Backbone tree for Chaetothyriales with four new species of Minimelanolocus from aquatic habitats

Exploring diversity rock-inhabiting fungi from northern Thailand: a new genus and three new species belonged to the family Herpotrichiellaceae

Members of the family Herpotrichiellaceae are distributed worldwide and can be found in various habitats including on insects, plants, rocks, and in the soil. They are also known to be opportunistic human pathogens. In this study, 12 strains of rock-inhabiting fungi that belong to Herpotrichiellaceae were isolated from rock samples collected from forests located in Lamphun and Sukhothai provinces of northern Thailand during the period from 2021 to 2022. On the basis of the morphological characteristics, growth temperature, and multi-gene phylogenetic analyses of a combination of the internal transcribed spacer, the large subunit, and the small subunit of ribosomal RNA, beta tubulin and the translation elongation factor 1-a genes, the new genus, Petriomyces gen. nov., has been established to accommodate the single species, Pe. obovoidisporus sp. nov. In addition, three new species of Cladophialophora have also been introduced, namely, Cl. rupestricola, Cl. sribuabanensis, and Cl. thailandensis. Descriptions, illustrations, and a phylogenetic trees indicating the placement of these new taxa are provided. Here, we provide updates and discussions on the phylogenetic placement of other fungal genera within Herpotrichiellaceae.

The numbers of fungi: contributions from traditional taxonomic studies and challenges of metabarcoding

The global diversity of fungi has been estimated using several different approaches. There is somewhere between 2–11 million estimated species, but the number of formally described taxa is around 150,000, a tiny fraction of the total. In this paper, we examine 12 ascomycete genera as case studies to establish trends in fungal species descriptions, and introduce new species in each genus. To highlight the importance of traditional morpho-molecular methods in publishing new species, we introduce novel taxa in 12 genera that are considered to have low species discovery. We discuss whether the species are likely to be rare or due to a lack of extensive sampling and classification. The genera are Apiospora, Bambusicola, Beltrania, Capronia, Distoseptispora, Endocalyx, Neocatenulostroma, Neodeightonia, Paraconiothyrium, Peroneutypa, Phaeoacremonium and Vanakripa. We discuss host-specificity in selected genera and compare the number of species epithets in each genus with the number of ITS (barcode) sequences deposited in GenBank and UNITE. We furthermore discuss the relationship between the divergence times of these genera with those of their hosts. We hypothesize whether there might be more species in these genera and discuss hosts and habitats that should be investigated for novel species discovery.

Lignicolous freshwater fungi in Yunnan Province, China: an overview

Yunnan Province is one of the rich biodiversity hotspots with abundant resources of lignicolous freshwater fungi. A total of 281 species of lignicolous freshwater fungi from 1986 to the present in Yunnan Province. They are mostly distributed in the classes Dothideomycetes and Sordariomycetes, a few species in the Eurotiomycetes and Leotiomycetes, and rarely reported in Orbiliomycetes and Pezizomycetes. Lignicolous freshwater fungi can decompose lignocellulose substrates and release energy and nutrients, and thus playing an important role in freshwater environment. This study briefly reviewed the biodiversity and taxonomic status of lignicolous freshwater fungi in Yunnan, the ecological functions of lignicolous freshwater fungi, factors affecting community distribution, application status, and research difficulties.

Fungal diversity notes 1387-1511: taxonomic and phylogenetic contributions on genera and species of fungal taxa

