Verweija noviomagensis gen. sp. nov.-A novel member of the Onygenales incertae sedis isolated from a dystrophic nail

Abstract

The order Onygenales includes keratinophilic fungi, such as dermatophytes, that can cause onychomycosis. Although dermatophytes are the primary cause of these infections, some non-dermatophytic, keratinophilic onygenalean fungi have been reported as causing nail infections. Other such fungi are frequently isolated as surface contaminants of nails sent for culture, but are not etiologic agents of onychomycosis. Here we introduce a novel onygenalean fungus isolated in the Netherlands from a nail that was suspected to have a fungal infection. As only a single sample was available, etiologic involvement of the fungus could not be assessed; also, since a direct microscopic examination result was not available, the infection status of the nail remains unclear. This fungus, which we describe here as Verweija noviomagensis, is described morphologically with a gymnothecium composed of loose, interwoven hyphae lacking appendages, eight-spored asci, and bright yellow ascospores. A multilocus phylogeny with eight markers classified it within the order Onygenales; however, it was not placed in any defined family within the order.