A new fungal genus, Teracosphaeria, with a phialophora-like anamorph (Sordariomycetes, Ascomycota)

The new genus and species Teracosphaeria petroica is described for a perithecial ascomycete and its anamorph occurring on decayed wood collected in New Zealand. The fungus produces immersed, non-stromatic ceratosphaeria-like perithecia in nature, with hyaline, septate ascospores produced in unitunicate, non-amyloid asci. The anamorph produced in vitro is phialophora-like with lightly pigmented phialides terminating in flaring, deep collarettes that are often noticeably brown with conspicuous periclinal thickening. Phylogenetic analysis of LSU rDNA sequence data indicates that this fungus is distinct from morphologically similar fungi classified in the Chaetosphaeriales, the Trichosphaeriales or the Magnaporthaceae. It forms a monophyletic group with recently described, chaetosphaeria-like ascomycetes, such as the pyrenomycete genus Mirannulata, and shows affinity with the anamorphic species Dictyochaeta cylindrospora. The usefulness of describing anamorph genera for morphologically reduced anamorphs, when anamorph characteristics are actually part of the holomorph diagnosis, is discussed. An apparently contradictory example of the so-called Cordana and Pseudobotrytis anamorphs of Porosphaerella spp. is also discussed.     

Two new species ofTalaromyces from Taiwan and Japan

Two new species ofTalaromyces, isolated from soils in Taiwan and Japan, are described and illustrated.Talaromyces eburneus, associated with aGeosmithia anamorph, is characterized by off-white colony on oatmeal agar, small pale yellow ascomata, and subglobose to ovoid ascospores with a smooth wall.Talaromyces muroii is characterized by restricted growth on Czapek agar, luteous ascomata, which are initiated by paired gametangia like those seen in members of the seriesFlavi, ellipsoidal and nearly smooth ascospores, and the absence of an anamorph.     

Phyllactinia chubutiana: a new species of Erysiphales from Patagonia (Argentina)

Phyllactinia chubutiana, a parasite on leaves of Lycium chilense (Solanaceae) collected in the arid Patagonian steppe, is proposed as a new species. The new combination Ovulariopsis insolita is introduced for its anamorph previously described as Oidium insolitum.     

A new species ofPlagiostoma (Ascomycota-diaporthales) with aPhomopsis anamorph isolated fromPhragmites leaves in Japan

A new ascomycete species,Plagiostoma phragmiticola inhabiting two reed plants,Phragmites australis andP. karka, is described and illustrated. This new species is characterized by having non-stromatic, solitary perithecia, laterally and obliquely protruding perithecial beaks, and relatively small asci and ascospores. Black zone-lines in colonized leaf tissues were not observed. Its anamorph belongs toPhomopsis.     

New and interesting species ofNeosartorya from Brazilian soil

Neosartorya udagawae, a new heterothallic species isolated from Brazilian soil, is described and illustrated. It is characterized by dull green colony on malt extract agar, light yellow large ascomata, broadly lenticular ascospores with two equatorial or several irregular crests and tuberculate convex surfaces, and with anAspergillus anamorph.Neosartorya aureola is also described as a new record from Brazilian soil.     

Sawadaea nankinensis comb. nov.: a powdery mildew fungus of Acer buergerianum

The anamorphic state of a powdery mildew on trident maple (Acer buergerianum, Aceraceae), belonging to Sawadaea, has been observed since 1980 in Tokyo and other areas of Japan. Since the autumn of 2003, this fungus has begun to produce chasmothecia in various areas of Japan, which were consistent with Erysiphe nankinensis (= Uncinula nankinensis), but apparently contradictory to the characteristics of the anamorph. Based on a molecular phylogenetic analysis using DNA separately extracted from the anamorph and teleomorph of the fungus on A. buergerianum, it could be demonstrated that sequences of this fungus are sister to Sawadaea. As the anamorph belongs to Oidium subgen. Octagoidium and because of the phylogenetic position within the Sawadaea clade, the new combination Sawadaea nankinensis is proposed for this species. The genus Sawadaea is emended to comprise species with consistently unbranched appendages.     

New and interesting species ofEmericella from Chinese soil

Emericella miyajii, a new species isolated from Chinese soil, is described and illustrated. It is characterized by pale orange to brownish orange colonies on malt extract agar, subglobose to broadly elliptical ascospores with defective four equatorial crests and smooth convex walls, and with anAspergillus anamorph.Emericella undulata is also described as an uncommon species from Chinese soil.     

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.     

The type species of Apiognomonia, A. veneta, with its Discula anamorph is distinct from A. errabunda

Species of Apiognomonia with their Discula anamorphic states in the Gnomoniaceae, Diaporthales, are known throughout the temperate Northern Hemisphere and cause diseases such as sycamore or plane tree anthracnose. The genus Apiognomonia was described based on A. veneta as the type species; however, there has been disagreement about whether or not A. veneta is a synonym of A. errabunda. Using morphological, ecological, and DNA sequence data we conclude that A. errabunda and A. veneta are different species, although very closely related; thus, A. veneta is the correct name for the type species of Apiognomonia. This conclusion is based on a combined analysis of sequences from the ITS regions of nuclear rDNA for 51 isolates from host plants of eight genera and intron regions from actin, calmodulin and translation elongation factor 1-alpha for over 25 isolates. The type species of the genus Discula is D. nervisequa, the earliest available epithet for D. platani, the lectotype of Discula. D. nervisequa is the anamorph of A. veneta. Based on an examination of the type specimen, we determined that the commonly used name for the anamorph of A. errabunda, D. umbrinella, refers to another species. A. veneta and A. errabunda including their anamorphs are described and illustrated. An account of all synonyms and excluded synonyms is presented.     

