov., and Vermiconidia mendeliana sp. nov. (Mycosphaerellales, Extremaceae): novel rock-inhabiting fungi from James Ross and Tail Islands, Antarctica
Author(s)
Date Issued
January 19, 2026
Type
article
Volume
25
Issue
1
Start Page
5
ISSN
1861-8952
Journal
Abstract
fungi (RIF) thrive. This study characterised 15 fungal strains of the genus Vermiconidia isolated from rocks on James Ross
and Tail Islands in Antarctica through morphological, physiological, and multilocus phylogenetic analyses. Most strains
were phenotypically similar and difficult to distinguish. However, a morphological structure not previously reported among
RIF, including the genus Vermiconidia, was observed. This structure consists of terminal spherical cells with internal hyphal
proliferation. The majority of strains exhibited slow growth at temperatures ranging from 0 to 25 °C, with optimal growth
around 20 °C, and moderate halotolerance, with detectable growth up to 5–7% sodium chloride. Using a polyphasic approach,
we propose three novel species: Vermiconidia endohyphata sp. nov., Vermiconidia lapidea sp. nov., and Vermiconidia mendeliana
sp. nov. These findings expand our understanding of fungal diversity and adaptation in polar ecosystems.
Subjects
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