An Updated Taxonomy of Talaromyces (Trichocomaceae, Eurotiales): New Series and Species

Species of Talaromyces affect human societies in many different ways. Infrageneric classifications of the genus at series level had been established in only two sections, Subinflati and Trachyspermi. In this study, phylogenies of Talaromyces were reconstructed section by section based on separate or concatenated multi-locus datasets: beta-tubulin (BenA), calmodulin (CaM) and RNA polymerase II second-largest subunit (RPB2). Fifty series belonging to nine sections were accordingly recognized, i.e., one in sections Brunneospori and Tenues, two in sections Bacillispori and Helici, three in sect. Subinflati, four in sect. Purpurei, five in sections Islandici and Trachyspermi, and 27 in the speciose section Talaromyces. Among them, forty series were newly established. Three new species were determined phylogenetically and morphologically, i.e., T. fujianensis sp. nov. in sect. Islandici, T. heilongjiangensis sp. nov. in sect. Talaromyces and T. tapisciae sp. nov. in sect. Subinflati. Additionally, three new Chinese records were noted: T. angelicae, T. gautengensis and T. rogersiae. The findings of new species and new records reveal the high diversity of the genus in China. The updated taxonomy of Talaromyces at series level will facilitate a more accurate species identification by means of phylogenetic analysis at a smaller scale, and benefit future studies involving this group of fungi.