Mortierella sugadairana,a new homothallic species related to the firstly described heterothallic species in the genus

A new species, Mortierella sugadairana, is described for a fungus forming homothallic zygospores with a club-shaped macrosuspensor and a microsuspensor originating from the macrosuspensor. The species was isolated from cool regions in Japan and morphologically and phylogenetically close to a heterothallic species M. parvispora, which is the first species reported as a heterothallic species in the genus. Mycelial growth of the species was limited at 30 °C, whereas two isolates of M. parvispora can grow. This may indicate that the species and M. parvispora adapted to different climates from a common ancestor involving differentiation of the manner of reproduction.     

Colletotrichum gigasporum sp. nov., a new species of Colletotrichum producing long straight conidia

A new species of Colletotrichum was described, based on morphology and phylogeny. The fungus was isolated in Madagascar from healthy leaves of Centella asiatica, in Mexico from wild native of Stylosanthes guianensis and in Colombia from Coffea arabica. The fungus differed from the currently related species in the genus by its longer and wider size of conidia. In potato dextrose agar medium supplemented with sterilized leaf powder of Ce. asiatica, the fungus produced fertile perithecia containing asci and unusual long ascospores measuring up to 90 μm. In addition to these morphological characteristics, the maximum parsimony analysis of the ITS region and β-tubulin gene placed the fungus in a distinct clade far from the currently valid Colletotrichum species. Based on the morphological and molecular characterization, Colletotrichum gigasporum sp. nov. was proposed as a new species in the genus Colletotrichum Corda.     

Effect of Meloidogyne incognita,M. hapla,and M. javanica on the Severity of Fusarium Wilt of Chrysanthemum

Rooted cuttings of Chrysanthemum morifolium ''Yellow Delaware'' (Fusarium-susceptible) and ''White Iceberg'' (Fusarium-resistant) were greenhouse-grown in: (i) non-infested soil; (ii) soil infested with Fusarium oxysporum alone; (iii) soil infested with Meloidogyne incognita, M. javanica or M. hapla; and (iv) each nematode separately plus the fungus. All nematode species infected roots of both cultivars and caused characteristic root-knot symptoms but did not appreciably affect growth meassured by plant weight. Nematodes did not break Fusarium wilt resistance of ''White Iceberg''; however, wilt symptoms appeared earlier and were more severe among ''Yellow Delaware'' plants inoculated with Meloidogyne javanica and F. oxysporum than with similar combinations of the fungus and M. incognita or M. hapla or with the fungus alone.     

Phylogenetic study of indigenous grapevine leaf rust fungi in North America and biological identity of an invasive grapevine leaf rust fungus in Brazil

Two American grapevine leaf rust (GLR) fungi, Phakopsora muscadiniae and P. uva, were found to be phylogenetically different from Asian-Australasian GLR fungi. In the phylogram based on rDNA region sequences, a clade of the American fungi was sister to an inclusive clade of three autoecious species on Meliosma and a heteroecious species host-alternating between Meliosma and Parthenocissus. An invasive Brazilian GLR fungus (as P. meliosmae-myrianthae) was included in the Asian-Australasian GLR fungi clade, or the clade of the Thai population of Phakopsora sp. It could be assumed that the Brazilian GLR fungus originated from an inadvertently introduced Thai population.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Rhizoglomus venetianum</Emphasis>, a new arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal species from a heavy metal-contaminated site,downtown Venice in Italy

Rhizoglomus venetianum, a new arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal species, has been isolated and propagated from a heavy metal-contaminated site in Sacca San Biagio island, downtown Venice, Italy. Interestingly, under the high levels of heavy metals occurring in the site, the new fungus was able to grow only intraradically. In greenhouse trap and single species cultures under low heavy metal levels, the fungus produced innumerous spores, clusters, and sporocarps extraradically, which were formed terminally on subtending hyphae either singly, in small spore clusters, or, preferably, in loose to compact non-organized sporocarps up to 2500?×?2000?×?2000 μm. Spores are golden-yellow to bright yellow brown, globose to subglobose to rarely oblong, 75–145?×?72–140 μm in diameter, and have four spore wall layers. Morphologically, the new fungus is similar to R. intraradices, and phylogenetically, it forms a monophyletic clade next to R. irregulare, which generally forms irregular spores and lacks, like R. intraradices, the flexible innermost wall layer beneath the structural/persistent third wall layer. A key for the species identification is presented comprising all 18 Rhizoglomus species, so far described or newly combined.     

