Multi-locus phylogeny of the genus Curvularia and description of ten new species

Abstract

Curvularia is a cosmopolitan genus that includes species associated with plants, animals and humans, several of which are of clinical significance. Some of these species are important pathogens of grasses, causing devastating diseases on cereal crops in the family Poaceae. In the present multi-locus study, ex-type and reference strains of Curvularia, as well as several strains deposited in the CBS culture collection of the Westerdijk Fungal Biodiversity Institute, were included. Based on ITS, GAPDH and TEF1 sequences, as well as phenotypic data, ten new species are described and illustrated: C. arcana, C. austriaca, C. canadensis, C. ellisii, C. pseudoclavata, C. pseudoellisii, C. pseudointermedia, C. pseudoprotuberata, C. siddiquii and C. tribuli. Moreover, the new combinations C. cactivora and C. patereae are proposed, and an epitype for C. oryzae-sativae is designated. In addition, illustrations and descriptions are provided for C. cactivora, C. ellisii, C. crassiseptata, C. neergaardii, C. oryzae, C. oryzae-sativae, C. protuberata and C. verruciformis. The description of C. pseudobrachyspora is emended, and its host and distribution records are updated.