PHYLOGENETIC STUDIES OF THE GENUSARTHONIA

A phylogenetic analysis is presented, based on 57 morphological, anatomical, chemical and ecological characters, including 19 species from the generaArthonia,ArthotheliumandSyncesia. The aim of the study was to test the monophyly of some of the groups within the genusArthoniasuggested, for example, by Redinger (e.g. species with reddish ascomata, with grey–pruinose ascomata and with brown–black hypothecia). The results strongly support thatArthoniaandArthotheliumare paraphyletic genera. The best-supported node contains allArthoniaspecies together withA. crozalsianade Lesd.,A. ruanaA. Massal. (both hitherto placed inArthothelium) andSyncesia myrticola(Fée) Tehler. A well-supported clade is formed by a group of pioneer species, often non-lichenized or poorly lichenized, including the type species ofArthonia,A. radiata. The species with reddish and/or K+ reddish ascomata form one clade and the species with more or less brownish or blackish hypothecia form another clade withSyncesia myrticola, the sister group to theOpegraphaceaeandRoccellaceae. The results are discussed and compared with Redinger’s grouping. Relationships to other genera within Arthoniaceae are briefly discussed.Arthothelium scandinavicumTh. Fr.,Arthonia dispersa(Schrad.) Nyl.,A. punctiformisAch. andA. mediellaNyl. are lectotypified.     

SPIROGRAPHA VINOSA,A NEW ODONTOTREMOID FUNGUS ONOCHROLECHIAANDPERTUSARIA

Spirographa vinosaHolien & Triebel is described from boreal spruce forest of Norway. It is lichenicolous on different species ofOchrolechiaandPertusaria. Within the genusS. vinosais characterized by its 8-spored asci, up to 5-septate ascospores with obtuse ends and its apothecial pigments causing aeruginose and purplish reactions with KOH.     

THE LICHENICOLOUS FUNGI ON SPECIES OF THE GENERABAEOMYCES,DIBAEIS, ANDICMADOPHILAIN NORWAY

Lichenicolous fungi on species of the generaBaeomyces,Dibaeis, andIcmadophilain Norway includeAcarosporium lichenicolaIhlen & Tønsberg sp. nov.,Cercidospora parvaHafellner & Ihlen sp. nov.,Phoma maculiformansIhlen sp. nov.,Micarea inquinans(reported new to Scandinavia),Arthrorhaphis vacillans,Pyrenidium actinellums. lat.,Sphaerellothecium coniodes(all new to Norway),Arthrorhaphis alpina,A. citrinella,A. grisea,A. muddii,Dactylospora athallina,D. attendenda,Epilichen glauconigellus,E. scabrosus,Stigmidium icmadophilae,Thelocarpon epibolum, andT. lichenicola. Their anatomy and morphology are described, and a key to the taxa provided. Host preferences are discussed, and distribution maps are provided for the obligately lichenicolous fungi and those that also occur autonomously.     

SPECIES OF THE GENUSLECIDEA(LECANORALES) ON GYPSUM IN SPAIN

The genusLecideain the lichen flora of the gypsum soils of Spain is represented by two species:L. gypsicolaLlimona andL. circinarioidesCasares & Hafellner sp. nov., which are described in this article. Chemical, anatomical and ecological differences are also described, as is the taxonomic value of the morphological characteristics of the mature ascoma.     

ADDITIONS AND CORRECTIONS TO THE FOLIICOLOUS LICHEN FLORA OF COSTA RICA. THE FAMILY ARTHONIACEAE,WITH NOTES ON THE GENUSSTIRTONIA

The taxonomy of the foliicolous members of Arthoniaceae (Arthonia, Arthothelium, Cryptothecia, Ermothecella) in Costa Rica is revised.Cryptothecia farkasiaesp. nov. is described, being closely related toStirtonia sprucei, and bearing pycnidia reminiscent ofEremothecella. Arthonia lividofuscais placed in synonymy withA. aciniformis. Pycnidia and pycnospores are further described forArthonia leptosperma, A. cyanea, A. palmulacea, A. trilocularis, Arthothelium cingulatum, Stirtonia spruceiandS. macrocephala, and campylidia were found on thalli ofArthonia aciniformis. Arthonia nigratulaandCryptothecia candidaare reported for the first time from Costa Rica, and new localities are given for previously reported species. Ecological data are provided, and the relationships between foliicolous members of the Arthoniaceae are discussed.     

