Conlarium duplumascospora gen. et. sp. nov. and Jobellisia guangdongensis sp. nov. from freshwater habitats in China

Conlarium duplumascospora gen. et. sp. nov. and Jobellisia guangdongensis sp. nov. are described and illustrated from submerged wood collected from Guangdong Province, China. Conlarium duplumascospora is characterized by gregarious, coriaceous and beaked ascomata; cylindrical, unitunicate asci with a bipartite apical ring; biseriate, fusiform, hyaline, 0-5-septate ascospores with or without appendages; and anamorph with muriform conidia. Jobellisia guangdongensis is characterized by globose to subglobose, gregarious and papillate ascomata; three-layered peridium; cylindrical, unitunicate asci with a refractive apical ring; and one-septate, fusiform, greenish brown ascospores. Sequence analyses of partial nuclear large subunit ribosomal DNA (LSU rDNA) were performed to infer the phylogenetic affinities of these new taxa. A key to species of Jobellisia is provided.     

Ascobotryozyma americana gen. nov. et sp. nov. and its anamorph Botryozyma americana, an unusual yeast from the surface of nematodes

A new teleomorphic genus Ascobotryozyma, with a single species, A. americana, is proposed. Its anamorph is a Botryozyma that differs from the type species, B. nematodophila, on distributional, physiological, and molecular criteria; it is described as Botryozyma americana, anam. sp. nov. Ascobotryozyma is characterized by globose asci bearing four lunate ascospores. Fusion of thallus cells precedes ascus formation. Ascobotryozyma americana was isolated from the surface of nematodes (Panagrellus dubius) associated with galleries of the poplar borer (Saperda calcarata) in trembling aspen (Populus tremuloides) in eastern Washington, USA. The teleomorph has not been produced in pure culture.     

Thielavia heterothallica spec. nov., die perfekte Form von Chrysosporium thermophilum

Thielavia heterothallica spec. nov. is described as a heterothallic, thermophilic fungus with spherical, black, non-ostiolatecleistothecia; ellipsoidal, evanescent asci which contain eight one-celled ellipsoidal ascospores, darkening to deep brown to black, with one germ pore. The conidial state is Chrysosporium thermophilum (Apinis) von Klopotek.

     

Frondisphaeria palmicola gen. et sp. nov. from Brunei

The monotypic genusFrondisphaeria (Unitunicate Ascomycetes inc. sed.) is introduced to accommodate a new palm ascomycete with slightly curved long-fusiform ascospores.Frondisphaeria has similarities withLinocarpon, but differs in having clavate asci, which are narrow at the apex and are provided with a refractive discoid subapical ring. Ascomata also form under darkened blotches on the host surface.     

Linocarpon angustatum sp. nov., andNeolinocarpon nypicola sp. nov. from petioles ofNypa fruticans, and a list of fungi from aerial parts of this host

Two new ascomycetes,Linocarpon angustatum sp. nov. andNeolinocarpon nypicola sp. nov., are described from petioles ofNypa fruticans in Malaysia.Linocarpon angustatum differs from species in the genus in having needle-shaped ascospores.Neolinocarpon nypicola differs from species in the genus in having filiform ascospores which gradually taper towards the ends, and ascomata developing within well developed stromata. These new species are compared with existing species and illustrated with interference light micrographs. The fungi known from aerial parts ofNypa fruticans are listed.     

Debaryomyces udenii,sp. nov. (Saccharomycetaceae), a new species from soil

A new, soil-associated species of the genus Debaryomyces, D. udenii, is described. The species is characterized by pusticulate rather than verrucate ascospores, and slowly lytic asci.     

New fungal genera, Tectonidula gen. nov. for Calosphaeria-like fungi with holoblastic-denticulate conidiogenesis and Natantiella gen. nov. for three species segregated from Ceratostomella

