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Nine Pezizomycotina strains were isolated from rotten dead branches and leaves collected from Guizhou Province. To obtain their accurate taxonomic placement, we provided the morphological characteristics of conidiophore cells and conidia. Phylogenetic relationships, based on ITS, rpb2, SSU, LSU and tub2 gene sequences, confirmed our strains represented three novel species, Peglionia falcata, Neoascochyta pseudofusiformis and Neomicrosphaeropsis cylindrica. Peglionia falcata produced falcate conidia and Neoa. pseudofusiformis generated fusiform conidia, while Neom. cylindrica possessed cylindrical conidia. The phylogenetic results also supported them as novel taxa. All the new species in the present study were found as saprophytic on forest litter with high rainfall, which suggest they may have a certain effect on nutrient decomposition and redistribution in forest ecosystems. Thus, it opened a way for further research on related ecological roles and their application production.

Plant-parasitic nematodes (PPNs) are significant pests that result in considerable economic losses in global crop production. Due to the high toxicity of chemical nematicides, there is a need to develop new strategies for nematode control. In this context, nematophagous fungi may offer a viable option for biological control. Two fungal strains (GUCC2212 and GUCC2232) were isolated from cysts of Globodera sp., identified as Neocosmospora stercicola. The fungal filtrates of the strains were evaluated for their nematicidal activity against three species of PPNs: Aphelenchoides besseyi, Bursaphelenchus xylophilus and Ditylenchus destructor. The fermentation filtrates of two strains exhibited substantial toxicity towards the evaluated nematodes, with mortality rates reaching up to 100% within 72 h. Concurrently, N. stercicola also demonstrated predatory and parasitic behavior. The eggs of Globodera sp. were parasitized by the two strains. N. stercicola represents a newly recorded species in China and a novel nematophagous species. In conclusion, the two strains of N. stercicola show promise as biocontrol agents for PPNs management.

In this study, four new species of Phragmidium were proposed based on morphological and molecular characters. In morphology, Phragmidium rosae-roxburghii sp. nov. was distinguished to related taxa by its unique square to diamond-shaped urediniospores; Ph. rubi-coreani sp. nov. differed from Ph. barclayi and Ph. cibanum because of teliospores with fewer cells and shorter pedicels; urediniospores of Ph. potentillae-freynianae sp. nov. were bigger than Ph. duchesneae-indicae; and Ph. rosae-laevigatae sp. nov. produced bigger urediniospores than Ph. jiangxiense. The phylogenetic analyses based on the combination of two loci (ITS and LSU) also supported our morphological conclusion. In the meantime, three previously known species were also described herein.

Five ascomycetous strains were isolated from dead branches and leaves of Salix (Salicaceae) and Osmanthus fragrans (Oleaceae), respectively. BLAST searches with ITS sequences in GenBank suggested a high degree of similarity to Botryosphaeria dothidea. To accurately identify these strains, we further analysed their morphological characteristics of asci, ascospores, all conidiophore cells and conidia. Phylogenetic relationships, based on ITS, rpb2, tef1 and tub2 gene sequences, confirmed our strains represented two novel species, which are introduced here as B. salicicola and B. osmanthuse spp. nov.

In this study, three Neopestalotiopsis taxa were identified, associated with leaves of Zingiber officinale, Elaeagnus pungens and Salacca zalacca.Based on morphology and multi–gene analyses of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS), beta-tubulin (TUB2) and translation elongation factor 1–alpha (TEF1), the five strains of Neopestalotiopsis represent two novel and one known species. They are introduced with descriptions, illustrations and notes herein.

Eucommia ulmoides is a rare tree species in China with high medicinal and gum value. Nine strains of hyphomycetous fungi were isolated from the leaf litter of E. ulmoides in Guizhou Province. Preliminary identifications based on ITS indicated that they belong to the genus Cladosporium. Morphology and phylogenetic analyses based on the internal transcribed spacer regions (ITS) of the nrDNA, the partial translation elongation factor 1-α (tef1) gene and partial of actin (act) gene confirmed that the strains represent four species, including two novel taxa, viz., Cladosporium eucommiae and C. guizhouense and two new substrate records for known species.

