Amphichorda guizhouensis Y. Wang & D. X. Tang 2025, sp. nov.

Amphichorda guizhouensis Y. Wang & D. X. Tang sp. nov. Fig. 2 Etymology. Named after the location Guizhou Province where the species was collected. Type. China • Guizhou Province, Anshun city, Xixiu District, Liuguan Village (26.25°N, 106.22°E, 1273 m above sea level), on bird feces, 12 July 2023, Yao Wang (holotype, GMB 3005); ex-type culture, GMBC 3005. Description. Sexual morph: Undetermined. Asexual morph: Synnemata arising from bird feces, 1.6–2.0 mm long. Colonies on PDA attaining a diameter of 40–42 mm after a month at 25 ° C, white to pinkish, flat, margin entire, reverse yellowish. Hyphae branched, smooth-walled, septate, hyaline, 0.8–2.2 μm wide. Conidiophores arising laterally from hyphae, cylindrical, straight or slightly curved, occasionally branched, hyaline. Conidiogenous cells arising laterally from aerial hyphae, basal portion cylindrical or flask-shaped, erect or irregularly curved, tapering abruptly towards the apex, 6.0–20.8 × 1.8–3.7 (X ̄ = 15.2 × 2.6, n = 30) μm. Conidia 2.6–4.0 × 1.8–2.6 (X ̄ = 3.1 × 2.2, n = 50) μm, one-celled, smooth-walled, hyaline, subglobose to ellipsoidal, single, often remaining attached to the apex of conidiogenous cells. Chlamydospores not observed. Other material examined. China • Guizhou Province, Anshun City, Xixiu District, Liuguan Village (26.25°N, 106.22°E, 1269 m above sea level), on bird feces, 12 July 2023, Yao Wang (paratype: GMB 3006); ex-paratype culture, GMBC 3006). Substrate. Animal feces. Distribution. At present, known only in Anshun City, Guizhou Province, China. Notes. Phylogenetic analyses placed A. guizhouensis within the Amphichorda clade, forming a sister lineage to A. felina and A. yunnanensis with strong statistical support (BS / BS / PP = 97 % / 100 % / 1; Fig. 1). The species formed a distinct monophyletic group comprising two sampled strains, demonstrating significant genetic divergence from A. felina and A. yunnanensis. Morphologically, our observations unearthed distinct disparities among the three species. Specifically, A. felina exhibited phialides that were consistently flask-shaped, while A. guizhouensis featured phialides that were either cylindrical or flask-shaped. In contrast, A. yunnanensis possessed phialides ranging from ampulliform to flask-shaped. A particularly notable characteristic of A. guizhouensis was its relatively elongated phialides (6.0–20.8 × 1.8–3.7 µm). This unique morphological trait served as a crucial diagnostic feature, enabling clear differentiation of A. guizhouensis from other species within the Amphichorda genus (see Table 2).