Polyphasic taxonomy of<i>Aspergillus</i>section<i>Cervini</i>

Abstract

Species belonging to <i>Aspergillus</i> section <i>Cervini</i> are characterised by radiate or short columnar, fawn coloured, uniseriate conidial heads. The morphology of the taxa in this section is very similar and isolates assigned to these species are frequently misidentified. In this study, a polyphasic approach was applied using morphological characters, extrolite data, temperature profiles and partial <i>BenA</i>, <i>CaM</i> and <i>RPB2</i> sequences to examine the relationships within this section. Based on this taxonomic approach the section <i>Cervini</i> is resolved in ten species including six new species: <i>A. acidohumus</i>, <i>A. christenseniae</i>, <i>A. novoguineensis</i>, <i>A. subnutans</i>, <i>A. transcarpathicus</i> and <i>A. wisconsinensis</i>. A dichotomous key for the identification is provided.