Introducing the Consolidated Species Concept to resolve species in the Teratosphaeriaceae

Sunken Riches: Ascomycete Diversity in the Western Mediterranean Coast through Direct Plating and Flocculation, and Description of Four New Taxa

The Mediterranean Sea stands out as a hotspot of biodiversity, whose fungal composition remains underexplored. Marine sediments represent the most diverse substrate; however, the challenge of recovering fungi in culture hinders the precise identification of this diversity. Concentration techniques like skimmed milk flocculation (SMF) could represent a suitable solution. Here, we compare the effectiveness in recovering filamentous ascomycetes of direct plating and SMF in combination with three culture media and two incubation temperatures, and we describe the fungal diversity detected in marine sediments. Sediments were collected at different depths on two beaches (Miracle and Arrabassada) on the Spanish western Mediterranean coast between 2021 and 2022. We recovered 362 strains, and after a morphological selection, 188 were identified primarily with the LSU and ITS barcodes, representing 54 genera and 94 species. Aspergillus, Penicillium, and Scedosporium were the most common genera, with different percentages of abundance between both beaches. Arrabassada Beach was more heterogeneous, with 42 genera representing 60 species (Miracle Beach, 28 genera and 54 species). Although most species were recovered with direct plating (70 species), 20 species were exclusively obtained using SMF as a sample pre-treatment, improving our ability to detect fungi in culture. In addition, we propose three new species in the genera Exophiala, Nigrocephalum, and Queenslandipenidiella, and a fourth representing the novel genus Schizochlamydosporiella. We concluded that SMF is a useful technique that, in combination with direct plating, including different culture media and incubation temperatures, improves the chance of recovering marine fungal communities in culture-dependent studies.

Fungal Endophytes: Discovering What Lies within Some of Canada's Oldest and Most Resilient Grapevines

Plant diseases and pests reduce crop yields, accounting for global crop losses of 30% to 50%. In conventional agricultural production systems, these losses are typically controlled by applying chemical pesticides. However, public pressure is mounting to curtail agrochemical use. In this context, employing beneficial endophytic microorganisms is an increasingly attractive alternative to the use of conventional chemical pesticides in agriculture. A multitude of fungal endophytes are naturally present in plants, producing enzymes, small peptides, and secondary metabolites due to their bioactivity, which can protect hosts from pathogens, pests, and abiotic stresses. The use of beneficial endophytic microorganisms in agriculture is an increasingly attractive alternative to conventional pesticides. The aim of this study was to characterize fungal endophytes isolated from apparently healthy, feral wine grapes in eastern Canada that have grown without agrochemical inputs for decades. Host plants ranged from unknown seedlings to long-lost cultivars not widely propagated since the 1800s. HPLC-MS was used to identify unique endophyte-derived chemical compounds in the host plants, while dual-culture competition assays showed a range in endophytes' ability to suppress the mycelial growth of Botrytis, which is typically controlled in viticulture with pesticides. Twelve of the most promising fungal endophytes isolated were identified using multilocus sequencing and morphology, while DNA barcoding was employed to identify some of their host vines. These fungal endophyte isolates, which consisted of both known and putative novel strains, belonged to seven genera in six families and five orders of Ascomycota. Exploring the fungal endophytes in these specimens may yield clues to the vines' survival and lead to the discovery of novel biocontrol agents.

Wide Distribution of Teratosphaeria epicoccoides and T. destructans Associated with Diseased Eucalyptus Leaves in Plantations in Southern China

Species of Mycosphaerellaceae and Teratosphaeriaceae represent over 40% of the fungi identified on eucalypt leaves worldwide. These include some important pathogens that mainly cause leaf blight and spot, and result in increasingly negative impacts on global commercial eucalypt industries. Eucalyptus plantations are commonly cultivated in southern China for solid wood and pulp products. However, the species diversity and geographic distribution of Mycosphaerellaceae and Teratosphaeriaceae, associated with diseased plantation Eucalyptus leaves in China, have not been clarified. In this study, we conducted the first systematic surveys and sample collections of Mycosphaerellaceae- and Teratosphaeriaceae-like fungi from diseased plantation Eucalyptus leaves in southern China. In total, 558 isolates were obtained from 59 sampled sites in five provinces. One isolate was isolated from each tree. According to the disease symptoms, conidia morphological characteristics, and DNA sequence comparisons of ITS, tef1 and tub2 gene regions. The 558 isolates were identified as Teratosphaeria epicoccoides (312 isolates; 55.9%) and T. destructans (246 isolates, 44.1%). Both species were widely distributed in the sampled regions in southern China. The genotypes of T. epicoccoides and T. destructans were determined based on ITS, tef1, and tub2 sequences. The results showed that multiple genotypes of each species of T. epicoccoides and T. destructans exist in China. Additionally, isolates with multiple genotypes were obtained in all five sampled provinces. These results suggest that both T. epicoccoides and T. destructans are not clonal. This study proved that both T. epicoccoides and T. destructans are dominant species and widely distributed on diseased Eucalyptus leaves in southern China. The wide geographic distribution and potential high genetic diversity pose challenges for the disease management of Teratosphaeria leaf blight and leaf spot in China.

Morphological and phylogenetic analyses reveal three new species of Fusarium (Hypocreales, Nectriaceae) associated with leaf blight on Cunninghamialanceolata in China

Chinese fir (Cunninghamialanceolata) is a special fast-growing commercial tree species in China with high economic value. In recent years, leaf blight disease on C.lanceolata has been observed frequently. The diversity of Fusarium species associated with leaf blight on C.lanceolata in China (Fujian, Guangxi, Guizhou, and Hunan provinces) was evaluated using morphological study and molecular multi-locus analyses based on RNA polymerase second largest subunit (RPB2), translation elongation factor 1-alpha (TEF-1α), and RNA polymerase largest subunit (RPB1) genes/region as well as the pairwise homoplasy index tests. A total of five Fusarium species belonging to four Fusarium species complexes were recognized in this study. Two known species including Fusariumconcentricum and F.fujikuroi belonged to the F.fujikuroi species complex, and three new Fusarium species were described, i.e., F.fujianense belonged to the F.lateritium species complex, F.guizhouense belonged to the F.sambucinum species complex, and F.hunanense belonged to the F.solani species complex. To prove Koch's postulates, pathogenicity tests on C.lanceolata revealed a wide variation in pathogenicity and aggressiveness among the species, of which F.hunanense HN33-8-2 caused the most severe symptoms and F.fujianense LC14 led to the least severe symptoms. To our knowledge, this study also represented the first report of F.concentricum, F.fujianense, F.fujikuroi, F.guizhouense, and F.hunanense causing leaf blight on C.lanceolata in China.

