Clavicipitaceous entomopathogens: new species in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Metarhizium</Emphasis> and a new genus <Emphasis Type="Italic">Nigelia</Emphasis>

In several surveys in the tropical forests in Thailand, specimens that looked morphologically similar to Metarhizium martiale and Cordyceps variegata, as well as other Metarhizium species were collected and cultured in vitro. A combined phylogeny of several genes including the small (18S) and large (28S) subunits of the ribosomal DNA, elongation factor 1-α (TEF), RNA polymerase II subunits 1 and 2 (RPB1, RPB2) genes has shown these to be new taxa in the Clavicipitaceae. Nigelia is described as a new genus closely related to Metarhizium, to the scale insect pathogens Aschersonia (Hypocrella), Samuelsia and Moelleriella, and to plant pathogens in Claviceps and Balansia, and other relatives. Nigelia comprises M. martiale and a new species Nigelia aurantiaca, which has been found infecting lepidopteran larvae and which produces pseudoimmersed, obliquely arranged, obpyriform perithecia with curved or bent ostioles and with whole (non-separating) cylindric ascospores. Metarhizium chaiyaphumense, M. kalasinense, M. prachinense, M. samlanense, and M. takense are described as new species of Metarhizium. Metarhizium martiale is transferred to Nigelia, and Paecilomyces reniformis is transferred to Metarhizium.     

Phylogenetic analysis of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Plectosphaerella</Emphasis> species based on multi-locus DNA sequences and description of <Emphasis Type="Italic">P. sinensis</Emphasis> sp. nov.

Species in Plectosphaerella are well known as pathogens of several plant species causing fruit, root and collar rot and collapse. In an investigation of endophytic fungi associated with cucurbit plants in China, we isolated 77 strains belonging to the genus Plectosphaerella. To identify the isolated strains, we collected the type or reference strains of all currently accepted species in Plectosphaerella except P. oratosquillae and conducted a phylogenetic analysis. Phylogenetic analysis of the partial 28S rDNA sequences showed that all species in Plectosphaerella were located in one clade of Plectosphaerellaceae. Based on multi-locus phylogenetic analysis of the ITS, CaM, EF1, TUB and morphological characteristics, all species in Plectosphaerella were well separated. Three endophytic strains from stems of Cucurbita moschata, Citrullus lanatus and Cucumis melo from North China were assigned to a new species described as P. sinensis in this paper. The new species differs morphologically from other Plectosphaerella species by irregular chlamydospores, and the dimensions of phialides and conidia. The other endophytic strains from several cucurbit plants were identified as P. cucumerina.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Parasitaxus</Emphasis> parasitized: novel infestation of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Parasitaxus usta</Emphasis> (Podocarpaceae)

The world’s sole ‘parasitic’ gymnosperm Parasitaxus usta (Podocarpaceae) is endemic to the island of Grande Terre, New Caledonia. It is a threatened species because of its limited geographic range and progressing habitat fragmentation. Here, we report a novel scale insect outbreak on a Parasitaxus sub-population from Monts Dzumac in the southern part of Grande Terre. The identity of the scale insect was determined through combining morphological and molecular methods. The field collection of scale insects and their secretions from infested Parasitaxus specimens allowed morphological identification of the superfamily Coccoidea. Subsequent genetic sequencing using CO1 markers allowed phylogenetic placement of the wax scale insects to the genus Ceroplastes (Coccoidea, Coccidae), a widespread pest genus. The identified species, C. pseudoceriferus, has not been previously recorded from New Caledonia. As Parasitaxus is already vulnerable to extinction, this new threat to its long-term survival needs to be monitored. Other New Caledonian endemic plant species are potentially at risk of this new species, although it was not observed on Falcatifolium taxoides, the host of Parasitaxus.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Talaromyces heiheensis</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">T. mangshanicus</Emphasis>, two new species from China