FOLIICOLOUS LICHENS FROM MADEIRA,WITH THE DESCRIPTION OF A NEW GENUS AND TWO NEW SPECIES AND A WORLD-WIDE KEY OF FOLIICOLOUSFELLHANERA

A preliminary annotated list of the foliicolous lichens and of their lichenicolous fungi occurring in the laurisilva in Madeira is presented.FellhaneropsisSérus. & Coppins gen. nov. is introduced to accommodateBacidia myrtillicolaErichsen andBacidia vezdaeCoppins & James, both being present in Madeira on living leaves. Two new species are described:Byssoloma kalbiiSérus. sp. nov. andFellhanera seroexspectataSérus. sp. nov. The following combinations are introduced:Fellhanera lambinonii(Sérus.) Lücking & Sérus.,Fellhaneropsis myrtillicola(Erichsen) Sérus. & Coppins,F. vezdae(Coppins & James) Sérus. & Coppins,Woessia apiahica(Müll. Arg.) Sérus.,W. canariensis(Lumbsch & Vězda) Sérus. andW. vasakii(Vězda) Sérus. A key to all foliicolous species ofFellhanerais presented.Bacidia buxiVězda & Vivant andBacidia gorgoneaVězda & Poelt are reduced into synonymy withFellhaneropsis myrtillicola,Tapellaria similisKalb withByssoloma marginatum(Arnold) Sérus., andBacidia michaelianaSérus. withBacidia lambinoniiSérus.     

Three new species of the genus Dactylospora in Spain

Three species of the genus Dactylospora, D. crassa Sarrión & Hafellner,D. mediterranea Sarrión & Hafellner, and D. pseudourceolata Sarrión & Hafellner are described as new from Spain. The morphology, anatomy, and ecology of the three taxa are discussed. A key to the SpanishDactylospora species is provided.     

A NEW LICHENICOLOUS SPECIES OFPOLYDESMIA(LEOTIALES:HYALOSCYPHACEAE)

A new lichenicolous fungus species,Polydesmia lichenisHuhtinen & R. Sant., growing on species ofPeltigerais described from Sweden and Norway.     

A NEW SPECIES OFCATILLARIAFROM COASTAL MEDITERRANEAN REGIONS

A revision of several specimens ofCatillaria mediterraneaHafellner revealed that two species can be recognized:C. mediterraneas. str., which has 8–16 spores per ascus, grows on foliose and fruticose lichens, and has a Mediterranean-Macaronesian, montane distribution, andC. praedictaTretiach & Hafellner sp. nov., which has (16–)24–32(–48) spores per ascus, occurs on shrubs in coastal Mediterranean maquis, and has a Mediterranean, maritime distribution. The systematic affinities of the two species with the 8-sporedC. nigroclavata(Nyl.) Schuler are briefly discussed.     

Pachyteichopora n. g. (Bryoz. Cyclostomata) aus der oberen Kreide

The cyclostome Bryozoan speciesPustulopora verrucosa, described by Roemer 1840, is combined with two other congeneric species within the new genusPachyteichopora (type-speciesP. verrucosa [Roemer]). This new genus characterized by its extremely highly calcified external walls of the erect massive cylindrical and dichotomously branched zoaria possessing maculae. The similarity of its gonozooid to that ofLeiosoecia counts for its provisional attribution to the Fam. Leiosoeciidae Canu & Bassler (1920).P. bugei n. g. n. sp. from the French Coniacian andP. punctata n. g. n. sp. from the Swedish Campanian are described.     

THE LICHEN GENUSBULBOTHRICELLA,A NEW SEGREGATE IN THEPARMELIACEAEFROM VENEZUELA

The new genusBulbothricella(Lichenized Ascomycotina,Parmeliaceae) with the single speciesB. amazonensis(Marcano, Galiz & Morales) Marcano, Galiz, Morales & Mohali is segregated fromBulbothrix. This conclusion is based on an investigation of morphological, anatomical and chemical characters using scanning electron microscopy and thin-layer chromatography. The new genus is characterized by a pored epicortex, 12–14 spores per ascus, obovate and acrogenous conidia, and an anatomical structure and cortical chemistry resembling that ofBulbothrix.     

The trilobiteProtostygina and the composition of the Styginidae, with two new genera

The Styginidae is regarded as an exclusively Ordovician family of trilobites, separate from the Scutelluidae. The hitherto poorly known genusProtostygina Prantl &P?ibyl, 1949 is revised. It is recorded with certainty only from the Llanvirn of the Czech Republic, and the type species is a senior synonym of“Raymondaspis” rubensi rubensi P?ibyl &VANěK, 1968 and“R.” rubensi lybar ?najdr, 1976. Two new styginid genera are proposed:Cyrtocybe, with type species“Raymondaspis” turgida Whittington, 1965, is known from the upper Arenig and lower Llanvirn of Newfoundland, Maine and Norway; andPromargo, with type speciesP.forteyi n. sp., occurs in the Arenig of Newfoundland and Spitsbergen.Turgicephalus Fortey, 1980 is regarded as a junior synonym ofRaymondaspis P?ibyl inPrantl &P?ibyl, 1949. Three genera are excluded from the Styginidae:Kirkdomina Tripp, 1962,Pseudostygina Zhou inZhou et al., 1982 andStyginella P?ibyl &Vaněk, 1971.     