Two morphologically similar groups of ascomycetes with globose to subglobose perithecia, elongate necks, unitunicate asci floating freely at maturity, and hyaline ascospores currently placed in Calosphaeria s. lat. and Ceratostomella s. lat., respectively, are studied. The Calosphaeria-like fungi have groups of perithecia growing between cortex and wood, arranged in circular groups with converging necks and piercing the cortex in a common point; the asci with a shallow apical ring and U- to horseshoe-shaped hyaline ascospores are compared with Calosphaeria pulchella, the type species of the genus. Conidiogenesis of the investigated Calosphaeria-like fungi is holoblastic-denticulate; ramichloridium-like and sporothrix-like conidiophores and conidia were formed in vitro. Ascospore and ascus morphology, structure of the ascal apex, ascogenous system, mode of conidiogenesis and the large subunit rRNA sequences of this group differ considerably from C. pulchella and both groups are unrelated. Thus a new genus, Tectonidula, is described with two accepted species, T. hippocrepida and T. fagi; they are separated by ascospore and ascus morphology and holoblastic-denticulate conidiogenesis from the core species of Calosphaeria. The placement of Tectonidula among perithecial ascomycetes is discussed. The relationship of Tectonidula with Barbatosphaeria and two ramichloridium-like hyphomycetous genera Rhodoveronaea and Myrmecridium is investigated. Three species formerly attributed to Ceratostomella are studied. The revision of the herbarium type specimen and fresh material of Ceratostomella ligneola revealed that it is conspecific with Ceratostomella ampullasca and Ceratostomella similis. The LSU phylogeny clearly separated C. ligneola from Ceratostomella s. str. and morphologically similar Lentomitella. On the basis of molecular sequence data and detailed comparison of morphology of asci, ascospores and ascogenous system the genus Natantiella is described for C. ligneola with C. ampullasca and C. similis as its synonyms. Natantiella produced sterile mycelium in vitro.     

A new species ofClohiesia from Hong Kong

Clohiesia lignicola sp. nov. (freshwater ascomycetes) is introduced based on a specimen collected on submerged wood in the Tung Chung River, Hong Kong. Ascomata are clypeate, asci are cylindric-clavate with a relatively massive apical apparatus and ascospores are fusoid-ellipsoidal.Clohiesia lignicola differs fromC. corticola in having wider asci and wider fusoid-ellipsoidal ascospores, and larger ascomata.Clohiesia lignicola is described and illustrated with light micrographs and is also compared with species in the genus,Annulatascus.     

Aciculosporium sasicola sp. nov. on witches' broom ofSasa senanensis

A new species ofAciculosporium, A. sasicola (anam.Albomyces sasicola), is described and illustrated. The fungus differs fromAciculosporium take by its small asci and ascospores, though witches' broom and signs probably caused by the former onSasa senanensis are similar to those caused by the latter on bamboos.     

Lanceispora amphibia gen. et sp. nov., a new amphisphaeriaceous ascomycete inhabiting senescent and fallen leaves of mangrove

Lanceispora amphibia gen. et sp. nov. in the Amphisphaeriaceae is described from senescent and fallen leaves ofBruguiera gymnorrhiza in mangrove forests in the Southwest Islands, Japan. The fungus produces immersed ascomata in leaf tissue, cylindrical asci with an apical ring staining blue with iodine, and oblanceolate ascospores with a septum above the middle. Studies on the fungal succession on the mangrove leaves revealed thatL. amphibia infects senescent leaves on the tree and inhabits intertidal fallen leaves, showing the highest frequency of occurrence at the late stage of decomposition. In culture the optimal conditions for hyphal growth were 20 ppt salinity and 30°C, and those for sexual reproduction were 10 ppt salinity and 25°C. Growth at 0 ppt (fresh water) was depressed. The fungus has amphibious habits, growing on the tree and in intertidal water; and it is adapted to the high osmotic conditions in leaf tissues of the mangrove tree and to the subtropical, brackish water environment of mangrove forests.     

Margaretbarromyces dictyosporus gen. sp. nov.: a permineralized corticolous ascomycete from the Eocene of Vancouver Island, British Columbia

A single, permineralized ascoma resembling a pseudothecium assignable to the Pleosporales is described from the Eocene Appian Way fossil locality on Vancouver Island, British Columbia. The ascoma is globose, ostiolate, and erumpent on a fragment of the bark from an unidentified seed plant. Basally arranged asci contain large, multicelled, obovate ascospores within a single cavity or locule enclosed by a two-layered pseudoparenchymatous tissue that ostensibly represents ascostroma. Given this interpretation of the specimen's morphological features, Margaretbarromyces dictyosporus gen. sp. nov. represents the first report of a corticolous pleosporalean ascoma in the fossil record.     

Three ascomycetes on leaves of evergreen Ilex trees from Japan: Rhytisma ilicis-integrae sp. nov., R. ilicis-latifoliae, and R. ilicis-pedunculosae sp. nov.