This article is the 13th contribution in the Fungal Diversity Notes series, wherein 125 taxa from four phyla, ten classes, 31 orders, 69 families, 92 genera and three genera incertae sedis are treated, demonstrating worldwide and geographic distribution. Fungal taxa described and illustrated in the present study include three new genera, 69 new species, one new combination, one reference specimen and 51 new records on new hosts and new geographical distributions. Three new genera, Cylindrotorula (Torulaceae), Scolecoleotia (Leotiales genus incertae sedis) and Xenovaginatispora (Lindomycetaceae) are introduced based on distinct phylogenetic lineages and unique morphologies. Newly described species are Aspergillus lannaensis, Cercophora dulciaquae, Cladophialophora aquatica, Coprinellus punjabensis, Cortinarius alutarius, C. mammillatus, C. quercoflocculosus, Coryneum fagi, Cruentomycena uttarakhandina, Cryptocoryneum rosae, Cyathus uniperidiolus, Cylindrotorula indica, Diaporthe chamaeropicola, Didymella azollae, Diplodia alanphillipsii, Dothiora coronicola, Efibula rodriguezarmasiae, Erysiphe salicicola, Fusarium queenslandicum, Geastrum gorgonicum, G. hansagiense, Helicosporium sexualis, Helminthosporium chiangraiensis, Hongkongmyces kokensis, Hydrophilomyces hydraenae, Hygrocybe boertmannii, Hyphoderma australosetigerum, Hyphodontia yunnanensis, Khaleijomyces umikazeana, Laboulbenia divisa, Laboulbenia triarthronis, Laccaria populina, Lactarius pallidozonarius, Lepidosphaeria strobelii, Longipedicellata megafusiformis, Lophiotrema lincangensis, Marasmius benghalensis, M. jinfoshanensis, M. subtropicus, Mariannaea camelliae, Melanographium smilaxii, Microbotryum polycnemoides, Mimeomyces digitatus, Minutisphaera thailandensis, Mortierella solitaria, Mucor harpali, Nigrograna jinghongensis, Odontia huanrenensis, O. parvispina, Paraconiothyrium ajrekarii, Parafuscosporella niloticus, Phaeocytostroma yomensis, Phaeoisaria synnematicus, Phanerochaete hainanensis, Pleopunctum thailandicum, Pleurotheciella dimorphospora, Pseudochaetosphaeronema chiangraiense, Pseudodactylaria albicolonia, Rhexoacrodictys nigrospora, Russula paravioleipes, Scolecoleotia eriocamporesi, Seriascoma honghense, Synandromyces makranczyi, Thyridaria aureobrunnea, Torula lancangjiangensis, Tubeufia longihelicospora, Wicklowia fusiformispora, Xenovaginatispora phichaiensis and Xylaria apiospora. One new combination, Pseudobactrodesmium stilboideus is proposed. A reference specimen of Comoclathris permunda is designated. New host or distribution records are provided for Acrocalymma fici, Aliquandostipite khaoyaiensis, Camarosporidiella laburni, Canalisporium caribense, Chaetoscutula juniperi, Chlorophyllum demangei, C. globosum, C. hortense, Cladophialophora abundans, Dendryphion hydei, Diaporthe foeniculina, D. pseudophoenicicola, D. pyracanthae, Dictyosporium pandanicola, Dyfrolomyces distoseptatus, Ernakulamia tanakae, Eutypa flavovirens, E. lata, Favolus septatus, Fusarium atrovinosum, F. clavum, Helicosporium luteosporum, Hermatomyces nabanheensis, Hermatomyces sphaericoides, Longipedicellata aquatica, Lophiostoma caudata, L. clematidis-vitalbae, Lophiotrema hydei, L. neoarundinaria, Marasmiellus palmivorus, Megacapitula villosa, Micropsalliota globocystis, M. gracilis, Montagnula thailandica, Neohelicosporium irregulare, N. parisporum, Paradictyoarthrinium diffractum, Phaeoisaria aquatica, Poaceascoma taiwanense, Saproamanita manicata, Spegazzinia camelliae, Submersispora variabilis, Thyronectria caudata, T. mackenziei, Tubeufia chiangmaiensis, T. roseohelicospora, Vaginatispora nypae, Wicklowia submersa, Xanthagaricus necopinatus and Xylaria haemorrhoidalis. The data presented herein are based on morphological examination of fresh specimens, coupled with analysis of phylogenetic sequence data to better integrate taxa into appropriate taxonomic ranks and infer their evolutionary relationships.

Veronaeaaquatica sp. nov. (Herpotrichiellaceae, Chaetothyriales, Eurotiomycetes) from submerged bamboo in China

Background

Freshwater fungi are highly diverse and ecologically important in freshwater systems. In China, more than 1000 species of freshwater fungi are known. Here, we present a brown-spored hyphomycetes that was collected on a submerged decaying bamboo culm in a forest stream in China.

