Taxonomic and phylogenetic contributions to fungi associated with the invasive weed Chromolaena odorata (Siam weed)

Diversity and Seasonal Dynamics of Airborne Fungi in Nerja Cave, Spain

Nerja Cave, Southern Spain, was revealed as an important biodiversity reservoir from which several novel species of Aspergillus were described. We carried out an aerobiological study in Nerja Cave to assess the origin of airborne fungi. This study quantified the fungi present in the air of ten representative halls covering the three sectors comprising the cave: Touristic Galleries, High Galleries, and New Galleries. Microclimatological monitoring allowed us to understand the dynamic of airborne fungi in two seasons of the year (winter and summer), corresponding to the strongest and the lowest cave ventilation, and to validate the influence that the transport of airborne fungi from outside may have on the cave itself. The data show that cold air enters in winter, as confirmed by the abundant presence of Aspergillus and Penicillium spores inside and outside the cave. In summer, the abundance of some fungi in the air of Nerja Cave, which are not detected outside, indicates a stagnation or low ventilation, and therefore, the concentration of fungal spores is maxima. The high occurrence of Cladosporium outside the cave and the scarce abundance inside support the cave stagnation in this season.

Multigene Phylogeny Reveals Haploanthostomella elaeidis gen. et sp. nov. and Familial Replacement of Endocalyx (Xylariales, Sordariomycetes, Ascomycota)

During our investigation of palm fungi in Thailand, two interesting taxa from Elaeis guineensis and Metroxylon sagu (Arecaceae) were collected. Based on phylogenetic analyses of a combined dataset of ITS, LSU, rpb2, and tub2 nucleotide sequences as well as unique morphological characteristics, we introduce the new genus Haploanthostomella within Xylariales, and a new species Endocalyx metroxyli. Additionally, in our study, the genus Endocalyx is transferred to the family Cainiaceae based on its brown conidia and molecular phylogenetic evidence.

The Plant Family Asteraceae Is a Cache for Novel Fungal Diversity: Novel Species and Genera With Remarkable Ascospores in Leptosphaeriaceae

In a cursory survey of fungi on Asteraceae in Yunnan Province, China, we report fungal species belonging to the family Leptosphaeriaceae (Pleosporales, Dothideomycetes). Two novel species have remarkable ascospores that are unusual for sexual ascomycetes. Multilocus phylogeny of large subunit, small subunit, and internal transcribed spacer sequence data showed one to be a novel genus, while the other is a new species. Praeclarispora artemisiae gen. et sp. nov. is introduced and is typical of Leptosphaeriaceae, but has unusual fusiform, versicolor ascospores with a brown median cell. Sphaerellopsis artemisiae sp. nov. has scolecosporous ascospores with deeply constricted septa that split into two parts, which resembles S. isthmospora but differs by ascospore dimension and molecular data. In addition, Plenodomus artemisiae is reported as a new collection from dead stems of Artemisia argyi in Qujing City. Plenodomus sinensis is reported as a new host record from Ageratina adenophora. All taxa are illustrated and described based on evidence of taxonomy and phylogeny.

New Coelomycetous Fungi from Freshwater in Spain

Coelomycetous fungi are ubiquitous in soil, sewage, and sea- and freshwater environments. However, freshwater coelomycetous fungi have been very rarely reported in the literature. Knowledge of coelomycetous fungi in freshwater habitats in Spain is poor. The incubation of plant debris, from freshwater in various places in Spain into wet chambers, allowed us to detect and isolate in pure culture several pycnidia-producing fungi. Fungal strains were phenotypically characterized, and a phylogenetic study was carried out based on the analysis of concatenated nucleotide sequences of the D1–D2 domains of the 28S nrRNA gene (LSU), the internal transcribed spacer region (ITS) of the nrDNA, and fragments of the RNA polymerase II subunit 2 (rpb2) and beta tubulin (tub2) genes. As a result of these, we report the finding of two novel species of Neocucurbitaria, three of Neopyrenochaeta, and one of Pyrenochaetopsis. Based on the phylogenetic study, we also transferred Neocucurbitaria prunicola to the genus Allocucurbitaria. This work makes an important contribution to the knowledge of the mycobiota of plant debris in freshwater habitats.

