''Resinogalea'' is a

genus Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family (taxonomy), family as used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In bino ...

fungi A fungus (: fungi , , , or ; or funguses) is any member of the group of eukaryotic organisms that includes microorganisms such as yeasts and mold (fungus), molds, as well as the more familiar mushrooms. These organisms are classified as one ...

belonging to the family Cryptocaliciaceae in the subclass

Cryptocaliciomycetidae ''Cryptocalicium'' is a single-species fungal genus of the order Eurotiomycetes that was circumscribed in 2021. It contains the species ''Cryptocalicium blascoi''. ''Cryptocalicium'' is the only genus in the monotypic family Cryptocaliciaceae, th ...

of the class

Eurotiomycetes Eurotiomycetes is a large class of ascomycetes with cleistothecial ascocarps within the subphylum Pezizomycotina, currently containing around 3810 species according to the Catalogue of Life. It is the third largest lichenized class, with more th ...

. Originally described as a single-species genus in 2016, the genus now includes three known species.

Taxonomy and phylogeny

The genus was initially established by Jouko Rikkinen and Alexander Schmidt in 2016 to accommodate ''Resinogalea humboldtensis'', a fungus found on resin produced by the endemic tree '' Araucaria humboldtensis'' in

New Caledonia New Caledonia ( ; ) is a group of islands in the southwest Pacific Ocean, southwest of Vanuatu and east of Australia. Located from Metropolitan France, it forms a Overseas France#Sui generis collectivity, ''sui generis'' collectivity of t ...

. Initially, due to limited DNA data, the genus was placed in the unresolved family Bruceomycetaceae. In 2023, further research involving DNA analysis and morphological examination led to the description of two additional species, ''R. araucana'' and ''R. tapulicola''. These species were isolated from resin on the branches of the tree ''

Araucaria araucana ''Araucaria araucana'', commonly called the monkey puzzle tree, monkey tail tree, pewen, pehuen pine or piñonero, is an evergreen tree belonging to the family Araucariaceae and growing to a trunk diameter of and a height of . It is native to ...

'' (the monkey puzzle tree) in Chile. DNA-based phylogenetic studies confirmed that ''Resinogalea'' belongs to the recently described subclass

, family Cryptocaliciaceae. Consequently, the genus was reclassified into this family, aligning it closely with the genus '' Cryptocalicium''.

Species

'' Resinogalea humboldtensis'' is known only from dried resin exuded by damaged ''Araucaria humboldtensis'' trees. It is characterized by distinctive ascomata (fruiting bodies) covered by resin and stipes coated with mineral deposits. Attempts to culture or extract DNA from this species have thus far been unsuccessful. '' Resinogalea araucana'' forms conspicuous, reddish-brown fruiting bodies on resin patches caused by damage from insects or pathogenic fungi on branches of the monkey puzzle tree. Its spores are small, broadly elliptical, and smooth. In culture, it produces colonies with a slimy appearance and sporodochia (aggregates of spores) as mucilaginous masses. It differs from the type species primarily in having larger, urn-shaped fruiting bodies and slightly larger spores. '' Resinogalea tapulicola'' has only been observed as cultures isolated from resin-covered bark of the monkey puzzle tree. Unlike ''R. araucana'', it grows faster, produces drier colonies, and releases a distinctive reddish pigment. Morphologically, it has richly branched conidiophores and sporodochia arising from filamentous melanized hyphae rather than pseudostromatic tissues.

Distribution and habitat

The genus currently comprises species found exclusively on resin produced by species of ''

Araucaria ''Araucaria'' (; original pronunciation: .ɾawˈka. ɾja is a genus of evergreen coniferous trees in the family Araucariaceae. While today they are largely confined to the Southern Hemisphere, during the Jurassic and Cretaceous they were glo ...

'', reflecting a highly specialized resinicolous (resin-dwelling) lifestyle. ''R. humboldtensis'' is restricted to New Caledonia, while ''R. araucana'' and ''R. tapulicola'' are found in southern Chile associated with ''Araucaria araucana''.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q108558997 Eurotiomycetes Eurotiomycetes genera Taxa described in 2016