Two new species, Talaromyces heiheensis from rotten wood and T. mangshanicus isolated from soil, are illustrated and described as new to science in sections Trachyspermi and Talaromyces. The phylogenetic positions of the two new species inferred from the internal transcribed spacer, beta-tubulin, calmodulin and RNA polymerase II second largest subunit regions were carried out. Talaromyces heiheensis is phylogenetically closely related to T. albobiverticillius, T. rubrifaciens, T. solicola and T. erythromellis, and characterised by slow growth on Czapek yeast autolysate agar at 25 °C, orange conidia en masse on malt extract agar at 25 °C, biverticillate and terverticillate conidiophores, acerose phialides and subglobose to ellipsoidal, smooth-walled conidia. Talaromyces mangshanicus is related to T. kendrickii, T. qii and T. thailandensis, and characterised by slow-growing colonies with absent or sparse sporulation on CYA agar at 25 °C, conidia en masse greyish purple, purplish red soluble pigment on yeast extract agar (YES) at 25 °C, biverticillate conidiophores, ampulliform phialides and subglobose to ellipsoidal conidia with echinulate walls. They are distinguished from the known species in culture characteristics on four standard media, microscopic features and sequence data.     

Predation of diaspidid scale insects on kiwifruit vines by European earwigs, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Forficula auricularia</Emphasis>, and steel-blue ladybirds, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Halmus chalybeus</Emphasis>

Significant predation of diaspidid scale insects occurs in unsprayed kiwifruit crops. Two predators, Forficula auricularia L. (Dermaptera: Forficulidae) and Halmus chalybeus (Boisduval) (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) are likely to be important. Most F. auricularia were found as late instars or adults in the canopy of kiwifruit vines in late spring and early summer. Adults of H. chalybeus were present throughout the year but at lower densities on kiwifruit vines than on other host plants. In the field predation of scale insects occurred mainly at night and preferentially on late-instar scale insects consistent with the feeding behaviour of F. auricularia, not H.chalybeus. The latter mainly fed on early instar insects during the day. Numbers of scale insect crawlers were not correlated with numbers of F. auricularia or of H. chalybeus in kiwifruit vine canopies.     

Disentangling <Emphasis Type="Italic">Phialophora</Emphasis> section <Emphasis Type="Italic">Catenulatae</Emphasis>: disposition of taxa with pigmented conidiophores and recognition of a new subclass,Sclerococcomycetidae (Eurotiomycetes)

A new genus Rhopalophora is described for Phialophora clavispora, a lignicolous species formerly placed in Phialophora section Catenulatae that possesses pigmented conidiophores, phialides with a single conidiogenous locus that occasionally appear as schizophialides, and clavate, aseptate conidia arranged in chains or sometimes in heads. Sexual morphs are not known for this taxon. Phylogenetic analysis of DNA sequences from five loci (nucSSU, ITS, nucLSU, mitSSU, rpb1 and rpb2) of this and related fungi supports the introduction of a new family, Sclerococcaceae, for which we establish the order Sclerococcales. This order belongs to the new subclass Sclerococcomycetidae, a strongly supported clade within the Eurotiomycetes that is basal to a lineage containing the Chaetothyriomycetidae, Coryneliomycetidae and Eurotiomycetidae. Rhopalophora clavispora fits in this new family and is closely related to an isolate of Fusichalara minuta. The Sclerococcales also encompass marine, lignicolous species of Dactylospora, two species of the lichenicolous genus Sclerococcum, and a lineage comprised of strains from the digestive tracts of Neotropical wood-inhabiting beetles. We confirm that Dactylospora is polyphyletic; the phylogenetic placement of D. parasitica, the generic type, remains unknown.     

Taxonomy and multi-gene phylogeny of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Haploporus</Emphasis> (Polyporales,Basidiomycota)

Taxonomic and phylogenetic studies of Haploporus were carried out. Three species in Haploporus, H. cylindrosporus, H. septatus and H. subpapyraceus, are described as new based on morphological differences and molecular phylogenetic analyses inferred from the internal transcribed spacer (ITS), the large subunit nuclear ribosomal RNA gene (nLSU), the small subunit mitochondrial rRNA gene (mtSSU), the second subunit of RNA polymerase II (rpb2) and the translation elongation factor 1-α gene (TEF1) sequences. Haploporus cylindrosporus is characterized by big irregular crystals occasionally present in the subiculum, an abundant oily substance among hyphae and typically cylindrical basidiospores 10–11.5?×?4.5–5 μm; H. septatus differs from other species in the genus by its leathery to corky basidiomata when dry, small round pores (5–6 per mm), simple septate skeletal hyphae at the edge of the dissepiments, and oblong to ellipsoid basidiospores 8.5–11?×?5–6 μm; H. subpapyraceus is separated by white to cream basidiomata, numerous apically simple septate cystidioles and ellipsoid basidiospores 9–12?×?5.5–8 μm. An identification key to accepted species of Haploporus is provided.     