Pleocatenata, a new genus, is introduced with its type species, Pleocatenata chiangraiensis, which was isolated from withered twigs of two medicinal plants, Clerodendrum quadriloculare (Blanco) Merr (Verbenaceae) and Tarenna stellulata (Hook.f.) Ridl (Rubiaceae) in northern Thailand. The genus is characterized by mononematous, septate, brown or dark brown conidiophores, monotretic conidiogenous cells and catenate, obclavate, olivaceous to blackish brown conidia. Phylogenetic analysis of combined LSU, SSU, tef1-α, rpb2 and ITS sequence data showed Pleocatenata forms a distinct phylogenetic lineage in Pleosporales, Dothideomycetes. Therefore, we treat Pleocatenata as Pleosporales genera incertae sedis based on morphology and phylogenetic analyses. Descriptions and illustrations of the new taxa are provided, and it is compared with morphologically similar genera.

Pestalotiopsis-like fungi are widely distributed in many plants, and include endophytes, pathogens and saprobes. Five strains of Neopestalotiopsis were isolated from diseased leaves of Rhapis excelsa (Principes, Palmae), Rhododendron simsii and Rho. championiae (Ericales, Ericaceae) and Erythropalum scandens (Santalales, Olacaceae) in southern China.Based on morphology and multi-gene (ITS, tub2, tef1) phylogeny, our five strains of Neopestalotiopsis represent two new species and one extant species. Descriptions, illustrations and notes are also provided for the new species.

A new species, Achalinus sheni sp. nov., from central Hunan Province is described, based on the results of molecular systematics and morphological characters according to five specimens. Our molecular phylogeny inferred from the mitochondrial CO1 gene fragment revealed that this new species is most closely related to A. yunkaiensis, but a considerable amount of genetic divergence exists between them (p-distance ranging from 5.8% to 6.4%) and much distinct genetic divergence exists compared with other known Achalinus species (p-distance ranging from 10.4% to 15.8%), supporting its validity. Morphologically, it can be distinguished from its congeners by: (1) dorsal scales strongly keeled, 23 rows throughout the body, the outmost row smooth and significantly enlarged; (2) tail relatively short, TaL/TL 0.183 ~ 0.224; (3) the suture between internasals subequal to the suture between prefrontals; (4) loreal one, subrectangular, LorH/LorL 0.53 ~ 0.57; (5) ventrals 161-170, anal entire, subcaudals 55-61, not paired; (6) the length of supraocular equal to or longer than the length of upper anterior temporal; and (7) vertebral line inconspicuous and subcaudal streak absent. Currently, 27 species of Achalinus are known in the world, amongst which 20 species are distributed in China. Moreover, a key to species of the genus Achalinus is provided in this study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nidirana guangxiensis sp. nov., a new music frog species, is proposed, based on a series of specimens collected from Mt Daming, Guangxi, southern China. The new species is close to N. yeae, N. daunchina, N. yaoica, and N. chapaensis from southwestern and south-central China and northern Indochina, while the relationships among these species remain unresolved. Nidirana guangxiensis sp. nov. can be distinguished from all known congeners by the genetic divergences in the mitochondrial 16S and COI genes, the behavior of nest construction, the advertisement call containing 6-11 rapidly repeated regular notes, and a combination of morphological characteristics. Furthermore, the Nidirana populations recorded in Guangxi are clarified in this work, providing valuable new information on the knowledge of the genus Nidirana. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hebius sauteri (Boulenger, 1909) has been long recognized as a widely distributed species with three subspecies, namely Hebius sauteri sauteri from Taiwan Island and southeastern China, Hebius sauteri bourreti (Malnate, 1962) from northern Vietnam, and Hebius sauteri maximus (Malnate, 1962) from Sichuan, southwestern China. However, the validity of these subspecies of the H. sauteri complex has not been evaluated. In the current study, we re-evaluate the taxonomic status of H. s. maximus based on morphological and molecular evidence. Molecular phylogenetic results indicate that H. s. maximus is a distantly diverged clade with respect to H. s. sauteri, and that H. s. maximus is morphologically distinguishable from the nominative subspecies. Therefore, our results support the validity of H. s. maximus and we elevate it to full species status, namely Hebius maximus comb. nov. The distribution range of H. sauteri is revised according to our proposed taxonomic change. Furthermore, detailed redescription, natural history, and coloration of both H. sauteri and H. maximus and comments on the validity of H. s. bourreti are also provided.