Modern taxonomic approaches to identifying diatrypaceous fungi from marine habitats, with a novel genus Halocryptovalsa Dayarathne & K. D. Hyde, gen. nov. Author Dayarathne, Monika C. Center of Excellence in Fungal Research, Mae Fah Luang University, Chiang Rai 57100 (Thailand) World Agroforestry Centre East and Central Asia Office, 132 Lanhei Road, Kunming 650201 (China) Laboratory for Plant Biodiversity and Biogeography of East Asia (KLPB), Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Science, Kunming 650201, Yunnan (China) monidaya 40 @ gmail. com (corresponding author) Author Wanasinghe, Dhanushka N. Center of Excellence in Fungal Research, Mae Fah Luang University, Chiang Rai 57100 (Thailand) World Agroforestry Centre East and Central Asia Office, 132 Lanhei Road, Kunming 650201 (China) Author Devadatha, B. Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Pondicherry University, Kalapet, Pondicherry 605014 (India) Author Abeywickrama, Pranami Center of Excellence in Fungal Research, Mae Fah Luang University, Chiang Rai 57100 (Thailand) of Plant and Environment Protection, Beijing Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Sciences (China) Author G, E. B. Author Jones, areth Author Chomnunti, Putarak Center of Excellence in Fungal Research, Mae Fah Luang University, Chiang Rai 57100 (Thailand) Author Sarma, V. V. Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Pondicherry University, Kalapet, Pondicherry 605014 (India) Author Hyde, Kevin D. Center of Excellence in Fungal Research, Mae Fah Luang University, Chiang Rai 57100 (Thailand) World Agroforestry Centre East and Central Asia Office, 132 Lanhei Road, Kunming 650201 (China) Laboratory for Plant Biodiversity and Biogeography of East Asia (KLPB), Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Science, Kunming 650201, Yunnan (China) Author Lumyong, Saisamorn Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200 (Thailand) Author C., Eric H. Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai Research New Zealand, Private Bag 92170, Auckland Mail Centre, Auckland 1142 mckenziee @ landcareresearch. co. nz (corresponding Author Mckenzie Thailand) (New Zealand) author) text Cryptogamie, Mycologie 2020 2020-03-27 20 3 21 67 http://dx.doi.org/10.5252/cryptogamie-mycologie2020v41a3 journal article 246324 10.5252/cryptogamie-mycologie2020v41a3 62653781-1f18-4362-a843-6dd324fe64be 1776-100X 7815042 Diatrypasimilis australiensis J.J.Zhou & Kohlm Mycologia 102 (2): 432 (2010) . DESCRIPTION AND ILLUSTRATION. — SeeAbdel-Wahab et al. (2014). DISTRIBUTION. — Australia , Saudi Arabia . NOTES Diatrypasimilis australiensis has characters that are common to the Diatrypaceae , but the ellipsoidal ascospores, with a germ slit are unique. Members of Diatrypaceae usually have allantoid ascospores and lack germ pores or slits ( Chalkley et al. 2010 ; Abdel-Wahab et al. 2014). However, the original authors did not fully characterize the morphology of the fungus on natural substrates, apparently because of a lack of material (Abdel-Wahab et al. 2014). Abdel-Wahab et al. (2014) re-described this fungus based on a culture isolated from unidentified driftwood at Yanbu beach, Saudi Arabia . This isolate of Diatrypasimilis australiensis was different from the type species in having larger, deeply immersed ascomata (Abdel-Wahab et al. 2014). However, the difference between the two collections did not warrant separation at the species level. The strain from Saudi Arabia (Abdel-Wahab et al. 2014) produced holoblastic conidia singly, while in the type strain, the conidiophores proliferated either sympodially or annellidically, or possibly by a combination of both, producing conidia on minute denticles ( Chalkley et al. 2010 ). Abdel-Wahab et al. (2014) noted that LSU sequences of the two strains were 99% similar. According to our phylogenetic analysis with combined ITS+Btub Diatrypasimilis australiensis groups in a clade (clade K) comprising Monosporascus cannonballus (ATCC 26931 and CMM3646) as a basal lineage ( Fig. 1 ). ITS analysis yielded a single clade (clade M) comprising Halocryptovalsa salicorniae Dayarathne & K.D.Hyde , sp. nov. (MFLUCC 15-0185) and Diatrypasimilis australiensis but with no statistical support ( Fig. 2 ). These two species are morphologically different from each other.