Morphological and molecular identification of three new bamboo-inhabiting species of Nigrochaete (Auriculariales, Basidiomycota) from China

Nigrochaete is a small fungal genus responsible for bamboo rot. Although recent research has clarified its classification through integrated phylogenetic and morphological analyses, the species diversity of Nigrochaete in the high-altitude forests of Yunnan Province, China, remains insufficiently explored. This study collected five Nigrochaete specimens from decaying bamboo in the Dehong Dai and Jingpo Autonomous Prefecture and examined their morphological characteristics.

Genomic DNA was extracted, and the internal transcribed spacer (ITS), nuclear large subunit ribosomal DNA (nrLSU), and translation elongation factor 1 - alpha (TEF 1) gene were amplified and sequenced. Phylogenetic relationships within Nigrochaete were inferred using maximum likelihood (ML) and Bayesian inference (BI) methods. These analyses identified three novel species: N. albobadia, N. ellipsoidea, and N. tenuis.

Detailed morphological descriptions, micrographs, and phylogenetic results are presented. This research expands the known species diversity of Auriculariales in China and provides a foundation for the conservation and sustainable utilization of fungal resources.