New information

Phylogenetic analyses of combined LSU, ITS and TUB2 sequences confirm the placement of our new strain in Veronaea (Herpotrichiellaceae), sister to V.japonica. Veronaeaaquatica sp. nov. differs from related taxa V.compacta and V.japonica in having longer conidiophores and cylindrical to pyriform or subclavate conidia with 0–2 septa. Veronaeaaquatica also has darker brown hyphae compared to V.japonica. A morphological description and detailed illustrations of V.aquatica are provided.

Biodiversity of Lignicolous Freshwater Hyphomycetes from China and Thailand and Description of Sixteen Species

Freshwater hyphomycetes are a highly diverse group of fungi with a worldwide distribution and have been mostly reported from tropical and subtropical regions. During investigations of freshwater fungi from the Greater Mekong subregion in China and Thailand, sixteen freshwater hyphomycetes (three of them belong to the class Dothideomycetes while thirteen belong to the class Sordariomycetes) were collected. Based on morphology and multi-gene phylogenetic analyses, Neospadicoides thailandica, Pseudodactylaria aquatica, Sporidesmium nujiangense, Tetraploa thailandica, Vamsapriyaaquatica and Wongia fusiformis are described as new species; Aquapteridospora bambusinum is proposed as a new combination; Acrodictys liputii, Chloridium gonytrichii, Pseudoberkleasmium chiangmaiense, Pleomonodictys capensis, Sporidesmium aturbinatum and Vamsapriya indica are reported as new country records; and Sporidesmium tropicale, Sporoschisma chiangraiense and Sporoschisma longicatenatum are introduced as three new collections. In addition, a checklist of freshwater fungi from China over the last five years is also provided.

Unambiguous identification of fungi: where do we stand and how accurate and precise is fungal DNA barcoding?

True fungi (Fungi) and fungus-like organisms (e.g. Mycetozoa, Oomycota) constitute the second largest group of organisms based on global richness estimates, with around 3 million predicted species. Compared to plants and animals, fungi have simple body plans with often morphologically and ecologically obscure structures. This poses challenges for accurate and precise identifications. Here we provide a conceptual framework for the identification of fungi, encouraging the approach of integrative (polyphasic) taxonomy for species delimitation, i.e. the combination of genealogy (phylogeny), phenotype (including autecology), and reproductive biology (when feasible). This allows objective evaluation of diagnostic characters, either phenotypic or molecular or both. Verification of identifications is crucial but often neglected. Because of clade-specific evolutionary histories, there is currently no single tool for the identification of fungi, although DNA barcoding using the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) remains a first diagnosis, particularly in metabarcoding studies. Secondary DNA barcodes are increasingly implemented for groups where ITS does not provide sufficient precision. Issues of pairwise sequence similarity-based identifications and OTU clustering are discussed, and multiple sequence alignment-based phylogenetic approaches with subsequent verification are recommended as more accurate alternatives. In metabarcoding approaches, the trade-off between speed and accuracy and precision of molecular identifications must be carefully considered. Intragenomic variation of the ITS and other barcoding markers should be properly documented, as phylotype diversity is not necessarily a proxy of species richness. Important strategies to improve molecular identification of fungi are: (1) broadly document intraspecific and intragenomic variation of barcoding markers; (2) substantially expand sequence repositories, focusing on undersampled clades and missing taxa; (3) improve curation of sequence labels in primary repositories and substantially increase the number of sequences based on verified material; (4) link sequence data to digital information of voucher specimens including imagery. In parallel, technological improvements to genome sequencing offer promising alternatives to DNA barcoding in the future. Despite the prevalence of DNA-based fungal taxonomy, phenotype-based approaches remain an important strategy to catalog the global diversity of fungi and establish initial species hypotheses.