Phragmidium satoanum,a new rust pathogen of Rosa hirtula in Japan

The causal fungus of a rust disease of Rosa hirtula, endemic to mountainous areas of Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park, Japan, was thought to be a common species Phragmidium rosae-multiflorae. Continued field observations, morphological examination, and experimental inoculations proved that the fungus produced laterally three-angled aeciospores and urediniospores together with multi-cellular teliospores on the same R. hirtula trees. These morphological features were different from those of P. rosae-multiflorae. The fungus parasitized only R. hirtula. Experimental inoculations and field observations did not prove that R. banksiae, R. laevigata, and R. multiflora supported infection and sporulation of the fungus. Under the field observations, R. multiflora, the most common host of P. rosae-multiflorae, was not proven to harbor the R. hirtula fungus. Therefore, the fungus was concluded to be a species distinct from P. rosae-multiflorae; and a new name, P. satoanum, was proposed for it.     

Salinomyces polonicus: A moderately halophilic kin of the most extremely halotolerant fungus Hortaea werneckii

A clade where the most halotolerant fungus in the world – Hortaea werneckii, belongs (hereafter referred to as Hortaea werneckii lineage) includes five species: Hortaea werneckii, H. thailandica, Stenella araguata, Eupenidiella venezuelensis, and Magnuscella marina, of which the first species attracts increasing attention of mycologists. The species diversity and phylogenetic relationships within this lineage are weakly known. In this study two moderately halophilic black yeast strains were isolated from brine of graduation tower in Poland. Molecular phylogenetic analyses based on the rDNA ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 (=ITS), rDNA 28S D1–D2 (=LSU), and RNA polymerase II (rpb2) sequences showed that the two strains belong to Hortaea werneckii lineage but cannot be assigned to any described taxa. Accordingly, a new genus and species, Salinomyces and Salinomyces polonicus, are described for this fungus. Furthermore, molecular phylogenetic analyses have revealed that Hortaea thailandica is more closely related to S. polonicus than to H. werneckii. A new combination Salinomyces thailandicus is proposed for this fungus.     

Exophiala macquariensis sp. nov., a cold adapted black yeast species recovered from a hydrocarbon contaminated sub-Antarctic soil

A new black yeast species, Exophiala macquariensis is described that is a member of the ascomycete family Herpotrichiellaceae, order Chaetothyriales. The genus Exophiala is comprised of opportunistic pathogens isolated from clinical specimens as well as species recovered from hydrocarbon contaminated environments. Several species have been reported to be able to degrade benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylenes. Here, a novel species of Exophiala (CZ06) previously isolated from a Sub-Antarctic, Macquarie Island soil that was spiked with Special Antarctic Blend diesel fuel (SAB) is described. This isolate has the capacity of toluene biodegradation at cold temperatures. Multilocus sequence typing showed that this fungus was closely related to the pathogenic species Exophiala salmonis and Exophiala equina. With the capacity to utilise hydrocarbons as a sole carbon source at 10 °C, this fungus has great potential for future bioremediation applications.     

Phylogeny and morphology of Hirsutella tunicata sp. nov. (Ophiocordycipitaceae), a novel mite parasite from Peru

A new species of Hirsutella was isolated from unidentified mites on Petri plates inoculated with soil and root fragments collected from asparagus rhizosphere at Virú, Northern Peru. The fungus differs from other Hirsutella species by an envelope surrounding the conidium, conidia dimension and DNA sequences. In PDA cultures, the mycelium produced aerial hyphae with conidiogenous cells mainly at right angles, occasionally showing a secondary conidiophore. The solitary conidia are cymbiform, slightly apiculate, 5.0–6.0 × 3.0–4.0 μm. Phylogenetic analyses with partial rRNA and β-tubulin gene sequences confirmed the fungus as an Hirsutella (Ophiocordycipitaceae). Closest species shown by maximum likelihood and neighbor-joining trees were H. nodulosa and H. aphidis, from which the new species differs for conidium or conidiogenous cells dimensions, lack of synnemata and host type. A recombination event was also detected in the rRNA of the holotype strain, involving Ophiocordyceps sinensis as major parent and O. cochlidiicola as minor parent. A complement, inverted insertion was also found in its rRNA, involving part of the ITS2 and 5.8S regions, flanked by two short nucleotide arrays. Due to conidia dimension and phylogenetic position, the fungus is described as Hirsutella tunicata sp. nov. A review of mononematous Hirsutella species is provided.     