Introducing a new pleosporalean family Sublophiostomataceae fam. nov. to accommodate Sublophiostoma gen. nov

Collections of microfungi on bamboo and grasses in Thailand revealed an interesting species morphologically resembling Lophiostoma, but which can be distinguished from the latter based on multi-locus phylogeny. In this paper, a new genus, Sublophiostoma is introduced to accommodate the taxon, S. thailandica sp. nov. Phylogenetic analyses using combined ITS, LSU, RPB2, SSU, and TEF sequences demonstrate that six strains of the new species form a distinct clade within Pleosporales, but cannot be assigned to any existing family. Therefore, a new family Sublophiostomataceae (Pleosporales) is introduced to accommodate the new genus. The sexual morph of Sublophiostomataceae is characterized by subglobose to hemisphaerical, ostiolate ascomata, with crest-like openings, a peridium with cells of textura angularis to textura epidermoidea, cylindric-clavate asci with a bulbous or foot-like narrow pedicel and a well-developed ocular chamber, and hyaline, fusiform, 1-septate ascospores surrounded by a large mucilaginous sheath. The asexual morph (coelomycetous) of the species are observed on culture media.

Stachybotrys musae sp. nov., S. microsporus, and Memnoniella levispora (Stachybotryaceae, Hypocreales) Found on Bananas in China and Thailand

A study was conducted to investigate saprobic fungal niches of Stachybotryaceae (Hypocreales) associated with leaves of Musa (banana) in China and Thailand. Three hyphomycetous taxa were collected during the dry season of 2018 and 2019. After a careful phenotypic characterization (both macro- and microscopically) and a phylogenetic tree reconstruction using a concatenated sequence dataset of internal transcribed spacer (ITS), calmodulin (cmdA), RNA polymerase II second largest subunit (rpb2), β-tubulin (tub2), and the translation elongation factor 1-alpha (tef1) gene regions, we report three species of Stachybotryaceae. Stachybotrys musae is introduced as a novel taxon from Yunnan, China, while S.microsporus is reported from Chiang Rai Province in Thailand on Musa. In addition, Memnoniella levispora is also reported from China for the first time.

Additions to the Genus Arthrinium (Apiosporaceae) From Bamboos in China

Arthrinium has a widespread distribution occurring in various substrates (e.g., air, soil debris, plants, lichens, marine algae and even human tissues). It is characterized by the basauxic conidiogenesis in the asexual morph, with apiospores in the sexual morph. In this study, seventeen isolates of Arthrinium were collected in China. Based on their morphology and phylogenetic characterization, four new species (A. biseriale, A. cyclobalanopsidis, A. gelatinosum, and A. septatum) are described and seven known species (A. arundinis, A. garethjonesii, A. guizhouense, A. hydei, A. neosubglobosa, A. phyllostachium and A. psedoparenchymaticum) are identified, of which the sexual morph of three species (A. guizhouense, A. phyllostachium and A. psedoparenchymaticum) and asexual morph of A. garethjonesii are reported for the first time. The detailed descriptions, illustrations and comparisons with related taxa of these new collections are provided. Phylogenetic analyses of combined ITS, LSU, TUB2, and TEF sequence data support their placements in the genus Arthrinium and justify the new species establishments and identifications of known species.

Insight into the Systematics of Microfungi Colonizing Dead Woody Twigs of Dodonaea viscosa in Honghe (China)

Members of Dodonaea are broadly distributed across subtropical and tropical areas of southwest and southern China. This host provides multiple substrates that can be richly colonized by numerous undescribed fungal species. There is a severe lack of microfungal studies on Dodonaea in China, and consequently, the diversity, phylogeny and taxonomy of these microorganisms are all largely unknown. This paper presents two new genera and four new species in three orders of Dothideomycetes gathered from dead twigs of Dodonaea viscosa in Honghe, China. All new collections were made within a selected area in Honghe from a single Dodonaea sp. This suggests high fungal diversity in the region and the existence of numerous species awaiting discovery. Multiple gene sequences (non-translated loci and protein-coding regions) were analysed with maximum likelihood and Bayesian analyses. Results from the phylogenetic analyses supported placing Haniomyces dodonaeae gen. et sp. in the Teratosphaeriaceae family. Analysis of Rhytidhysteron sequences resulted in Rhytidhysteron hongheense sp. nov., while analysed Lophiostomataceae sequences revealed Lophiomurispora hongheensis gen. et sp. nov. Finally, phylogeny based on a combined dataset of pyrenochaeta-like sequences demonstrates strong statistical support for placing Quixadomyceshongheensis sp. nov. in Parapyrenochaetaceae. Morphological and updated phylogenetic circumscriptions of the new discoveries are also discussed.