Mycosphaerella buna sp. nov. with aPseudocercospora anamorph isolated from the leaves of Japanese beech

A species ofMycosphaerella with aPseudocercospora anamorph was collected on overwintered fallen leaves of Japanese beech,Fagus crenata. Based on comparison of morphology withMycosphaerella species on Fagaceae, the fungus was newly described asMycosphaerella buna. ThePseudocercospora anamorph derived from a single ascospore of the fungus was morphologically identical to an endophytic anamorph isolated from asymptomatic living leaves of Japanese beech. Contribution No. 150, Laboratory of Plant Parasitic Mycology, Institute of Agriculture and Forestry, University of Tsukuba     

Distinction of species in Aureobasidium and related genera by PCR-ribotyping

Taxonomic markers for differentiation of the anamorph genera Aureobasidium, Hormonema and Kabatiella were developed using PCR-ribotyping with the primers 5.8S-R and LR7 for amplification and the restriction enzymes Alul, DdeI, Hhal, MspI and RsaI for digestion. Aureobasidium and Hormonema are optimally differentiated with MspI; DdeI is particularly useful to distinguish aureobasidium, Kabatiella and Selenophoma. Relationships of the anamorph genera Aureobasidium, Hormoneng and Kabatiella with the teleomorph genera Pringsheimia and Dothiora are discussed.     

Three new <Emphasis Type="Italic">Ophiostoma</Emphasis> species isolated from Japanese red pine

Three new species of Ophiostoma found on Japanese red pine are described as Ophiostoma pusillum sp. nov., O. botuliforme sp. nov., and O. nigrogranum sp. nov. Ophiostoma pusillum is characterized by oblong ascospores and a Hyalorhinocladiella anamorph. Ophiostoma botuliforme has ostioles covered with a hyaline gelatinous cap, allantoid ascospores, and a Pesotum anamorph with hyaline to pale brown stipes. Ophiostoma nigrogranum has hyaline ostiolar hyphae with rounded tips, allantoid ascospores, and sclerotium-like structures.Contribution no. 172, Laboratory of Plant Pathology and Mycology, Institute of Agriculture and Forestry, University of Tsukuba     

Materials for the fungus flora of Japan (53)

Two interesting ascomycetes are described as new to Japan:Ascotricha amesii (Xylariaceae), isolated from garden soil in Osaka; andAuxarthron reticulatum, isolated from forest soil in Tokyo. ADicyma anamorph is associated with the former species. (52): Tubaki, K., Tokumasu, S. and Konno, M., Nippon Kingakukai Kaiho38: 249–250. 1997.     

Morphology and phylogeny of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Botryosphaeria dothidea</Emphasis> causing fruit rot of olives

The taxonomic position of the causal agent of fruit rot of olives was determined from fresh collections of the fungus from central Greece. In culture it formed two types of conidia, namely fusiform, hyaline, aseptate conidia typical of the genus Fusicoccum, and dark-walled, ovoid, ellipsoid or fusiform, 1–2 septate conidia that are not typically observed in Fusicoccum. A phylogenetic analysis based on ITS and EF1- sequences placed the fungus within the same clade as Fusicoccum aesculi, which is the anamorph of Botryosphaeria dothidea, and the type of the genus Fusicoccum.     

New species and records of saprophytic ascomycetes (Myxotrichaceae) from decaying logs in the boreal forest

Decayed wood from fallen white spruce (Picea glauca) and trembling aspen (Populus tremuloides) collected in northeastern Alberta, Canada, was the source of new isolates of species in the ascomycete generaGymnostellatospora andPseudogymnoascus. In addition to new reports ofG. japonica, G. frigida andP. roseus, two new species are described.Gymnostellatospora canadensis sp. nov. resemblesG. japonica but differs in producing brown ascomata and in the formation of an arthroconidial anamorph.Gymnostellatospora subnuda sp. nov. is distinct in lacking differentiated peridial hyphae.Gymnostellatospora alpina was not found in decayed wood but is reviewed based on extralimital material. A dichtomous key to the five species ofGymnostellatospora is provided.     

Emericella appendiculata, a new species from Chinese soil

Emericella appendiculata, a new species isolated from soil of the Pamire Plateau, is described and illustrated. It is characterized by grayish green non-ostiolate ascomata surrounded by a thick layer of hülle cells, membranaceous peridium, prototunicate asci, violet-brown, lenticular ascospores which are ornamented by two stellate equatorial crests, capitate convex surfaces, and long filiform appendages, and anAspergillus anamorph with biseriate conidiogenous cells.     

A newCercophora with aChrysosporium-like anamorph

A new species ofCercophora, isolated from river sediment collected from Sakai River in Nagasaki Prefecture, Japan, is described and illustrated. It is distinguished from the other knwon species by the morphology of its ascomatal peridium and ascospores, and by itsChrysosporium-like anamorph.