Natural infection of the tree hole breeding mosquito Aedes triseriatus (Diptera: Culicidae) with the fungus Funicularius triseriatus

In the course of a study of the population of Aedes triseriatus, a female adults was found to be infected with a fungus. The fungus, Funicularius triseriatus, is described as a new genus and species of the class Hyphomycetes (form-class Deuteromycetes). F. triseriatus is characterized by thallic arthrospores produced on conidiophores arising from hyphae which are funiculose in habit. This is the first report of the natural occurrence of a fungus on A. triseriatus adults.     

Haradamyces foliicola anam. gen. et sp. nov., a cause of zonate leaf blight disease in Cornus florida in Japan

A fungus causing zonate leaf blight diseases in various evergreen and deciduous woody plant species in Japan was characterized by a discoid multicellular propagule arising from a hyaline sclerotium-like structure in the leaf tissue and dark-coloured microconidia produced enteroblastically from the terminal cells on the surface of the discoid propagules. Myrioconium-like microconidiophores also producing microconidia were occasionally produced in culture. No teleomorphic characteristics were observed on the fungus. Molecular analysis based on the partial nu-rDNA sequence data revealed that the fungus was phylogenetically related to the Sclerotiniaceae, Leotiomycetes, and Ascomycota. Because the morphology and sequence data of this fungus does not coincide with those of any known anamorphic fungi, Haradamyces foliicola is proposed here as a new anamorphic genus and species for this fungus.     

Ophiostoma quercus: An unusually diverse and globally widespread tree-infecting fungus

Ophiostoma quercus (Ascomycota, Ophiostomatales) is a globally widespread, insect-vectored fungus that colonizes a wide diversity of hardwood and conifer hosts. Although the fungus is considered to be non-pathogenic, it is closely related to the fungi that cause Dutch elm disease. We examined the global diversity of O. quercus based on a ribosomal RNA marker and three unlinked gene regions. The fungus exhibited substantial morphological diversity. In addition, O. quercus had high genetic diversity in every continent from which it was collected, although the fungus was most diverse in Eurasia. There was no evidence of geographical clustering of haplotypes based on phylogenetic and network analyses. In addition, the phylogenetic trees generated based on the different markers were non-congruent. These results suggest that O. quercus has been repeatedly moved around the globe, because of trade in wood products, and that the fungal species most likely outcrosses regularly. The high genetic diversity of the fungus, as well as its ability to utilize a wide variety of arthropod vectors and colonize a tremendous diversity of tree host species makes O. quercus truly unique among ophiostomatoid fungi.     

Susceptibility of the tick Haemaphysalis qinghaiensis to isolates of the fungus Metarhizium anisopliae in China

Haemaphysalis qinghaiensis, a prevalent tick species in China, causes severe economic losses. In this study, we investigated the pathogenicity of six isolates of the fungus Metarhizium anisopliae to engorged female H. qinghaiensis using concentrations of 10⁶, 10⁷ and 10⁸ conidia ml^?1. The results indicated that M.aAT08 and M.aAT13 isolates were highly virulent against the ticks. Metarhizium anisopliae has potential for biocontrol of H. qinghaiensis.     

Yeasts found on an ephemeral reproductive caste of the leaf-cutting ant Atta sexdens rubropilosa

Winged males of leaf-cutting ants are considered an ephemeral reproductive caste only produced before the mating flight season. Although much is known about the yeast diversity found in fungus gardens of attine ants, no study has focused on the yeasts associated with males of leaf-cutting ants. Here, we surveyed the yeasts on the integuments of males of Atta sexdens rubropilosa and assessed their potential role in the attine ant-microbe symbiosis. Using culture-dependent techniques, we found yeasts to be abundant on the integuments of males (54.5 %, n = 200 alates). A total of 242 yeast strains were obtained representing six orders, ten genera and 25 species. Strains of Aureobasidium, Cryptococcus, Hannaella and Rhodotorula were prevalent on the integuments and likely originated from the fungus garden of the parental nest or from the soil. The majority of strains (87.1 %) produced at least one of the evaluated enzymes: pectinase, polygalacturonase, cellulase, xylanase, ligninases and lipase. Aureobasidium pullulans accounted for the highest number of strains that produced all enzymes. In addition, yeasts showed the ability to assimilate the resulting oligosaccharides, supporting observations of other studies that yeasts may be involved in the plant biomass metabolism in the fungus gardens. Because winged males harbor several yeasts with putative functional roles, these fungi may take part and be beneficial in the microbial consortia of the new incipient nest.     