Morphology Characterization, Molecular Phylogeny, and Pathogenicity of Diaporthe passifloricola on Citrus reticulata cv. Nanfengmiju in Jiangxi Province, China

The Nanfengmiju (Citrus reticulata cv. Nanfengmiju), a high-quality local variety of mandarin, is one of the major fruit crops in Jiangxi Province, China. Citrus melanose and stem-end rot, two common fungal diseases of Nanfengmiju, are both caused by Diaporthe spp. (syn. Phomopsis spp.). Identification of the Diaporthe species is essential for epidemiological studies, quarantine measures, and management of diseases caused by these fungi. Melanose disease was observed on Nanfengmiju fruit in Jiangxi Province of China in 2016. Based on morphological characterization and multi-locus phylogenetic analyses, three out of 39 isolates from diseased samples were identified as D. passifloricola. Since these three isolates did not cause melanose on citrus fruit in the pathogenicity tests, they were presumed to be endophytic fungi present in the diseased tissues. However, our results indicate that D. passifloricola may persist as a symptom-less endophyte in the peel of citrus fruit, yet it may cause stem-end if it invades the stem end during fruit storage. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of D. passifloricola as the causal agent of the stem-end rot disease in Citrus reticulata cv. Nanfengmiju.

Freshwater Dothideomycetes

Freshwater Dothideomycetes are a highly diverse group of fungi, which are mostly saprobic in freshwater habitats worldwide. They are important decomposers of submerged woody debris and leaves in water. In this paper, we outline the genera of freshwater Dothideomycetes with notes and keys to species. Based on multigene analyses and morphology, we introduce nine new genera, viz. Aquimassariosphaeria, Aquatospora, Aquihelicascus, Fusiformiseptata, Neohelicascus, Neojahnula, Pseudojahnula, Purpureofaciens, Submersispora; 33 new species, viz. Acrocalymma bipolare, Aquimassariosphaeria kunmingensis, Aquatospora cylindrica, Aquihelicascus songkhlaensis, A. yunnanensis, Ascagilis submersa, A. thailandensis, Bambusicola aquatica, Caryospora submersa, Dictyocheirospora thailandica, Fusiformiseptata crocea, Helicosporium thailandense, Hongkongmyces aquaticus, Lentistoma aquaticum, Lentithecium kunmingense, Lindgomyces aquaticus, Longipedicellata aquatica, Neohelicascus submersus, Neohelicomyces dehongensis, N. thailandicus, Neohelicosporium submersum, Nigrograna aquatica, Occultibambusa kunmingensis, Parabambusicola aquatica, Pseudoasteromassaria aquatica, Pseudoastrosphaeriella aquatica, Pseudoxylomyces aquaticus, Purpureofaciens aquatica, Roussoella aquatica, Shrungabeeja aquatica, Submersispora variabilis, Tetraploa puzheheiensis, T. yunnanensis; 16 new combinations, viz. Aquimassariosphaeria typhicola, Aquihelicascus thalassioideus, Ascagilis guttulaspora, A. queenslandica, A. seychellensis, A. sunyatsenii, Ernakulamia xishuangbannaensis, Neohelicascus aquaticus, N. chiangraiensis, N. egyptiacus, N. elaterascus, N. gallicus, N. unilocularis, N. uniseptatus, Neojahnula australiensis, Pseudojahnula potamophila; 17 new geographical and habitat records, viz. Aliquandostipite khaoyaiensis, Aquastroma magniostiolata, Caryospora aquatica, C. quercus, Dendryphiella vinosa, Ernakulamia cochinensis, Fissuroma neoaggregatum, Helicotruncatum palmigenum, Jahnula rostrata, Neoroussoella bambusae, N. leucaenae, Occultibambusa pustula, Paramonodictys solitarius, Pleopunctum pseudoellipsoideum, Pseudocapulatispora longiappendiculata, Seriascoma didymosporum, Shrungabeeja vadirajensis and ten new collections from China and Thailand, viz. Amniculicola guttulata, Aquaphila albicans, Berkleasmium latisporum, Clohesyomyces aquaticus, Dictyocheirospora rotunda, Flabellascoma fusiforme, Pseudoastrosphaeriella bambusae, Pseudoxylomyces elegans, Tubeufia aquatica and T. cylindrothecia. Dendryphiella phitsanulokensis and Tubeufia roseohelicospora are synonymized with D. vinosa and T. tectonae, respectively. Six orders, 43 families and 145 genera which belong to freshwater Dothideomycetes are reviewed. Of these, 46 genera occur exclusively in freshwater habitats. A world map illustrates the distribution of freshwater Dothideomycetes.