New acremonium-like species in the Bionectriaceae and Plectosphaerellaceae

Several molecular studies have demonstrated that species traditionally assigned to the form genus Acremonium are polyphyletic, while Acremonium sensu stricto is a central element of the family Bionectriaceae (Hypocreales). Based on phenotypic characters and molecular phylogenetic analyses, two new Acremonium species, A. moniliforme and A. dimorphosporum, are described. The former is related to Emericellopsis and is characterised by cylindrical conidia, acicular phialides and abundantly formed moniliform hyphae. Acremonium dimorphosporum resembles A. borodinense. It produces dimorphic conidia that are either cylindrical and smooth-walled or ellipsoidal and rough-walled. The new genus Brunneomyces is proposed based on three species, including B. brunnescens (formerly A. brunnescens), B. europaeus and B. hominis. They are characterised by brown hyphae, sympodial conidiophores and chains of ovoidal to ellipsoidal conidia. Chordomyces albus sp. nov. is characterized by its light-coloured colonies, simple or branched conidiophores, phialides with percurrent proliferations and cylindrical collarettes, and ellipsoidal to cylindrical conidia. The combined analysis of the LSU, ITS, RPB2 and TEF1-α loci supports the inclusion of B. brunnescens, B. europaeus, B. hominis and C. albus in Plectosphaerellaceae.     

DNA analysis reveals rich diversity of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Hydnotrya</Emphasis> with emphasis on the species found in China

Molecular analysis of the truffle genus Hydnotrya was conducted with nrDNA-ITS sequences available including newly generated sequences from Chinese specimens. Twenty-one phylotypes were recognized with the threshold of 97% ITS identity. Seven phylotypes corresponded to the described species, H. bailii, H. cerebriformis, H. cubispora, H. laojunshanensis, H. michaelis, H. cf. variiformis, and H. tulasnei, and four phylotypes represented by Chinese specimens were described and illustrated as new species, i.e., H. badia, H. brunneospora, H. nigricans, and H. puberula. The remaining ten phylotypes may represent undescribed species. Moreover, the 21 phylotypes grouped into four distinct clades each having as core species H. cerebriformis, H. cubispora, H. michaelis, and H. tulasnei, respectively, which were strongly supported by phylogenetic analysis and morphological characterization.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Basidiophora delawarensis</Emphasis>, a new downy mildew species infecting cultivated goldenrod (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Solidago sphacelata</Emphasis>) in the USA

Species in the genus Basidiophora (Oomycota, Peronosporales) are pathogens causing downy mildew disease on several closely related plant hosts in the family Asteraceae, including the genera Conyza, Erigeron, Solidago, and Symphyotrichum. Despite their widespread occurrence, little is known about the diversity, biology, and economic impact of downy mildew pathogens of ornamental or wild plants in the Asteraceae. In June 2017, Solidago sphacelata plants of the cultivar ‘Golden Fleece’ were found in the state of Delaware, USA, showing typical symptoms of downy mildew disease. Initial morphological observations indicated the specimen belonged to the genus Basidiophora. Phylogenetic analysis of a sequence matrix of the partial cox2 mitochondrial gene using Bayesian and maximum likelihood methods showed that the Basidiophora isolate from S. sphacelata represents an undescribed species that is here described as B. delawarensis. This new species constitutes the third accepted species in the genus Basidiophora and can be distinguished from other Basidiophora species by differences in size of sporangia and sporangiophores and nucleotide sequence divergence. This new species poses a potential threat to its host, warranting close monitoring and the implementation of disease management programs.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Cortinarius majestaticus</Emphasis> comb. nov.: phylogenetic evidence for the transfer of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Descolea majestatica</Emphasis> to <Emphasis Type="Italic">Cortinarius</Emphasis>

Descolea majestatica is an agaric with features described as intermediate between the genera Descolea Singer and Rozites P. Karst. (≡ Cortinarius). Molecular phylogenetic analysis of nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacer (ITS), large ribosomal subunit (LSU) and RNA polymerase second largest subunit (RPB2) sequences indicates that D. majestatica is nested within the genus Cortinarius, with its closest relative a sequestrate Cortinarius species from Argentina. Taxonomic recombination is made to restore the monophyly of Cortinarius and Descolea.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Thyridariella</Emphasis>, a novel marine fungal genus from India: morphological characterization and phylogeny inferred from multigene DNA sequence analyses