Distinct and enhanced hygienic responses of a leaf‐cutting ant toward repeated fungi exposures

Leaf‐cutting ants and their fungal crops are a textbook example of a long‐term obligatory mutualism. Many microbes continuously enter their nest containing the fungal cultivars, destabilizing the symbiosis and, in some cases, outcompeting the mutualistic partners. Preferably, the ant workers should distinguish between different microorganisms to respond according to their threat level and recurrence in the colony. To address these assumptions, we investigated how workers of Atta sexdens sanitize their fungal crop toward five different fungi commonly isolated from the fungus gardens: Escovopsis sp., Fusarium oxysporum, Metarhizium anisopliae, Trichoderma spirale, and Syncephalastrum sp. Also, to investigate the plasticity of these responses toward recurrences of these fungi, we exposed the colonies with each fungus three times fourteen days apart. As expected, intensities in sanitization differed according to the fungal species. Ants significantly groom their fungal crop more toward F. oxysporum, M. anisopliae, and Syncephalastrum sp. than toward Escovopsis sp. and T. spirale. Weeding, self‐, and allogrooming were observed in less frequency than fungus grooming in all cases. Moreover, we detected a significant increase in the overall responses after repeated exposures for each fungus, except for Escovopsis sp. Our results indicate that A. sexdens workers are able to distinguish between different fungi and apply distinct responses to remove these from the fungus gardens. Our findings also suggest that successive exposures to the same antagonist increase hygiene, indicating plasticity of ant colonies'' defenses to previously encountered pathogens.     

Susceptibility of nontarget organisms to Nosema algerae (Microsporida: Nosematidae), a parasite of mosquitoes.

Host response of two penaeid species, Penaeus aztecus and P. setiferus, from the Gulf of Mexico to the pathogenic fungus Fusarium sp. isolated from the California brown shrimp, P. californiensis, was studied in vivo. The hemocytic response to this fungus was traced histologically in the gills. Both species showed complete resistance to infection by the fungal spores when normal or wounded shrimp were held in seawater containing the spores or when spores were injected directly into the shrimp in low concentrations. Complete melanization and encapsulation of the micro- and macroconidia were observed. Spore dosages of 3.2 × 10⁶ or more were lethal, apparently due to mechanical blockage of the blood sinuses of the gills.     

Hygrophorus yukishiro sp. nov., a new vernal edible mushroom from Nagano Prefecture,Japan

A novel basidiomycetous species, Hygrophorus yukishiro, is described from Japan. The basidiomata of this fungus have been referred to as “yuki-shiro”, “yuki-take”, and “yuki-wari”, and used as an edible mushroom in the central region of Nagano, Japan. Hygrophorus yukishiro fruits in the early spring season under oak-dominated stands. Morphological and phylogenetic analyses of the internal transcribed spacer region of the nuclear ribosomal RNA gene indicated that H. yukishiro is a sister species of H. arbustivus and belongs to section Hygrophorus, subsect. Fulventes. Hygrophorus yukishiro is similar in its external morphology and fruiting phenology to H. roseobrunneus, H. leucophaeo-ilicis, and H. roseodiscoideus, but differs in the color and texture of its pileus surface and microscopic characteristics.     

Pathogenicity of Macrophomina phaseoli on Jute in the Presence of Meloidogyne incognita and Hoplolaimus indicus

Seedlings of Corchorus capsularis (cv. C4444) were inoculated with Meloidogyne incognita, Hoplolaimus indicus, and a fungus pathogen of jute, Macrophomina phaseoli, separately and in all possible combinations. The significant damage of jute plants caused individually by the pathogens was aggravated when the fungus was associated with either of the nematode species. M. incognita alone caused greater damage than either H. indicus or Macrophomina phaseoli alone. Plants inoculated with M. incognita and Macrophomina phaseoli were more severely damaged than plants inoculated with H. indicus and the fungus. Plant growth was minimum and disease symptoms were maximum when all pathogens acted together. In the presence of the fungus, M. incognita produced fewer galls. The reproduction of H. indicus was not influenced by the other organisms.