Seven new species of Alternaria (Pleosporales, Pleosporaceae) associated with Chinese fir, based on morphological and molecular evidence

Chinese fir (Cunninghamialanceolata) is a special fast-growing commercial tree species in China and has significant ecological and economic value. However, it experienced damage from leaf blight caused by pathogenic fungi of the genus Alternaria. To determine the diversity of Alternaria species associated with leaf blight of Chinese fir in China, infected leaves were collected from five major cultivation provinces (Fujian, Henan, Hunan, Jiangsu and Shandong provinces). A total of 48 fungal strains of Alternaria were obtained. Comparison of morphology and phylogenetic analyses, based on nine loci (ITS, SSU, LSU, GAPDH, RPB2, TEF1, Alt a1, endoPG and OPA10-2) of the representative isolates as well as the pairwise homoplasy index tests, revealed that the fungal strains belonged to seven undescribed taxa of Alternaria, which are described here and named as Alternariacunninghamiicolasp. nov., A.dongshanqiaoensissp. nov., A.hunanensissp. nov., A.kunyuensissp. nov., А. longqiaoensissp. nov., A.shandongensissp. nov. and A.xinyangensissp. nov. In order to prove Koch's postulates, pathogenicity tests on detached Chinese fir leaves revealed significant pathogenicity amongst these species, of which A.hunanensis is the most pathogenic to Chinese fir. This study represents the first report of A.cunninghamiicola, A.dongshanqiaoensis, A.hunanensis, A.kunyuensis, A.longqiaoensis, A.shandongensis and A.xinyangensis causing leaf blight on Chinese fir. Knowledge obtained in this study enhanced our understanding of Alternaria species causing leaf blight on Chinese fir and was crucial for the disease management and the further studies in the future.

Colletotrichum nanjingense sp. nov. and C. gloeosporioides s.s. Causing Leaf Tip Blight on Jasminum mesnyi in Nanjing, Jiangsu, China

Jasminum mesnyi Hance is an important medicinal and ornamental plant. This species is native to South Central China and Vietnam and grows primarily in the subtropical biomes. In June 2022, 17 Colletotrichum strains were isolated from leaf tip blight on foliage of J. mesnyi in Nanjing, Jiangsu, China. Based on morphological characteristics and multilocus phylogenetic analyses of six genomic loci (ITS, CAL, ACT, TUB2, CHS-1, and GAPDH), a new species, namely, C. nanjingense, and a known species, namely, C. gloeosporioides s.s., were described and reported. Pathogenicity tests revealed that both species were pathogens causing leaf tip blight on J. mesnyi. The results provided necessary information for disease control and enhanced our understanding of the diversity of Colletotrichum species in China.

First Report of Colletotrichum fructicola, C. rhizophorae sp. nov. and C. thailandica sp. nov. on Mangrove in Thailand

Colletotrichum, a genus within the phylum Ascomycota (Fungi) and family Glomerellaceae are important plant pathogens globally. In this paper, we detail four Colletotrichum species found in mangrove ecosystems. Two new species, Colletotrichum rhizophorae and C. thailandica, and a new host record for Colletotrichum fructicola were identified in Thailand. Colletotrichum tropicale was collected from Taiwan's mangroves and is a new record for Rhizophora mucronata. These identifications were established through a combination of molecular analysis and morphological characteristics. This expanded dataset for Colletotrichum enhances our understanding of the genetic diversity within this genus and its associations with mangrove ecosystems. The findings outlined herein provide data on our exploration of mangrove pathogens in Asia.

Characterization of Colletotrichum Species Infecting Litchi in Hainan, China

Litchi (Litchi chinensis) is an evergreen fruit tree grown in subtropical and tropical countries. China accounts for 71.5% of the total litchi cultivated area in the world. Anthracnose disease caused by Colletotrichum species is one of the most important diseases of litchi in China. In this study, the causal pathogens of litchi anthracnose in Hainan, China, were determined using phylogenetic and morphological analyses. The results identified eight Colletotrichum species from four species complexes, including a proposed new species. These were C. karsti from the C. boninense species complex; C. gigasporum and the proposed new species C. danzhouense from the C. gigasporum species complex; C. arecicola, C. fructicola species complex; C. arecicola, C. fructicola and C. siamense from the C. gloeosporioides species complex; and C. musicola and C. plurivorum from the C. orchidearum species complex. Pathogenicity tests showed that all eight species could infect litchi leaves using a wound inoculation method, although the pathogenicity was different in different species. To the best of our knowledge, the present study is the first report that identifies C. arecicola, C. danzhouense, C. gigasporum and C. musicola as etiological agents of litchi anthracnose.

Two new species of Samsoniella (Cordycipitaceae, Hypocreales) from the Mayao River Valley, Guizhou, China

Samsoniella species have been often found in the forest habitat and rarely found in special karst eco-environments, such as Tiankeng, valleys and caves. In this research, eleven cordyceps specimens were collected from Mayao River Valley. A known species (S.haniana) and two new species (S.duyunensis and S.vallis) were established and described according to a multilocus phylogenetic analysis and morphological characteristics. Our results provide insight that the richness of Samsoniella species in karst eco-environments and further attention should be paid to entomopathogenic fungi in such habitats.

Two new species of Colletotrichum (Glomerellaceae, Glomerellales) causing walnut anthracnose in Beijing

Colletotrichum species are plant pathogens, saprobes and endophytes on various plant hosts. It is regarded as one of the 10 most important genera of plant pathogens in the world. Walnut anthracnose is one of the most severe diseases affecting walnut productivity and quality in China. In this study, 162 isolates were obtained from 30 fruits and 65 leaf samples of walnut collected in Beijing, China. Based on morphological characteristics and DNA sequence analyses of the concatenated loci, namely internal transcribed spacer (ITS), glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH), actin (ACT), chitin synthase 1 (CHS-1) and beta-tubulin (TUB2), these isolates were identified as two novel species of Colletotrichum, i.e. C.juglandicola and C.peakense. Koch's postulates indicated that both C.juglandicola and C.peakense could cause anthracnose in walnut.

