Aspergillus arcoverdensis, a new species of Aspergillus section Fumigati isolated from caatinga soil in State of Pernambuco, Brazil

•We described a new anamorphic species, Aspergillus arcoverdensis, in sect. Fumigati.•Aspergillus arcoverdensis was included in A. viridinutans species complex.•Aspergillus arcoverdensis produces conidia with smooth surface.•Aspergillus viridinutans produces conidia with delicately roughened surface.•Aspergillus arcoverdensis did not produce cleistothecia by crossing cultures.

Aspergillus arcoverdensis, a new species isolated from semi-desert soil in a caatinga area, State of Pernambuco, Brazil, and a similar environment in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, China, is described and illustrated. It is characterized by relatively long conidiophores for Aspergillus section Fumigati, and subglobose to broadly ellipsoidal and smooth conidia. The delimitation of this new species is supported further by phylogenetic analyses of the β-tubulin, calmodulin and actin gene sequences.