Three new lineages in Mycosphaerellaceae: Neoacervuloseptoria gen. nov., Neocercosporella gen. nov., and Neoramulariopsis gen. nov. based on the new species Neocercosporella peristrophes

Abstract A colourless hyphomycetous fungus was found on living leaves of Peristrophe bicalyculata in India. A multigene phylogenetic analysis (LSU-RPB2-ITS) of this strain was performed represents no other known lineage with similar morphology in Mycosphaerellaceae, hence the new genus Neocercosporella is proposed with N. peristrophes comb. nov., based on Cercosporella peristrophes (≡ Pseudocercosporella andrographidis), as type species. Phylogenetic examinations and ultrastructure of conidiogenous loci and hila of conidia of both the type materials from N. peristrophes and P. andrographidis confirm identical strains. The conidiogenous loci are conical, having very small rim-like depression on the top encircling a small flat protuberant like structure that make this novel strain differs from other closely related members of the ramularioid complex. Superficially, the colourless nature with thickened and darkened loci and hila make it closer to Cercosporella, but differs in having terminal and intercalary conidiogenous cells and weak catenation in conidia. Phylogenetically, Neocercosporella is distant from the Cercosporella s. str. clade (type species C. virgaureae). The addition of this novel strain, segregated closely related species in Mycosphaerellaceae therefore, three new genera and four new combinations are introduced in this study. New genera are: Neoacervuloseptoria gen. nov. Neocercosporella gen. nov. and Neoramulariopsis gen. nov. New combinations are: Neoacervuloseptoria fraxini comb. nov., Neocercosporella peristrophes comb. nov., Neoramulariopsis catenulata comb. nov. and Neoramulariopsis dolichandrae comb. nov.