Composition and Diversity of Fungal Decomposers of Submerged Wood in Two Lakes in the Brazilian Amazon State of Pará

Aquatic ecosystems in tropical forests have a high diversity of microorganisms, including fungi, which are important decomposers of submerged wood. Despite the importance of their role in decomposition, research concerning the diversity of freshwater fungi from Brazilian Amazonian environments is scarce. The aim of this work was to describe the composition and diversity of fungi present on submerged wood in two lakes of the Brazilian Amazon (State of Pará). Fragments of decaying wood (30 samples per lake) were collected from the Lakes Juá and Maicá. The wood samples were inspected for 6 months in the presence of fungal reproductive structures. Fungi observed in the wood were identified morphologically. Twenty-three taxa were identified in the Lake Juá (10 sexual and 13 asexual) and 26 taxa in the Lake Maicá (17 sexual, 9 asexual). ITS sequences were obtained for 14 taxa to aid in identification. In the Lakes Juá and Maicá, the diversity indices were H': 2.6514 and H': 2.8174, respectively. The Sørensen index of the fungal communities in the studied lakes was 0.3673. This study is the first to describe the fungal biodiversity of two important aquatic environments in Pará, Brazil.

The Genera of Fungi - G6: Arthrographis, Kramasamuha, Melnikomyces, Thysanorea, and Verruconis

The Genera of Fungi series, of which this is the sixth contribution, links type species of fungal genera to their morphology and DNA sequence data. Five genera of microfungi are treated in this study, with new species introduced in Arthrographis, Melnikomyces, and Verruconis. The genus Thysanorea is emended and two new species and nine combinations are proposed. Kramasamuha sibika, the type species of the genus, is provided with DNA sequence data for first time and shown to be a member of Helminthosphaeriaceae (Sordariomycetes). Aureoconidiella is introduced as a new genus representing a new lineage in the Dothideomycetes.

Freshwater Sordariomycetes

Sordariomycetes is one of the largest classes of Ascomycota that comprises a highly diverse range of fungi mainly characterized by perithecial ascomata and inoperculate unitunicate asci. Freshwater Sordariomycetes play an important role in ecosystems and some of them have the potential to produce bioactive compounds. This study documents and reviews the freshwater Sordariomycetes, which is one of the largest and important groups of fungi in aquatic habitats. Based on evidence from DNA sequence data and morphology, we introduce a new order Distoseptisporales, two new families, viz. Ceratosphaeriaceae and Triadelphiaceae, three new genera, viz. Aquafiliformis, Dematiosporium and Neospadicoides, 47 new species, viz. Acrodictys fluminicola, Aquafiliformis lignicola, Aquapteridospora fusiformis, Arthrinium aquaticum, Ascosacculus fusiformis, Atractospora aquatica, Barbatosphaeria lignicola, Ceratosphaeria aquatica, C. lignicola, Chaetosphaeria aquatica, Ch. catenulata, Ch. guttulata, Ch. submersa, Codinaea yunnanensis, Conioscypha aquatica, C. submersa, Cordana aquatica, C. lignicola, Cosmospora aquatica, Cylindrotrichum submersum, Dematiosporium aquaticum, Dictyochaeta cangshanensis, D. ellipsoidea, D. lignicola, D. submersa, Distoseptispora appendiculata, D. lignicola, D. neorostrata, D. obclavata, Hypoxylon lignicola, Lepteutypa aquatica, Myrmecridium aquaticum, Neospadicoides aquatica, N. lignicola, N. yunnanensis, Ophioceras submersum, Peroneutypa lignicola, Phaeoisaria filiformis, Pseudostanjehughesia lignicola, Rhodoveronaea aquatica, Seiridium aquaticum, Sporidesmiella aquatica, Sporidesmium lageniforme, S. lignicola, Tainosphaeria lunata, T. obclavata, Wongia aquatica, two new combinations, viz. Acrodictys aquatica, Cylindrotrichum aquaticum, and 9 new records, viz. Chaetomium globosum, Chaetosphaeria cubensis, Ch. myriocarpa, Cordana abramovii, Co. terrestris, Cuspidatispora xiphiago, Sporidesmiella hyalosperma, Stachybotrys chartarum,S. chlorohalonata. A comprehensive classification of the freshwater Sordariomycetes is presented based on updated literature. Phylogenetic inferences based on DNA sequence analyses of a combined LSU, SSU, RPB2 and TEF1α dataset comprising species of freshwater Sordariomycetes are provided. Detailed information including their habitats distribution, diversity, holotype, specimens collected and classification are provided.

Wood decomposition in aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems in the tropics: contrasting biotic and abiotic processes

Wood decomposition, a critical process in carbon and nutrient cycles, is influenced by environmental conditions, decomposer communities and substrate composition. While these factors differ between land and stream habitats, across-habitat comparisons of wood decay processes are rare, limiting our ability to evaluate the context- dependency of the drivers of decay. Here we tracked wood decomposition of three tree species placed in stream and terrestrial habitats in a lowland tropical forest in Panama. At 3 and 11 months we measured mass loss, wood nitrogen and wood polymer concentrations, and sampled wood-associated fungal and bacterial communities. After 11 months of decay we found that mass loss occurred 9% faster in streams than on land, but loss of cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin did not differ between habitats. We also observed large differences in microbial decomposer communities between habitats. Overall, we found faster mass loss of wood in water, but no differences in biotic decay processes between habitats despite distinct microbial communities in streams and on land. Our research challenges the assumption that wood decays relatively slowly in water reflecting unfavorable environmental conditions and a limited capacity of aquatic microbial communities to effectively degrade wood polymers.

Diversity and bioactive potential of culturable fungal endophytes of Dysosma versipellis; a rare medicinal plant endemic to China

The plant Dysosma versipellis is known for its antimicrobial and anticancer properties but is a rare and vulnerable perennial herb that is endemic to China. In this study, 224 isolates were isolated from various tissues of D. versipellis, and were classified into 53 different morphotypes according to culture characteristics and were identified by sequence analyses of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region of the rRNA gene. Although nine strains were not assignable at the phylum level, 44 belonged to at least 29 genera of 15 orders of Ascomycota (93%), Basidiomycota (6%), and Zygomycota (1%). Subsequent assays revealed antimicrobial activities of 19% of endophytic extracts against at least one pathogenic bacterium or fungus. Antimicrobial activity was also determined using the agar diffusion method and was most prominent in extracts from four isolates. Moreover, high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and ultra-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole-time of flight mass spectrometry analyses (UPLC-QTOF MS) showed the presence of podophyllotoxin in two Fusarium strains, with the highest yield of 277 μg/g in Fusarium sp. (WB5121). Taken together, the present data suggest that various endophytic fungi of D. versipellis could be exploited as sources of novel natural antimicrobial or anticancer agents.

Analysis of the Fungal Diversity in Citrus Leaves with Greasy Spot Disease Symptoms

Citrus greasy spot (CGS) is a disease of citrus with worldwide distribution and recent surveys have revealed a high level of incidence and severity of symptoms of the disease in Sicily, southern Italy. Although Mycosphaerel la citri (anamorph Zasmidium citri-griseum) and other related species are generally considered as causal agents, the etiology of CGS is still unclear. Here, we report the use of an amplicon metagenomic approach to investigate the fungal communities on citrus leaves symptomatic or asymptomatic for CGS from an orchard in Sicily showing typical CGS symptoms. A total of 35,537 high-quality chimeric free reads were obtained and assigned to 176 operational taxonomic units (OTUs), clustered at 99 % similarity threshold. Data revealed a dominating presence of the phylum Ascomycota (92.6 %) over other fungal phyla. No significant difference was observed between symptomatic and asymptomatic leaves according to both alpha and beta diversity analyses. The family Mycosphaerellaceae was the most abundant and was represented by the genera Ramularia, Mycosphaerella, and Septoria with 44.8, 2.4, and 1.7 % of the total detected sequences, respectively. However, none of the species currently reported as causal agents of CGS was detected in the present study. The most abundant sequence type (ST) was associated to Ramularia brunnea, a species originally described to cause leaf spot in a perennial herbaceous plant of the family Asteraceae. Results exclude that CGS symptoms observed in Sicily are caused by Z. citri-griseum and, moreover, they indicate that a considerable part of the fungal diversity in citrus leaves is still unknown.