A novel saprobic fungal genus, Thyridariella (Thyridariaceae), is herein described to include Thyridariella mangrovei, the type species and T. mahakoshae spp. nov. Both species were collected as saprobes on decaying wood of Avicennia marina, a common mangrove species found near Kaveri River Delta, Tamil Nadu, on the east coast of India. Thyridariella is diagnosed by having an exclusive combination of characters, such as ascomata with ostiolar necks thickened laterally, hyaline, and centrally constricted muriform ascospores with a single longitudinal septum in each segment and surrounded by a mucilaginous sheath. These characters demarcate these taxa from morphologically similar genera such as Halojulella and Julella. In addition, the new genus also differs from Parathyridaria and Thyridaria in having hyaline, muriform ascospores with distinct mucilaginous sheaths. The monophyly of Thyridariella is well supported in the phylogenetic analysis based on a concatenated dataset from two proteins and three nuclear gene regions. The phylogeny also depicts a sister group relationship of our new genus to Parathyridaria and Thyridaria and hence confirms its position within Thyridariaceae.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Phialemoniopsis endophytica</Emphasis> sp. nov., a new species of endophytic fungi from <Emphasis Type="Italic">Luffa cylindrica</Emphasis> in Henan,China

During a survey of endophytic fungi in the cucurbit plants collected from Henan, China, a new species, Phialemoniopsis endophytica was isolated from the lower stem of Luffa cylindrica. It differs from other Phialemoniopsis species by its cylindrical to flask-shaped phialides, falcate conidia with blunt ends, ostiolate pycnidium-like conidiomata without marginal setae and ellipsoidal chlamydospores. Multi-locus (ITS, LSU, ACT, and TUB) phylogenetic analysis confirmed that P. endophytica is distinct from other species. A synopsis of the morphological characters of the new species is provided.     

Polyphasic characterisation of three novel species of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Paraboeremia</Emphasis>

Paraboeremia was recently introduced for a distinct lineage in the family Didymellaceae. Currently, three species are included, i.e. P. adianticola, P. putaminum and P. selaginellae, all of which are plant pathogens. Paraboeremia is morphologically similar to Phoma but phylogenetically distinct. In this paper, three new species, i.e. Paraboeremia camelliae isolated from Camellia sp., P. litseae from Litsea sp., and P. oligotrophica from cave limestone, are described, illustrated and compared with closely related taxa. Phylogenetic analysis based on the multi-locus sequences of the internal transcribed spacer regions 1 and 2 and 5.8S nuclear ribosomal RNA gene (ITS), partial large subunit 28S nrDNA region (LSU), partial β-tubulin (TUB2) gene and RNA polymerase II (RPB2) gene regions confirmed the distinction of these species in Paraboeremia. These three new species were discovered from habitats and hosts that are previously unknown from this genus.     

Novel <Emphasis Type="Italic">Collophorina</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Coniochaeta</Emphasis> species from <Emphasis Type="Italic">Euphorbia polycaulis</Emphasis>, an endemic plant in Iran

During a study on the biodiversity of yeasts and yeast-like ascomycetes from wild plants in Iran, four strains of yeast-like filamentous fungi were isolated from a healthy plant of Euphorbia polycaulis in the Qom Province, Iran (IR. of). All four strains formed small hyaline one-celled conidia from integrated conidiogenous cells directly on hyphae and sometimes on discrete phialides, as well as by microcyclic conidiation. Two strains additionally produced conidia in conidiomata that open by rupture. The internal transcribed spacer (ITS) sequences suggested the placement of these strains in the genera Collophorina (Leotiomycetes) and Coniochaeta (Sordariomycetes), respectively. Blast search results on NCBI GenBank and phylogenetic analyses of ITS, the glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) and the translation elongation factor 1α (EF-1α) sequences, and the nuclear large subunit ribosomal gene (LSU), partial actin (ACT), and β-tubulin (TUB) sequences, respectively, revealed the isolates to belong to three new species, that are described here as Collophorina euphorbiae, Coniochaeta iranica, and C. euphorbiae. All three species are characterised by morphological, physiological, and molecular data.     

