Indian Researchers Discover Two New Black Aspergillus Species in Western Ghats

Researchers from the MACS-Agharkar Research Institute (ARI), Pune, an autonomous institute under the Department of Science & Technology, Government of India, have made a groundbreaking discovery by identifying two novel fungal species belonging to Aspergillus section Nigri—commonly referred to as black aspergilli. The newly identified species have been named Aspergillus dhakephalkarii and Aspergillus patriciawiltshireae.

Alongside these discoveries, the team also documented the first geographic records in India of two other black aspergilli—A. aculeatinus and A. brunneoviolaceus—from soil samples collected in the Western Ghats, a UNESCO World Heritage biodiversity hotspot.

Significance of the Discovery

The Western Ghats, a treasure trove of biodiversity, have long been known for their rich fungal diversity. However, systematic studies on black aspergilli from this region have remained limited. The genus Aspergillus is of immense importance, not only ecologically but also industrially, medically, and agriculturally.

• Black aspergilli are known as workhorses of industry, playing vital roles in citric acid production, fermentation technology, food mycology, and agriculture.

• Their ecological roles also extend to phosphate solubilisation, an area currently being studied by the ARI team as part of a doctoral research thesis.

• By expanding the catalog of fungal biodiversity in India, this research has paved the way for biotechnological applications and industrial innovations that could emerge from these new fungal strains.

The Research Approach

The identification process was guided by the gold-standard polyphasic taxonomic approach established by international experts in fungal systematics.

The ARI team adopted an integrative approach, combining:

• Morphological characterization: detailed colony growth patterns, color, sporulation, and structural features.

• Molecular phylogenetic analyses: using gene markers such as ITS and CaM (for species identification), along with BenA and RPB2 (for phylogenetic positioning).

• Maximum likelihood analyses: to establish statistically supported distinct lineages of the new species.

Unique Features of the New Species

1. Aspergillus dhakephalkarii

• Exhibits rapid colony growth with pale to dark brown conidia and yellowish-white to yellowish-orange sclerotia.

• Its uniseriate conidiophores branch into two to three columns.

• Produces smooth-walled, ellipsoidal conidia, a key feature distinguishing it from related species that usually have spherical, echinulate conidia.

• Phylogenetically, it is a sister species to A. saccharolyticus.

2. Aspergillus patriciawiltshireae

• Shows fast-growing colonies with abundant sclerotia on CYA and MEA media.

• Produces yellowish-orange sclerotia across different media, but demonstrates modest sporulation.

• Has echinulate conidia and uniseriate conidiophores branching into more than five columns.

• Positioned phylogenetically close to A. indologenus, A. japonicus, and A. uvarum within series Japonici.

A Milestone in Indian Mycology

This is the first study in India where researchers have applied the most advanced polyphasic taxonomy approach to the Aspergillus section Nigri. While previous discoveries of new black aspergilli in the Western Ghats had been reported by foreign teams, this achievement marks an important scientific milestone for Indian mycology.

The research was initiated under the ANRF (erstwhile SERB) Project (YSS/2015/001590) by Dr. Rajesh Kumar K. C. at the National Fungal Culture Collection of India, ARI, Pune, and later advanced with core-funding from MACS ARI.

The findings were authored by Harikrishnan K., Rajesh Kumar K. C., and Ravindra M. Patil, making them the first Indian research team to identify and describe new species in this fungal section.

Broader Impact and Future Directions

The discovery underscores the urgent need for:

• Further exploration of the Western Ghats, a region still underexplored in terms of fungal biodiversity.

• Conservation of ecologically sensitive habitats that may harbor species of biotechnological importance.

• Continued use of modern taxonomic techniques to unravel microbial diversity in India.

By establishing the presence of new and previously unrecorded species, the study not only strengthens India’s scientific footprint in fungal taxonomy but also opens new avenues for industrial, agricultural, and ecological applications.

This research reaffirms that the Western Ghats remain a reservoir of unique biodiversity, and careful scientific exploration may continue to yield discoveries with far-reaching implications for biotechnology and environmental conservation.