Pseudoastrosphaeriellopsis mangrovei sp. nov. (Pleosporales, Pseudoastrosphaeriellaceae) a novel marine fungal species from Indian Mangroves

Mangroves are ecologically important but underexplored ecosystems, especially in terms of fungal diversity and their roles in the decomposition of organic matter. This study presents the identification of a new fungal species of Pseudoastrosphaeriellopsis, isolated from decaying twigs of Avicennia marina in two separate mangrove areas: the Andaman Islands and Tamil Nadu, India. A polyphasic approach was adopted by combining morphological characterisation, molecular phylogenetics, and multi-locus sequence analysis to determine the taxonomic placement of Pseudoastrosphaeriellopsis mangrovei sp. nov. The occurrence of P. mangrovei in geographically separated but ecologically comparable environments indicate a possible adaptation to the saline and anaerobic conditions typical of mangrove ecosystems.