Heterothallism in the basidiomycetous yeast genusSporidiobolus Nyland

The sexual speciesSporidiobolus salmonicolor andSporidiobolus pararoseus spp. nov. are described as heterothallic species in the genusSporidiobolus, a genus consisting of two homothallic species,Sporidiobolus johnsonii andSporidiobolus ruinenii. The four species are compared and a key to the genus is presented. As a taxonomic correctionSporobolomyces pararoseus nom. nud. is reported as a synonym ofSporobolomyces shibatanus.     

Taxonomic studies of Choanephoraceae in India

Summary A taxonomic study of the members of the family Choanephoraceae was undertaken. Almost all the species of the family have been isolated from various sources in India. Two genera, viz.,Blakeslea andChoanephora have been recognized and a key to the genera has been given. The genusBlakeslea includes only one speciesB. trispora and the genusChoanephora five species. A key to the species has also been given. A new variety ofChoanephora circinans, viz.,C. circinans var.prolifera Mehrotra andMehrotra based on the proliferating vesicular apices of the sporangiophores has been described.     

THE GENUSFULGENSIAA. MASSAL. & De NOT., A DIVERSE GROUP IN THE TELOSCHISTACEAE

The morphology and the anatomy of the 13 species presently included in the genusFulgensiawere surveyed.Caloplaca aureaandC. paulii, two species regarded as closely related toFulgensiaby earlier authors, were also included in the study.Fulgensiawas found to exhibit a great variation in both morphology and anatomy. The differences in size, shape and septation of the spores, in the anatomy of cortex and exciple, and in the gross morphology, will presumably motivate a different taxonomic treatment in the future. A tentative separation of the species into four different groups is proposed here. Group A comprisesF. australisandF. chanousiae, which appear close to species inCaloplacasect.Gasparrinia.Groups B and C, each comprises one species,F. schistidiiandF. canariensisrespectively and group D comprises the remaining nine species, including the type speciesF. fulgens. The last group may be further split by a more detailed investigation. The present separation ofFulgensiainto two subgenera cannot be regarded as taxonomically sound. The genus is probably polyphyletic and the different groups are probably related to different groups within the large genusCaloplaca.     

Phylogenetic relationships ofCryptococcus neoformans and some related basidiomycetous yeasts determined from partial large subunit rRNA sequences

The genusCryptococcus was found to be heterogeneous on the basis of partial rRNA sequences. The human-pathogenic speciesC. neoformans, comprising 4 serotypes and havingFilobasidiella neoformans andF. bacillispora as teleomorphs, was found at a relatively large distance fromFilobasidium. Serotypes B and C had identical sequences, while in A and D they were different, with D closer to B and C than to A.Filobasidiella depauperata, which lacks a yeast-like anamorph, clustered withF. neoformans.The genusFilobasidium was clearly separated fromFilobasidiella and clustered withC. albidus, C. kuetzingii, C. gastricus, C. lupi, C. vishniaciae, C. bhutanensis, C. aerius, C. terreus andC. ater. The latter may represent the anamorph ofFilobasidium elegans. The organe to red species ofCryptococcus, as well asC. aquaticus andC. yarrowii, were found completely unrelated with these taxa,C. macerans being affiliated toCystofilobasidium capitatum.The genusTrichosporon was found relatively homogeneous; it includesC. humicola, C. curvatus and the filamentous speciesHyalodendron lignicola. Cryptococcus flavus andC. dimennae probably belong to the Tremellales, though distances between these species are large. The positions ofC. laurentii andC. luteolus remains to be determined.     

FELLHANERA VIRIDISOREDIATA,A NEW SOREDIATE SPECIES FROM SHELTERED TREES AND SHRUBS IN WESTERN EUROPE

Fellhanera viridisorediataAptroot, Brand & Spier, a corticolous sorediate species commonly found sterile, is described from fertile material onJuglans glabrain the Netherlands. It was also found with apothecia on, for example, twigs ofVaccinium myrtillus,Lonicera, and other trees. It seems to be common and rapidly spreading in sheltered habitats in Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands, also occasionally on wood, roofs, granite and brick. It is close to otherFellhaneraspecies, especiallyF. seroexpectataandF. viridis, but it differs in the paler soredia, smaller, 1-septate and constricted ascospores and the presence of roccellic acid.