Three species belonging to the genus Rhytisma causing tar spot were collected on leaves in evergreen trees of Ilex species from Japan. Rhytisma ilicis-latifoliae, the known species, is found on Ilex latifolia, and R. ilicis-integrae sp. nov. and R. ilicis-pedunculosae sp. nov. are found on I. integra and I. pedunculosa, respectively. Ascomata are formed on the abaxial part of the stromata in all the Rhytisma species studied, and spermogonia are formed on the amphigenous parts in R. ilicis-latifoliae and on the adaxial part in R. ilicis-integrae and R. ilicis-pedunculosae. Shape and size of asci, ascospores, and spermatia are distinctly different among the three species. The morphology of germination tubes from ascospores and appressoria is unique for each Rhytisma species. Yellowish spots arise on the newly developing leaves in mid-May, then abundant spermatia are produced in spermogonia in the three Rhytisma species. In the next year, ascospores are produced in ascomata from early April to late May in R. ilicis-integrae and from early April to early June in R. ilicis-latifoliae and R. ilicis-pedunculosae, and they are considered to be the inocula of disease infection.     

Eupenicillium osmophilum sp. nov.

A new species of the genus Eupenicillium: E. osmophilum is described and illustrated. It is characterized by single asci, lenticular ascospores with 2 closely appressed equatorial ridges and divaricate penicilli.     

Hyaloscyphaceae in Japan (6): the genus Hyphodiscus in Japan and its anamorph Catenulifera gen. nov.

Three Hyphodiscus species are described and illustrated: Hyphodiscus otanii sp. nov., Hyphodiscus hymeniophilus, and H. theiodeus, which is new to Japan. Culture studies revealed Phialophora-like anamorphs. Catenulifera gen. nov. is proposed for the anamorph of Hyphodiscus. The history of the genus is reviewed. Hyphodiscus can be delimited to members with gelatinized excipulum, Cistella-like hairs with more coarse granulation, small asci, ascospores with conspicuous globules, cylindrical, flexuous paraphyses, and a Catenulifera anamorph. Received: September 6, 2001 / Accepted: October 4, 2001     

The yeastKluyveromyces africanus nov. spec. and its phylogenetic significance

Summary A new budding yeast species isolated from soil is described. Its outstanding features are, firstly, the formation of asci containing up to sixteen long oval to reniform ascospores and, secondly, a fermentative as well as oxidative metabolism. The assimilation of nitrate is absent and no pseudomycelium is formed. The taxonomic position of the yeast is discussed and it is pointed out that, due to its exceptional ascospore number (1–16), it cannot be classified in any of the existing fermentative genera of theEndomycetaceae (in sensu Lodder et Kreger-van Rij). The reniform shape of its ascospores indicates, however, its close relationship with the multispored genusKluyveromyces, on the one hand, and the newly proposed one to four-spored genusDekkeromyces on the other. The species is provisionally classified as aKluyveromyces species,Kluyveromyces africanus nov. spec., until further information regarding its sexual characteristics becomes available. By virtue of its more or less intermediate ascospore number, it establishes the direct derivation of the genusDekkeromyces fromDipodascus uninucleatus via the multispored yeast genusKluyveromyces.     

New species of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Clohiesia</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Paraniesslia</Emphasis> collected from freshwater habitats in China

Two fungi collected from submerged woody debris were found to represent hitherto undescribed species of the ascomycete genera Clohiesia and Paraniesslia. They are described as Clohiesia curvispora sp. nov. and Paraniesslia aquatica sp. nov. based on morphological characters. Clohiesia curvispora is characterized by immersed ascomata under a clypeus, and unitunicate, cylindrical asci containing one-celled, curved, elongate-fusiform ascospores. Paraniesslia aquatica is characterized by small, superficial, setose ascomata, and unitunicate, clavate asci containing verrucose, brown ascospores. Each species is illustrated with light micrographs and compared with similar taxa in this article.     

Phylogenetic relationships among species ofWilliopsis andSaturnospora gen. nov. as determined from partial rRNA sequences

Phylogenetic relationships among those yeast species that form saturn-shaped ascospores and which are assigned to the generaWilliopsis andPichia were estimated from their extent of nucleotide sequence divergence in three regions of ribosomal RNA. ThePichia species (P. dispora, P. saitoi, P. zaruensis andP. sp. nov.) are a closely clustered group only distantly related toWilliopsis, and it is proposed that they be reassigned toSaturnospora gen. nov. The extent of divergence amongWilliopsis species (W. californica, W. mucosa, W. pratensis, W. saturnus andW. sp. nov.) is greater than that previously observed within other ascomycetous yeast genera.