Colletotrichum siamense, a Novel Causal Agent of Viburnum odoratissimum Leaf Blotch and Its Sensitivity to Fungicides

Viburnum odoratissimum Ker-Gawl is native to Asia and is usually used as a garden ornamental. In September 2022, a leaf blotch on V. odoratissimum was observed in Nanjing, Jiangsu, China. The disease causes the leaves of the plants to curl and dry up and defoliate early. It not only seriously affects the growth of the plants but also greatly reduces the ornamental value. The pathogenic fungus was isolated from the diseased leaves, and the fungus was identified to be Colletotrichum siamense based on morphological features and multilocus phylogenetic analyses of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region, actin (ACT), calmodulin (CAL), beta-tubulin 2 (TUB2), chitin synthase (CHS-1), Apn2-Mat1-2 intergenic spacer and partial mating type (ApMat), and glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) genes. Pathogenicity tests were performed by inoculating healthy leaves with conidia. C. siamense can grow at 15-35 °C, with an optimal growth temperature at 25-30 °C. The results of sensitivity to nine fungicides showed that C. siamense was the most sensitive to prochloraz in the concentration range of 0.01 μg/mL to 100 μg/mL. Therefore, spraying prochloraz before the optimum growth temperature of pathogenic fungus can achieve effective control. It provided useful information for future studies on the prevention and treatment strategies of C. siamense. This is the first report of leaf blotch caused by C. siamense on V. odoratissimum in China and worldwide.

Seasonal Variations in Fungal Communities on the Surfaces of Lan Na Sandstone Sculptures and Their Biodeterioration Capacities

Environmental factors and climate are the primary factors influencing the microbial colonization and deterioration of cultural heritage in outdoor environments. Hence, it is imperative to investigate seasonal variations in microbial communities and the biodeterioration they cause. This study investigated the surfaces of sandstone sculptures at Wat Umong Suan Phutthatham, Chiang Mai, Thailand, during wet and dry seasons using culture-dependent and culture-independent approaches. The fungi isolated from the sandstone sculptures were assessed for biodeterioration attributes including drought tolerance, acid production, calcium crystal formation, and calcium precipitation. The results show that most of the fungal isolates exhibited significant potential for biodeterioration activities. Furthermore, a culture-independent approach was employed to investigate the fungal communities and assess their diversity, interrelationship, and predicted function. The fungal diversity and the communities varied seasonally. The functional prediction indicated that pathotroph-saprotroph fungi comprised the main fungal guild in the dry season, and pathotroph-saprotroph-symbiotroph fungi comprised the dominant guild in the wet season. Remarkably, a network analysis revealed numerous positive correlations among fungal taxa within each season, suggesting a potential synergy that promotes the biodeterioration of sandstone. These findings offer valuable insights into seasonal variations in fungal communities and their impacts on the biodeterioration of sandstone sculptures. This information can be utilized for monitoring, management, and maintenance strategies aimed at preserving this valuable cultural heritage.

Study on species diversity of Akanthomyces (Cordycipitaceae, Hypocreales) in the Jinyun Mountains, Chongqing, China

Akanthomyces species have only been reported from Guizhou and Qinghai Province, with few reports from other regions in China. In this research, the species diversity of Akanthomyces in the Jinyun Mountains, Chongqing was investigated. Fourteen infected spider specimens were collected and two new species (A.bashanensis and A.beibeiensis) and a known species (A.tiankengensis) were established and described according to a multi-locus phylogenetic analysis and the morphological characteristics. Our results reveal abundant Akanthomyces specimens and three species were found at Jinyun Mountain. Due to its being an important kind of entomopathogenic fungi, further attention needs to be paid to the diversity of other entomopathogenic fungi in Chongqing, China.

Does One Size Fit All? Variations in the DNA Barcode Gaps of Macrofungal Genera

The nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacer (nrITS) region has been widely used in fungal diversity studies. Environmental metabarcoding has increased the importance of the fungal DNA barcode in documenting fungal diversity and distribution. The DNA barcode gap is seen as the difference between intra- and inter-specific pairwise distances in a DNA barcode. The current understanding of the barcode gap in macrofungi is limited, inhibiting the development of best practices in applying the nrITS region toward research on fungal diversity. This study examined the barcode gap using 5146 sequences representing 717 species of macrofungi from eleven genera, eight orders and two phyla in datasets assembled by taxonomic experts. Intra- and inter-specific pairwise distances were measured from sequence and phylogenetic data. The results demonstrate that barcode gaps are influenced by differences in intra- and inter-specific variance in pairwise distances. In terms of DNA barcode behavior, variance is greater in the ITS1 than ITS2, and variance is greater in both relative to the combined nrITS region. Due to the difference in variance, the barcode gaps in the ITS2 region are greater than in the ITS1. Additionally, the taxonomic approach of "splitting" taxa into numerous taxonomic units produces greater barcode gaps when compared to "lumping". The results show variability in the barcode gaps between fungal taxa, demonstrating a need to understand the accuracy of DNA barcoding in quantifying species richness. For taxonomic studies, variability in nrITS sequence data supports the application of multiple molecular markers to corroborate the taxonomic and systematic delineation of species.

Re-Examination of Several Elsinoë Species Reported from Japan

Elsinoë are plant pathogenic fungi that cause scabs, spotted anthracnose, and some morphological distortions on various plants, including woody plants, economically important crops, and ornamental plants. Taxonomical reexamination of Elsinoë species in Japan has not yet been conducted based on the modern species criteria. In this study, several Japanese isolates were reexamine based on the morphological and molecular-phylogenetic analysis of the internal transcribed spacer region (ITS), large subunit gene (LSU)m and protein-coding gene such as RNA polymerase II subunit (rpb2) and Translation elongation factor 1-alpha (tef). Japanese isolates were divided into four clades and three new species, Elsinoë hydrangeae, E. sumire, and E. tanashiensis were proposed. One species, Sphaceloma akebiae, was transferred to the genus Elsinoë.

Fungal Planet description sheets: 1550-1613

Novel species of fungi described in this study include those from various countries as follows: Argentina, Neocamarosporium halophilum in leaf spots of Atriplex undulata. Australia, Aschersonia merianiae on scale insect (Coccoidea), Curvularia huamulaniae isolated from air, Hevansia mainiae on dead spider, Ophiocordyceps poecilometigena on Poecilometis sp. Bolivia, Lecanora menthoides on sandstone, in open semi-desert montane areas, Sticta monlueckiorum corticolous in a forest, Trichonectria epimegalosporae on apothecia of corticolous Megalospora sulphurata var. sulphurata, Trichonectria puncteliae on the thallus of Punctelia borreri. Brazil, Catenomargarita pseudocercosporicola (incl. Catenomargarita gen. nov.) hyperparasitic on Pseudocercospora fijiensis on leaves of Musa acuminata, Tulasnella restingae on protocorms and roots of Epidendrum fulgens. Bulgaria, Anthracoidea umbrosae on Carex spp. Croatia, Hymenoscyphus radicis from surface-sterilised, asymptomatic roots of Microthlaspi erraticum, Orbilia multiserpentina on wood of decorticated branches of Quercus pubescens. France, Calosporella punctatispora on dead corticated twigs of Aceropalus. French West Indies (Martinique), Eutypella lechatii on dead corticated palm stem. Germany, Arrhenia alcalinophila on loamy soil. Iceland, Cistella blauvikensis on dead grass (Poaceae). India, Fulvifomes maritimus on living Peltophorum pterocarpum, Fulvifomes natarajanii on dead wood of Prosopis juliflora, Fulvifomes subazonatus on trunk of Azadirachta indica, Macrolepiota bharadwajii on moist soil near the forest, Narcissea delicata on decaying elephant dung, Paramyrothecium indicum on living leaves of Hibiscus hispidissimus, Trichoglossum syamviswanathii on moist soil near the base of a bamboo plantation. Iran, Vacuiphoma astragalicola from stem canker of Astragalus sarcocolla. Malaysia, Neoeriomycopsis fissistigmae (incl. Neoeriomycopsidaceae fam. nov.) on leaf spots on flower Fissistigma sp. Namibia, Exophiala lichenicola lichenicolous on Acarospora cf. luederitzensis. Netherlands, Entoloma occultatum on soil, Extremus caricis on dead leaves of Carex sp., Inocybe pseudomytiliodora on loamy soil. Norway, Inocybe guldeniae on calcareous soil, Inocybe rupestroides on gravelly soil. Pakistan, Hymenagaricus brunneodiscus on soil. Philippines, Ophiocordyceps philippinensis parasitic on Asilus sp. Poland, Hawksworthiomyces ciconiae isolated from Ciconia ciconia nest, Plectosphaerella vigrensis from leaf spots on Impatiens noli-tangere, Xenoramularia epitaxicola from sooty mould community on Taxus baccata. Portugal, Inocybe dagamae on clay soil. Saudi Arabia, Diaporthe jazanensis on branches of Coffea arabica. South Africa, Alternaria moraeae on dead leaves of Moraea sp., Bonitomyces buffels-kloofinus (incl. Bonitomyces gen. nov.) on dead twigs of unknown tree, Constrictochalara koukolii on living leaves of Itea rhamnoides colonised by a Meliola sp., Cylindromonium lichenophilum on Parmelina tiliacea, Gamszarella buffelskloofina (incl. Gamszarella gen. nov.) on dead insect, Isthmosporiella africana (incl. Isthmosporiella gen. nov.) on dead twigs of unknown tree, Nothoeucasphaeria buffelskloofina (incl. Nothoeucasphaeria gen. nov.), on dead twigs of unknown tree, Nothomicrothyrium beaucarneae (incl. Nothomicrothyrium gen. nov.) on dead leaves of Beaucarnea stricta, Paramycosphaerella proteae on living leaves of Protea caffra, Querciphoma foliicola on leaf litter, Rachicladosporium conostomii on dead twigs of Conostomium natalense var. glabrum, Rhamphoriopsis synnematosa on dead twig of unknown tree, Waltergamsia mpumalanga on dead leaves of unknown tree. Spain, Amanita fulvogrisea on limestone soil, in mixed forest, Amanita herculis in open Quercus forest, Vuilleminia beltraniae on Cistus symphytifolius. Sweden, Pachyella pulchella on decaying wood on sand-silt riverbank. Thailand, Deniquelata cassiae on dead stem of Cassia fistula, Stomiopeltis thailandica on dead twigs of Magnolia champaca. Ukraine, Circinaria podoliana on natural limestone outcrops, Neonematogonum carpinicola (incl. Neonematogonum gen. nov.) on dead branches of Carpinus betulus. USA, Exophiala wilsonii water from cooling tower, Hygrophorus aesculeticola on soil in mixed forest, and Neocelosporium aereum from air in a house attic. Morphological and culture characteristics are supported by DNA barcodes. Citation: Crous PW, Costa MM, Kandemir H, et al. 2023. Fungal Planet description sheets: 1550-1613. Persoonia 51: 280-417. doi: 10.3767/persoonia.2023.51.08.

Morphological and molecular analyses reveal two new species of Microcera (Nectriaceae, Hypocreales) associated with scale insects on walnut in China

The fungal genus Microcera consists of species mostly occurring as parasites of scale insects, but are also commonly isolated from soil or lichens. In the present study, we surveyed the diversity and assess the taxonomy of entomopathogenic fungi in Sichuan Province, China. Two new species of Microcera, viz. M.chrysomphaludis and M.pseudaulacaspidis, were isolated from scale insects colonising walnut (Juglansregia). Maximum Likelihood and Bayesian Inference analyses of ITS, LSU, tef1-α, rpb1, rpb2, acl1, act, tub2, cmdA and his3 sequence data provide evidence for the validity of the two species and their placement in Nectriaceae (Hypocreales). Microcerapseudaulacaspidis primarily differs from similar species by having more septate and smaller cylindrical macroconidia, as well as DNA sequence data. Meanwhile, Microcerachrysomphaludis has elliptical, one-septate ascospores with acute ends and cylindrical, slightly curved with 4-6 septate macroconidia up to 78 µm long. Morphological descriptions with illustrations of the novel species and DNA-based phylogeny generated from analyses of multigene dataset are also provided to better understand species relationships.

Integrative Taxonomy of Novel Diaporthe Species Associated with Medicinal Plants in Thailand

During our investigations of the microfungi on medicinal plants in Thailand, five isolates of Diaporthe were obtained. These isolates were identified and described using a multiproxy approach, viz. morphology, cultural characteristics, host association, the multiloci phylogeny of ITS, tef1-α, tub2, cal, and his3, and DNA comparisons. Five new species, Diaporthe afzeliae, D. bombacis, D. careyae, D. globoostiolata, and D. samaneae, are introduced as saprobes from the plant hosts, viz. Afzelia xylocarpa, Bombax ceiba, Careya sphaerica, a member of Fagaceae, and Samanea saman. Interestingly, this is the first report of Diaporthe species on these plants, except on the Fagaceae member. The morphological comparison, updated molecular phylogeny, and pairwise homoplasy index (PHI) analysis strongly support the establishment of novel species. Our phylogeny also revealed the close relationship between D. zhaoqingensis and D. chiangmaiensis; however, the evidence from the PHI test and DNA comparison indicated that they are distinct species. These findings improve the existing knowledge of taxonomy and host diversity of Diaporthe species as well as highlight the untapped potential of these medicinal plants for searching for new fungi.

Fungal Diversity Associated with Thirty-Eight Lichen Species Revealed a New Genus of Endolichenic Fungi, Intumescentia gen. nov. (Teratosphaeriaceae)

Fungi from the Teratosphaeriaceae (Mycosphaerellales; Dothideomycetes; Ascomycota) have a wide range of lifestyles. Among these are a few species that are endolichenic fungi. However, the known diversity of endolichenic fungi from Teratosphaeriaceae is far less understood compared to other lineages of Ascomycota. We conducted five surveys from 2020 to 2021 in Yunnan Province of China, to explore the biodiversity of endolichenic fungi. During these surveys, we collected multiple samples of 38 lichen species. We recovered a total of 205 fungal isolates representing 127 species from the medullary tissues of these lichens. Most of these isolates were from Ascomycota (118 species), and the remaining were from Basidiomycota (8 species) and Mucoromycota (1 species). These endolichenic fungi represented a wide variety of guilds, including saprophytes, plant pathogens, human pathogens, as well as entomopathogenic, endolichenic, and symbiotic fungi. Morphological and molecular data indicated that 16 of the 206 fungal isolates belonged to the family Teratosphaeriaceae. Among these were six isolates that had a low sequence similarity with any of the previously described species of Teratosphaeriaceae. For these six isolates, we amplified additional gene regions and conducted phylogenetic analyses. In both single gene and multi-gene phylogenetic analyses using ITS, LSU, SSU, RPB2, TEF1, ACT, and CAL data, these six isolates emerged as a monophyletic lineage within the family Teratosphaeriaceae and sister to a clade that included fungi from the genera Acidiella and Xenopenidiella. The analyses also indicated that these six isolates represented four species. Therefore, we established a new genus, Intumescentia gen. nov., to describe these species as Intumescentia ceratinae, I. tinctorum, I. pseudolivetorum, and I. vitii. These four species are the first endolichenic fungi representing Teratosphaeriaceae from China.

Neofusicoccum cryptomeriae sp. nov. and N. parvum Cause Stem Basal Canker of Cryptomeria japonica in China

Cryptomeria japonica D. Don is a coniferous tree species widely grown in southern China for its high ornamental value. Recently, during disease surveys in China, a symptom of dieback occurred on C. japonica in Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, China. A total of 130 trees were surveyed and more than 90% showed the same symptom. The crowns of affected trees were brown when viewing from a distance, and the bark showed no difference from the healthy ones. In this study, 157 isolates were isolated from the 3 affected plants of C. japonica, and based on the living culture on PDA, the fungal isolates were preliminarily divided into 6 groups. Thirteen representative isolates were selected for the pathogenicity test, and seven of them showed obvious pathogenicity on C. japonica, causing stem basal canker. These isolates were identified based on comparisons of the DNA sequences of the internal transcribed spacer regions (ITS), partial translation elongation factor 1-alpha (tef1), β-tubulin (tub2), and DNA-directed RNA polymerase II subunit (rpb2) and combined with their morphological characteristics. Results showed that these seven isolates belong to two taxa in Neofusicoccum, including a species new to science. The new species, Neofusicoccum cryptomeriae, was hereby described and illustrated. The other species was N. parvum. Both species were pathogens of stem basal canker of Cryptomeria japonica.

Three New Species of Diaporthe Causing Leaf Blight on Acer palmatum in China

Diaporthe spp. are often reported as plant pathogens, endophytes, and saprobes. In this study, three new species (Diaporthe foliicola, D. monospora, and D. nanjingensis) on Acer palmatum were described and illustrated based on morphological characteristics and phylogenetic analyses. Phylogenetic relationships of the new species were determined by multilocus phylogenetic analyses based on partial sequences of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region, translation elongation factor 1-α (TEF), β-tubulin (TUB), histone H3 (HIS), and calmodulin (CAL) genes. Genealogical concordance phylogenetic species recognition with a pairwise homoplasy index test was used to verify the conclusions of the phylogenetic analyses. All species were illustrated and their morphology and phylogenetic relationships with other related Diaporthe spp. are discussed. In addition, the tests of Koch's postulates showed that the three new species were pathogens causing leaf blight on A. palmatum.

An Old World leaf-cutting, fungus-growing ant: A case of convergent evolution

The African myrmicine ant Crematogaster clariventris is a territorially dominant arboreal species that constructs very hard carton nests. Noting that workers cut off leaves from different plant species while building or repairing their nests, we asked ourselves if there was a correlation. We conducted scanning electron microscopic observations of nest walls that revealed the presence of fungal mycelia. As the presence of filamentous Ascomycota has been shown on arboreal ant nests worldwide, we used a metabarcoding approach and, indeed, noted the presence of Operational Taxonomic Unit (OTU) Cre_006041 of the Capnodiales known to reinforce large nests of an unidentified African Crematogaster. This OTU was also recorded in the workers' bodies. At a very low level, we also noted OTU Cre_320021 of the Chaetothyriales known for their relationships with the African plant-ant species C. margaritae. Therefore, by cutting leaves and growing fungus, C. clariventris illustrates a case of convergent evolution with higher New World leaf-cutting, fungus-growing Attina of the genera Acromyrmex, Amoimyrmex and Atta. However, there are notable differences. Leaf-cutting Attina cultivate Agaricaceae (Basidiomycota) for food, whereas C. clariventris uses Capnodiales to reinforce their nests (i.e., after the mycelium died, the hyphae's cell walls remained sturdy forming a natural composite material), have a distinct geographical origin (i.e., New World vs. Old World) and belong to a distinct ant tribe in the subfamily Myrmicinae (i.e., Attini vs. Crematogastrini). Furthermore, leaf-cutting Attina evolved an efficacious means of cutting leaves by using their mandibles asymmetrically, whereas C. clariventris workers, typically, use their mandibles symmetrically.

Pestalotioid Species Associated with Medicinal Plants in Southwest China and Thailand

In this paper, a total of 26 pestalotioid isolates associated with different medicinal plants from southwest China and Thailand were studied. Based on morphological examinations and multigene analyses of three gene loci (ITS, tef1-α, and tub2), these 26 isolates represent 17 species distributed in three genera, including seven new species and eight new records. The concatenated three loci tree was used to infer the occurrence of sexual recombination within each pestalotioid genus through the pairwise homoplasy index (PHI) test implemented in SplitsTree. Further, simplifying the description of pestalotioid species is discussed, and a checklist for pestalotioid species associated with medicinal plants worldwide is provided. IMPORTANCE Pestalotioid species are an important fungal group, occurring commonly as plant pathogens, endophytes, and saprophytes. The study of pestalotioid species associated with medicinal plants is significant for agriculture, industry, and pharmaceutical industry but remains poorly studied. In this study, we report 17 pestalotioid species related to medicinal plants based on morphology and molecular analyses. Our study significantly enriches the species richness of pestalotioids and provides a basis for follow-up studies.

Unravelling Species Diversity and Pathogenicity of Colletotrichum Associated with Anthracnose on Osmanthus fragrans in Quanjiao, China

Osmanthus fragrans is a popular ornamental tree species known for its fragrant flowers and is widely cultivated in Asia, Europe, and North America. Anthracnose is a disastrous threat to the growth and development of O. fragrans and has caused significant economic losses. To reveal the potential pathogen diversity of anthracnose, 127 isolates of Colletotrichum were isolated from the symptomatic leaves. Morphological studies and multilocus phylogenetic analyses with the concatenated sequences of the internal transcribed spacer, glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase, chitin synthase, actin, beta-tubulin, calmodulin, and the intergenic region between Apn2 and Mat1-2-1, as well as a pairwise homoplasy index, test placed the causal fungi as two new species, Colletotrichum anhuiense (two isolates) and C. osmanthicola (12 isolates), and three known taxa, C. fructicola (18 isolates), C. gloeosporioides (62 isolates), and C. karstii (33 isolates). Among them, C. gloeosporioides was the most dominant, and C. anhuiense was occasionally discovered from the host tissues. Pathogenicity tests in vivo on O. fragrans leaves revealed a significant difference in virulence among these species. Of them, C. gloeosporioides, C. osmanthicola, and C. anhuiense were significantly more virulent than C. fructicola and C. karstii, while C. karstii was the least virulent. To our knowledge, this study was the first to report the pathogen diversity of anthracnose on O. fragrans.

Taxonomy and Multigene Phylogeny of Diaporthales in Guizhou Province, China

In a study of fungi isolated from plant material in Guizhou Province, China, we identified 23 strains of Diaporthales belonging to nine species. These are identified from multigene phylogenetic analyses of ITS, LSU, rpb2, tef1, and tub2 gene sequence data coupled with morphological studies. The fungi include a new genus (Pseudomastigosporella) in Foliocryphiaceae isolated from Acer palmatum and Hypericum patulum, a new species of Chrysofolia isolated from Coriaria nepalensis, and five new species of Diaporthe isolated from Juglans regia, Eucommia ulmoides, and Hypericum patulum. Gnomoniopsis rosae and Coniella quercicola are newly recorded species for China.

Ecological and Oceanographic Perspectives in Future Marine Fungal Taxonomy

Marine fungi are an ecological rather than a taxonomic group that has been widely researched. Significant progress has been made in documenting their phylogeny, biodiversity, ultrastructure, ecology, physiology, and capacity for degradation of lignocellulosic compounds. This review (concept paper) summarizes the current knowledge of marine fungal diversity and provides an integrated and comprehensive view of their ecological roles in the world's oceans. Novel terms for 'semi marine fungi' and 'marine fungi' are proposed based on the existence of fungi in various oceanic environments. The major maritime currents and upwelling that affect species diversity are discussed. This paper also forecasts under-explored regions with a greater diversity of marine taxa based on oceanic currents. The prospects for marine and semi-marine mycology are highlighted, notably, technological developments in culture-independent sequencing approaches for strengthening our present understanding of marine fungi's ecological roles.

Additions to Neopestalotiopsis (Amphisphaeriales, Sporocadaceae) fungi: two new species and one new host record from China

Background

In this study, three Neopestalotiopsis taxa were identified, associated with leaves of Zingiberofficinale, Elaeagnuspungens and Salaccazalacca.

New information

Based on morphology and multi-gene analyses of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS), beta-tubulin (TUB2) and translation elongation factor 1-alpha (TEF1), the five strains of Neopestalotiopsis represent two novel and one known species. They are introduced with descriptions, illustrations and notes herein.

New Species of Discosia rhododendricola, Neopestalotiopsis rhododendricola and New Geographical Record of Diaporthe nobilis from Rhododendron sp

In the present study, we report two new asexual fungal species (i.e., Discosia rhododendricola, Neopestalotiopsis rhododendricola (Sporocadaceae) and a new host for a previously described species (i.e., Diaporthe nobilis; Diaporthaceae). All species were isolated from Rhododendron spp. in Kunming, Yunnan Province, China. All taxa are described based on morphology, and phylogenetic relationships were inferred using a multigenic approach (LSU, ITS, RPB2, TEF1 and TUB2). The phylogenetic analyses indicated that D. rhododendronicola sp. nov. is phylogenetically related to D. muscicola, and N. rhododendricola sp. nov is related to N. sonnaratae. Diaporthe nobilis is reported herein as a new host record from Rhododendron sp. for China, and its phylogeny is depicted based on ITS, TEF1 and TUB2 sequence data.

Colletotrichum Species Associated with Anthracnose Disease of Watermelon (Citrullus lanatus) in China

Colletotrichum species are important plant pathogens, causing anthracnose in virtually every crop grown throughout the world. However, little is known about the species that infect watermelon. A total of 526 strains were isolated from diseased watermelon samples of eight major watermelon growing provinces in China. Phylogenetic analyses using seven loci (ITS, gadph, chs-1, his3, act, tub2, and gs) coupled with morphology of 146 representative isolates showed that they belonged to 12 known species of Colletotrichum, including C. aenigma, C. chlorophyti, C. fructicola, C. jiangxiense, C. karstii, C. magnum, C. nymphaeae, C. nigrum, C. orbiculare, C. plurivorum, C. sojae, and C. truncatum and three new species, here described as C. citrulli, C. kaifengense, and C. qilinense. Colletotrichum orbiculare was the dominant species. Pathogenicity tests revealed that all isolates of the species described above were pathogenic, with C. magnum and C. kaifengense being the most aggressive to leaves and fruits, respectively. This is the first report of C. aenigma, C. chlorophyti, C. fructicola, C. jiangxiense, C. nymphaeae, C. nigrum, C. plurivorum, and C. sojae on watermelon. These findings shed light on the Colletotrichum spp. involved in watermelon anthracnose and provide useful information for implementing effective control of watermelon anthracnose in China.

Cladosporium spp. (Cladosporiaceae) isolated from Eucommiaulmoides in China

Eucommiaulmoides is a rare tree species in China with high medicinal and gum value. Nine strains of hyphomycetous fungi were isolated from the leaf litter of E.ulmoides in Guizhou Province. Preliminary identifications based on ITS indicated that they belong to the genus Cladosporium. Morphology and phylogenetic analyses based on the internal transcribed spacer regions (ITS) of the nrDNA, the partial translation elongation factor 1-α (tef1) gene and partial of actin (act) gene confirmed that the strains represent four species, including two novel taxa, viz., Cladosporiumeucommiae and C.guizhouense and two new substrate records for known species.

Species determination using AI machine-learning algorithms: Hebeloma as a case study

The genus Hebeloma is renowned as difficult when it comes to species determination. Historically, many dichotomous keys have been published and used with varying success rate. Over the last 20 years the authors have built a database of Hebeloma collections containing not only metadata but also parametrized morphological descriptions, where for about a third of the cases micromorphological characters have been analysed and are included, as well as DNA sequences for almost every collection. The database now has about 9000 collections including nearly every type collection worldwide and represents over 120 different taxa. Almost every collection has been analysed and identified to species using a combination of the available molecular and morphological data in addition to locality and habitat information. Based on these data an Artificial Intelligence (AI) machine-learning species identifier has been developed that takes as input locality data and a small number of the morphological parameters. Using a random test set of more than 600 collections from the database, not utilized within the set of collections used to train the identifier, the species identifier was able to identify 77% correctly with its highest probabilistic match, 96% within its three most likely determinations and over 99% of collections within its five most likely determinations.

First record of the fungal genus Neodevriesia Quaedvl. & Crous (Ascomycota, Dothideomycetes, Neodevriesiaceae) isolated from scleractinian corals of Perhentian Islands, Malaysia

Fungal species members of the genus Neodevriesia have been known to occur in marine environments. This report documents the first record of the fungal genus Neodevriesia isolated from scleractinian corals. Three isolated strains were identified from a phylogenetic tree that was constructed, based on the nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacer and partial large subunit (ITS + LSU) DNA sequences. Isolates were closely related to both Neodevriesiashakazului (Crous) Crous and Neodevriesiaqueenslandica (Crous, R.G. Shivas & McTaggart) Crous, but formed a distinct clade with strong support that implies a potentially genetic variant of a known species or even a novel species. These findings contribute to the fungal diversity checklist in Malaysia and knowledge about marine fungi associated with scleractinian corals.

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.

Black Fungi on Stone-Built Heritage: Current Knowledge and Future Outlook

Black fungi are considered as one of the main group of microorganisms responsible for the biodeterioration of stone cultural heritage artifacts. In this paper, we provide a critical analysis and review of more than 30 years of studies on black fungi isolated from stone-built heritage from 1990 to date. More than 109 papers concerning the fungal biodeterioration activity of stone were analysed. The main findings were a check list of the black fungal taxa involved in the biodeterioration of stone-built heritage, with a particular reference to meristematic black fungi, the main biodeterioration pattern attributed to them, and the methods of study including the new molecular advances. A particular focus was to discuss the current approaches to control black fungi from stone-built heritage and future perspectives. Black fungi are notoriously hard to remove or mitigate, so new methods of study and of control are needed, but it is also important to combine classical methods with new approaches to improve current knowledge to implement future conservation strategies.

Colletotrichum Species Associated with Peaches in China

Colletotrichum is regarded as one of the 10 most important genera of plant pathogens in the world. It causes diseases in a wide range of economically important plants, including peaches. China is the largest producer of peaches in the world but little is known about the Colletotrichum spp. affecting the crop. In 2017 and 2018, a total of 286 Colletotrichum isolates were isolated from symptomatic fruit and leaves in 11 peach production provinces of China. Based on multilocus phylogenetic analyses (ITS, ACT, CAL, CHS-1, GAPDH, TUB2, and HIS3) and morphological characterization, the isolates were identified to be C. nymphaeae, C. fioriniae, and C. godetiae of the C. acutatum species complex, C. fructicola and C. siamense of the C. gloeosporioides species complex, C. karsti of the C. boninense species complex, and one newly identified species, C. folicola sp. nov. This study is the first report of C. karsti and C. godetiae in peaches, and the first report of C. nymphaeae, C. fioriniae, C. fructicola, and C. siamense in peaches in China. C. nymphaeae is the most prevalent species of Colletotrichum in peaches in China, which may be the result of fungicide selection. Pathogenicity tests revealed that all species found in this study were pathogenic on both the leaves and fruit of peaches, except for C. folicola, which only infected the leaves. The present study substantially improves our understanding of the causal agents of anthracnose on peaches in China.