Refined families of Dothideomycetes: orders and families incertae sedis in Dothideomycetes

Numerous new taxa and classifications of Dothideomycetes have been published following the last monograph of families of Dothideomycetes in 2013. A recent publication by Honsanan et al. in 2020 expanded information of families in Dothideomycetidae and Pleosporomycetidae with modern classifications. In this paper, we provide a refined updated document on orders and families incertae sedis of Dothideomycetes. Each family is provided with an updated description, notes, including figures to represent the morphology, a list of accepted genera, and economic and ecological significances. We also provide phylogenetic trees for each order. In this study, 31 orders which consist 50 families are assigned as orders incertae sedis in Dothideomycetes, and 41 families are treated as families incertae sedis due to lack of molecular or morphological evidence. The new order, Catinellales, and four new families, Catinellaceae, Morenoinaceae Neobuelliellaceae and Thyrinulaceae are introduced. Seven genera (Neobuelliella, Pseudomicrothyrium, Flagellostrigula, Swinscowia, Macroconstrictolumina, Pseudobogoriella, and Schummia) are introduced. Seven new species (Acrospermum urticae, Bogoriella complexoluminata, Dothiorella ostryae, Dyfrolomyces distoseptatus, Macroconstrictolumina megalateralis, Patellaria microspora, and Pseudomicrothyrium thailandicum) are introduced base on morphology and phylogeny, together with two new records/reports and five new collections from different families. Ninety new combinations are also provided in this paper.

Arthrinium bambusicola (Fungi, Sordariomycetes), a new species from Schizostachyum brachycladum in northern Thailand

BACKGROUND

Species of the fungal genus Arthrinium (Sordariomycetes, Amphisphaeriales, Apiosporaceae) are often found on bamboo in Asia. They are endophytes, saprobes and important plant pathogens. The genus Arthrinium currently contains 92 species and is widely distributed in North and South America, Europe, Africa, Asia and Oceania.

NEW INFORMATION

In this study, a new species, Arthrinium bambusicola sp. nov., is described and illustrated. The new taxon is characterised by oval to broadly or irregularly round, medium brown, multi-guttulate to roughened, granular conidia, with finely pale slits in the outer edges. Arthrinium bambusicola can be distinguished from the closest related species A. gutiae by its conidial characteristics. Phylogenetic analyses of a four-locus dataset (ITS, LSU, TEF1, TUB2) confirm that A. bambusicola is a distinct new species.

Additions to Phaeosphaeriaceae (Pleosporales): Elongaticollum gen. nov., Ophiosphaerella taiwanensis sp. nov., Phaeosphaeriopsis beaucarneae sp. nov. and a new host record of Neosetophoma poaceicola from Musaceae

A novel ascomycetous genus, Elongaticollum, occurring on leaf litter of Hedychium coronarium (Zingiberaceae) in Taiwan, is described and illustrated. Elongaticollum is characterized by dark brown to black, superficial, obpyriform, pycnidial conidiomata with a distinct elongate neck, and oval to oblong, hyaline, aseptate conidia. Phylogenetic analyses (maximum likelihood, maximum parsimony and Bayesian) of combined ITS, LSU, SSU and tef1-α sequence data revealed Elongaticollum as a distinct genus within the family Phaeosphaeriaceae with high statistical support. In addition, Ophiosphaerella taiwanensis and Phaeosphaeriopsis beaucarneae are described as new species from dead leaves of Agave tequilana and Beaucarnea recurvata (Asparagaceae), respectively. Neosetophoma poaceicola is reported as a new host record from dead leaves of Musa acuminata (Musaceae). Newly described taxa are compared with other similar species and comprehensive descriptions and micrographs are provided.