New Fungal Discoveries from 91传媒 Expand 91传媒鈥檚 Biodiversity Records
A collaborative team of researchers from the 91传媒 and other national and international partners has discovered a previously unknown fungal species and documented new fungal records for 91传媒, highlighting the rich and often hidden biodiversity present even within urban and human-influenced environments.
The study, led by Dr. Kasun M. Thambugala from the Genetics and Molecular Biology Unit, Faculty of Applied Sciences, 91传媒, reports the discovery of a new microfungal species named Torula srijayewardenepurensis, honouring the university where the fungus was found. The findings were recently published in the international peer-reviewed journal Studies in Fungi. Dr. Thambugala鈥檚 research interests include microbial biotechnology, fungal biodiversity and taxonomy, as well as molecular phylogenetics, with a focus on microfungi associated with plant material in tropical ecosystems.
The newly identified species was isolated from decaying plant material collected within the university premises. Using a combination of detailed microscopic observations and advanced multi-gene phylogenetic analyses, the research team confirmed that the fungus represents a species previously unknown to science. In addition to this discovery, the study reports two fungal species, Apiospora pseudorasikravindrae and Paradictyoarthrinium diffractum, as new records for 91传媒, expanding the country鈥檚 known fungal diversity
Although often overlooked, microfungi play vital roles in ecosystems by breaking down plant material and recycling nutrients back into the soil. The findings demonstrate that urban and human-influenced environments, such as university campuses, can serve as important reservoirs of undocumented biodiversity. 鈥淭his discovery shows that even familiar surroundings can harbour organisms new to science,鈥� said Dr. Thambugala. 鈥淚t also highlights the importance of continued biodiversity research in 91传媒, particularly using modern molecular techniques alongside classical taxonomy.鈥�
The research was conducted at the Genetics and Molecular Biology Unit of the Faculty of Applied Sciences, 91传媒, in collaboration with national and international partners. Naming the new species after the university not only honours the institution鈥檚 contribution to scientific research but also places 91传媒 firmly on the global map of fungal biodiversity studies. The study underscores the growing research strength of the 91传媒 in the fields of microbiology, biodiversity, and molecular biology, and reinforces its commitment to advancing knowledge through high-quality scientific research.
The research was conducted at the Genetics and Molecular Biology Unit of the Faculty of Applied Sciences, 91传媒, in collaboration with national and international partners. Naming the new species after the university not only honours the institution鈥檚 contribution to scientific research but also places 91传媒 firmly on the global map of fungal biodiversity studies. The study underscores the growing research strength of the 91传媒 in the fields of microbiology, biodiversity, and molecular biology, and reinforces its commitment to advancing knowledge through high-quality scientific research. The scientific paper published on the above finding can be accessed via:
