Molecular Identification of a New Species of (Cunninghamellaceae, Mucorales) Isolated from Soil in Korea.

The species within the family Cunninghamellaceae during an investigation of soil microfungi in Korea, in which three strains were isolated from Gangwon, Chungbuk, and Gyeongbuk provinces, designated as KNUF-22-121A, KNUF-22-126A, and KNUF-22-316, respectively. Because the morphological and molecular analyses of these three strains were identical, KNUF-22-316 underwent further detailed study. Phylogenetic analyses based on the concatenated nucleotide sequences of the internal transcribed spacer region and the large subunit 28S rRNA gene revealed that the strain belonged to the genus , but occupied a distinct phylogenetic position. The strain KNUF-22-316 was compared with closely related species CGMCC 3.16257 and CGMCC 3.16259, morphologically different with shorter sporangiophores, smaller sporangia and columellae, and the consistent presence of collars. Here, we provide a detailed description and images of this proposed new species, which we have named sp. nov.