A new species of the genus Penicillium isolated from the soil of the Chaco dry forest in Argentina

Authors

  • Luciana Belén Silvestro Universidad Nacional del Centro de la Provincia de Buenos Aires, Facultad de Agronomía, BIOLAB, Azul, Buenos Aires
  • Ernesto Rodríguez-Andrade Tecnológico Nacional de México/Instituto Tecnológico Superior de Ciudad Hidalgo
  • Sebastián Alberto Pelizza
  • Alberto Miguel Stchigel Unidad de Micología, Escuela de Medicina e Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Pere Virgili, Universitat Rovira i Virgili (URV)
  • Cristina Soledad Merlos Universidad Nacional del Centro de la Provincia de Buenos Aires, Facultad de Agronomía, BIOLAB, Azul, Buenos Aires, Argentina
  • María Virginia Moreno Universidad Nacional del Centro de la Provincia de Buenos Aires, Facultad de Agronomía, BIOLAB, Azul, Buenos Aires, Argentina

Keywords:

Fungi, Penicillium, Taxonomy, Neotropical Dry Forest, Soil

Abstract

Studies related to the diversity of species of genus Penicillium present in Argentina soils focus on evaluating the functionality and importance of fungi in ecosystems, but little attention has been focused on the search for new species. The Chaco dry forest in Argentina is a semiarid region belonging to the subregion of Neotropical dry forests, characterized by the presence of the plant natives of the genus Schinopsis “Quebrachos”. Penicillium is a genus of fungi that belongs to the phylum Ascomycota, species of this genus are ubiquitous and present in a wide range of environmental conditions. The aim of this work is to describe a new species of Penicillium, Penicillium schinopsum sp. nov. This species separates phylogenetically into a new clade that makes feasible identification to the species level and of the assignment a possible new section and series. The strain is a novel species of genus Penicillium ser. and sect. Schinopsiorum sect. nov., we propose the name Penicillium schinopsum sp. nov. This new proposal could be part of the subgenus Aspergilloides and it is phylogenetically related to sections Aspergilloides, Sclerotiorum, Charlesia and Eremophila. The morphology and growth of the colony support phylogenetic separation. The main characteristic morphological that showed differences with other species was the fast growth rates of the colonies on all culture media tested except on CYA at 37 ºC, the green colour of the colony, the monoverticillate conidiophore with a long stipe, smooth-walled globose conidia and absence of sclerotia. The morphological similarities with all sections of subgenus Aspergilloides are the monoverticillate conidiophore with a vesiculate apex or swelling.  We considered it necessary to continue advancing in the phylogenetical and physiological characterization to assess its biotechnological potential taxonomic and biochemistry. 

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Author Biography

  • Sebastián Alberto Pelizza

    Instituto de Botánica C. Spegazzini, Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo Universidad Nacional de La Plata, La Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina

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Published

2025-10-13

Issue

Vol. 27 No. 2 (2025)

Section

Artículos

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