Species diversity of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Pseudocercospora</Emphasis> from Far East Asia

This study reflects on the monophyly of, and species diversity within, the genus Pseudocercospora in Far East Asia. Morphological characteristics and phylogenetic analyses of Pseudocercospora species were based on type specimens and ex-type cultures, which were collected from Japan and Taiwan. A phylogenetic tree was generated from multi-locus DNA sequence data of the internal transcribed spacer regions of the nrDNA cistron (ITS), partial actin (actA), and partial translation elongation factor 1-alpha (tef1), as well as the partial DNA-directed RNA polymerase II second largest subunit (rpb2). Based on these results, Pseudocercospora amelanchieris on Amelanchier and Ps. iwakiensis on Ilex were newly described from Japan, and a further 22 types (incl. two neo-, five lecto-, and 15 epitypes), were designated. The genus Pseudocercospora as presently circumscribed was found to be monophyletic, while the secondary barcodes, actA, tef1, and rpb2 were shown to be well suited to delimitate species within the genus.     

Revision of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Protohydnum</Emphasis> (Auriculariales,Basidiomycota)

Three species currently addressed to Protohydnum (Auriculariales) are studied with morphological and DNA methods. The genus Protohydnum is retained for the type species only, P. cartilagineum, recently re-collected in Brazil. The European species, P. piceicola, is not congeneric with P. cartilagineum and, therefore, placed in its own genus, Hyalodon, gen. nov. Another Hyalodon species, H. antui, is described from East Asia. The third member of Protohydnum sensu lato, P. sclerodontium from South-East Asia, is transferred to Elmerina.     

Revision of the taxonomic status of the genus <Emphasis Type="Italic">Gloeoporus</Emphasis> (Polyporales,Basidiomycota) reveals two new species

Gloeoporus Mont. is characterized by an easily separated gelatinous hymenophore and a continuous hymenium over the pore mouth. Recent molecular taxonomic and phylogenetic research showed that morphological grouping of Gloeoporus is polyphyletic. The lack of comprehensive phylogenetic studies of Gloeoporus exacerbates confusion in determining the taxonomic position of the genus. To delimit the genus Gloeoporus, we performed multi-locus phylogenetic analysis using the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region, the nuclear large subunit ribosomal DNA (LSU), and the second-largest subunit of RNA polymerase II (rpb2). The phylogenetic analyses revealed that current delimitation of Gloeoporus is not monophyletic. Gloeoporus s.s. includes mostly clamped species lacking cystidia. Some species of Gloeoporus featuring simple septa and cystidia are proposed to be renamed to Meruliopsis. Two new species of Gloeoporus were also observed and they are named Gloeoporus africanus and Gloeoporus orientalis.     

Taxonomic revisions in the Microstromatales: two new yeast species,two new genera,and validation of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Jaminaea</Emphasis> and two <Emphasis Type="Italic">Sympodiomycopsis</Emphasis> species

Environmental sampling yielded two yeast species belonging to Microstromatales (Exobasidiomycetes, Ustilaginomycotina). The first species was collected from a leaf phylloplane infected by the rust fungus Coleosporium plumeriae, and represents a new species in the genus Jaminaea, for which the name Jaminaea rosea sp. nov. is proposed. The second species was isolated from air on 50% glucose media and is most similar to Microstroma phylloplanum. However, our phylogenetic analyses reveal that species currently placed in Microstroma are not monophyletic, and M. phylloplanum, M. juglandis and M. albiziae are not related to the type species of this genus, M. album. Thus, Pseudomicrostroma gen. nov. is proposed to accommodate the following species: P. glucosiphilum sp. nov., P. phylloplanum comb. nov. and P. juglandis comb. nov. We also propose Parajaminaea gen. nov. to accommodate P. albizii comb. nov. and P. phylloscopi sp. nov. based on phylogenetic analyses that show these are not congeneric with Jaminaea or Microstroma. In addition, we validate the genus Jaminaea, its respective species and two species of Sympodiomycopsis and provide a new combination, Microstroma bacarum comb. nov., for the anamorphic yeast Rhodotorula bacarum. Our results illustrate non-monophyly of Quambalariaceae and Microstromataceae as currently circumscribed. Taxonomy of Microstroma and the Microstromataceae is reviewed and discussed. Finally, analyses of all available small subunit rDNA sequences for Jaminaea species show that J. angkorensis is the only known species that possess a group I intron in this locus, once considered a potential feature indicating the basal placement of this genus in Microstromatales.