Abstract:
A fungal survey of the Gcwihaba Cave from Botswana found Aspergillus to be one of the more common fungal
genera isolated. The 81 Aspergillus strains were identified using CaM sequences and comparing these to a curated reference
dataset. Nineteen species were identified representing eight sections (sections Candidi, Circumdati, Flavi, Flavipedes,
Nidulantes, Nigri, Terrei and Usti). One strain could not be identified. Morphological characterisation and multigene
phylogenetic analyses confirmed it as a new species in section Flavipedes and we introduce it below as A. okavangoensis.
The new species is most similar to A. iizukae, both producing conidiophores with vesicles typically wider than 20 μm. The
new species, however, does not produce Hülle cells and its colonies grow slower than those of A. iizukae on CYA at 37 °C
(14–15 vs 18–21 mm) and CREA (15–16 vs 23–41mm).
