Articles - 2025

Mycological Spectrum 2025/01

Diversity of aquatic hyphomycetes in two coastal streams of southwest India   

Shekar Tejaswi, Kodandoor Sharathchandra, Kandikere Ramaiah Sridhar

Abstract: Aquatic hyphomycetes (or Ingoldian fungi) are widely distributed mycota in streams involved in the breakdown of organic matter and energy flow. In this study, diversity of aquatic hyphomycetes has been compared in two tropical coastal streams in southwest India. Water, foam, and litter samples (leaves and woody debris) in streams were assessed for aquatic hyphomycetes in relation to physicochemical characteristics. Water and foam samples were directly examined for the presence of conidia, while the leaf and woody litters were assessed by aeration in bubble chambers to release conidia. The species richness and diversity were higher in foam samples compared to other samples. Many species occurring in fairly cold climatic conditions in the Western Ghats were represented in the present study (Clavatospora tentacula, Condylospora spumigena, Flabellospora crassa, F. multiradiata, F. verticillata, Isthmotricladia gombakiensis, Lunulospora cymbiformis, Synnematophora constricta, and Varicosporium elodeae). This study also revealed a new record of eight species on the Indian subcontinent (Campylospora leptosoma, Condylospora vietnamensis, Helicoma atroseptatum, Helicomyces collegatus, H. hyderabadensis, Helicosporium aureum, Hydrometrospora symmetrica, and Setosynnema isthmosporum). Further studies are warranted on the diversity, substrate preference, and ecological roles of aquatic hyphomycetes in coastal streams.  

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Mycological Spectrum 2025/02

Azaphilone pigments from Penicillium maximae 

Filipe Augusto Tironi Alves, Alice Ferreira-Silva, Ivanildo Evódio Marriel, Gabriel Franco dos Santos, Jacqueline Aparecida Takahashi

Abstract: Azaphilones are an important class of secondary metabolites derived from the polyketide pathway. These metabolites have an intense yellow-orange-red pallet of colour and have been studied as promising natural pigments for use in the food industry. On a screening with 30 fungi isolated from soil and cultivated in different conditions, a fungal species furnished an orange extract containing a very major metabolite, as determined by HPLC analysis. The species was identified Penicillium maximae by molecular biology and morphological studies, and it was selected to determine the major secondary metabolites responsible by the colour present in the extract. The dichloromethane extract prepared from P. maximae was column chromatographed leading to the isolation of sclerotiorin (1, 16.36 % yield), eupenicilazaphilone B (2, 0.77 % yield) and sclerotioramin (3, 1.05 % yield). Sclerotiorin yield is encouraging for industrial production. These azaphilones of orange, yellow and red colour respectively, are the major metabolites produced by P. maximae on a culture medium containing peptone as a differential. High concentration of sucrose and the presence of iron ions in the culture medium did not improve the metabolites yield. P. maximae is, therefore, a good source of pigments for potential food, pharmaceutical and dyeing applications. 

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Mycological Spectrum 2025/03

Extraction and partial characterization of melanin pigment from Alternaria burnsii NFCCI 5753 and Cladosporium tenuissimum NFCCI 5754

Malika Suthar, Sanjay K. Singh

Abstract: Melanin is a natural pigment found in many living organisms, including humans, animals, bacteria, and fungi. It protects against UV radiation, binds metal ions, reduces oxidative stress, and helps organisms survive heat and drought. Fungi, actinomycetes, and bacteria produce melanin in response to environmental stress. This study identifies two fungal isolates, Alternaria burnsii NFCCI 5753 and Cladosporium tenuissimum NFCCI 5754, based on morpho-molecular characters and reports the extraction and characterization of melanin pigment produced by them. The amount of melanin produced was much higher than previously reported, with 153.97 ± 0.09 mg/100 ml from A. burnsii NFCCI 5753 and 73.50 ± 0.09 mg/100 ml from C. tenuissimum NFCCI 5754. The nature of the pigment was confirmed through spectral (UV and FTIR) tests and elemental analysis. 

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Mycological Spectrum 2025/04

Do you believe in “new” fungal species?  

Belle Damodara Shenoy

Abstract: Fungal taxonomy has undergone a transformation in recent decades, propelled by the advent of molecular methodologies that have fundamentally reshaped traditional morphology-based species delineation. This paper examines the progression of fungal classification systems, with a focused discussion on integrative taxonomic frameworks, including Genealogical Concordance Phylogenetic Species Recognition (GCPSR) and coalescent-based methods. These molecular advancements have revealed extensive cryptic diversity, as exemplified by revisions within the Colletotrichum gloeosporioides species complex. While DNA barcoding—particularly through the Internal Transcribed Spacer (ITS) region—has accelerated species discovery, the potential for taxonomic inflation highlights the need for robust multilocus and population-genetic analyses. The conceptualization of “new” fungal species is critically evaluated through an eco-evolutionary lens, emphasizing the imperative for a multidisciplinary synthesis of molecular, morphological, and ecological data. Furthermore, this paper emphasizes the importance of equitable global access to molecular technologies and infrastructural resources, particularly in biodiverse yet under-resourced regions such as India. Such inclusivity is vital to fostering broader engagement in fungal systematics and ensuring more comprehensive biodiversity assessment and conservation efforts. 

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