Taxonomic Reappraisal of Periconiaceae with the Description of Three New Periconia Species from China

As a result of an ongoing research survey of microfungi in Yunnan, China, several saprobic ascomycetes were collected from various host substrates. Preliminary morphological analyses identified a few of these taxa as Periconia species. We obtained DNA sequence data of the Periconia species from pure cultures and investigated their phylogenetic affinities. Phylogenetic analyses of a combined LSU, ITS, SSU and tef1-α sequence dataset demonstrated that five isolates of Periconia formed well-resolved subclades within Periconiaceae. Accordingly, three new Periconia species are introduced viz. P. artemisiae, P. chimonanthi and P. thysanolaenae, and new host and geographical records of P. byssoides and P. pseudobyssoides, are also reported from dead branches of Prunus armeniaca and Scrophularia ningpoensis. Periconia celtidis formed a monophyletic clade with P. byssoides in the present phylogenetic analyses. Results of the pairwise homoplasy index (PHI) test indicated significant recombination between P. byssoides and P. celtidis. Therefore, P. celtidis has been synonymized under P. byssoides. In addition, we re-illustrated and studied the type specimen of the sexual genus Bambusistroma. As a type species of Bambusistroma, B. didymosporum features similar morphology to the sexual morph of Periconia homothallica and P. pseudodigitata. We therefore synonymize Bambusistroma under Periconia based on morphological and phylogenetic evidence. Furthermore, our new isolates produced brown conidia of asexual morph in agar media typical of the genus Noosia. Based on morphological comparison with Periconia in vitro and phylogenetic status of Noosia, we also treat Noosia as a synonym of Periconia. Detailed descriptions and illustrations of three novel taxa and two new records of Periconia byssoides and P. pseudobyssoides as well as the illustration of P. didymosporum comb. nov. are provided. An updated phylogenetic tree of Periconiaceae using maximum likelihood and Bayesian inference analyses is constructed. Generic circumscription of Periconia is amended.

An account of Colletotrichum species associated with anthracnose of Atractylodes ovata in South Korea based on morphology and molecular data

Ovate-leaf atractylodes (OLA) (Atractylodes ovata) is a well-known medicinal plant in Korea; its dried rhizome and root extracts are used in herbal medicine. However, anthracnose is a great challenge to the OLA cultivation in South Korea. Colletotrichum spp. is a major group of plant pathogens responsible for anthracnose on a range of economically important hosts. Its occurrence on OLA remains unresolved. To investigate the diversity, morphology, phylogeny, and biology of Colletotrichum spp., 32 fungal isolates were obtained from 30 OLA-affected leaves collected from five different farms, in two regions in South Korea, Mungyeong and Sangju. The phylogenetic analysis with four or five gene loci (ITS, TUB2, ACT, GAPDH, and CHS-1) along with morphology of 26 representative isolates delineated six previously known Colletotrichum species including C. fructicola, C. gloeosporioides sensu stricto (s.s), C. cigarro, C. plurivorum, C. siamense and C. sojae, and one new species, described here as C. ovataense. Amongst these species, C. gloeosporioides s.s. and C. plurivorum were the most prevalent species. A pathogenicity test on the detached leaves revealed that different Colletotrichum species presented a distinct degree of virulence, confirming Koch's postulates. In this study, C. fructicola, C. cigarro, C. plurivorum, C. siamense, and C. sojae were reported from A. ovata for the first time, as the causal agent of ovate-leaf atractylodes anthracnose. Understanding the diversity and biology of the Colletotrichum species population will help in managing this disease.

Fungal diversity notes 1512-1610: taxonomic and phylogenetic contributions on genera and species of fungal taxa

This article is the 14th in the Fungal Diversity Notes series, wherein we report 98 taxa distributed in two phyla, seven classes, 26 orders and 50 families which are described and illustrated. Taxa in this study were collected from Australia, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Chile, China, Cyprus, Egypt, France, French Guiana, India, Indonesia, Italy, Laos, Mexico, Russia, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Vietnam. There are 59 new taxa, 39 new hosts and new geographical distributions with one new combination. The 59 new species comprise Angustimassarina kunmingense, Asterina lopi, Asterina brigadeirensis, Bartalinia bidenticola, Bartalinia caryotae, Buellia pruinocalcarea, Coltricia insularis, Colletotrichum flexuosum, Colletotrichum thasutense, Coniochaeta caraganae, Coniothyrium yuccicola, Dematipyriforma aquatic, Dematipyriforma globispora, Dematipyriforma nilotica, Distoseptispora bambusicola, Fulvifomes jawadhuvensis, Fulvifomes malaiyanurensis, Fulvifomes thiruvannamalaiensis, Fusarium purpurea, Gerronema atrovirens, Gerronema flavum, Gerronema keralense, Gerronema kuruvense, Grammothele taiwanensis, Hongkongmyces changchunensis, Hypoxylon inaequale, Kirschsteiniothelia acutisporum, Kirschsteiniothelia crustaceum, Kirschsteiniothelia extensum, Kirschsteiniothelia septemseptatum, Kirschsteiniothelia spatiosum, Lecanora immersocalcarea, Lepiota subthailandica, Lindgomyces guizhouensis, Marthe asmius pallidoaurantiacus, Marasmius tangerinus, Neovaginatispora mangiferae, Pararamichloridium aquisubtropicum, Pestalotiopsis piraubensis, Phacidium chinaum, Phaeoisaria goiasensis, Phaeoseptum thailandicum, Pleurothecium aquisubtropicum, Pseudocercospora vernoniae, Pyrenophora verruculosa, Rhachomyces cruralis, Rhachomyces hyperommae, Rhachomyces magrinii, Rhachomyces platyprosophi, Rhizomarasmius cunninghamietorum, Skeletocutis cangshanensis, Skeletocutis subchrysella, Sporisorium anadelphiae-leptocomae, Tetraploa dashaoensis, Tomentella exiguelata, Tomentella fuscoaraneosa, Tricholomopsis lechatii, Vaginatispora flavispora and Wetmoreana blastidiocalcarea. The new combination is Torula sundara. The 39 new records on hosts and geographical distribution comprise Apiospora guiyangensis, Aplosporella artocarpi, Ascochyta medicaginicola, Astrocystis bambusicola, Athelia rolfsii, Bambusicola bambusae, Bipolaris luttrellii, Botryosphaeria dothidea, Chlorophyllum squamulosum, Colletotrichum aeschynomenes, Colletotrichum pandanicola, Coprinopsis cinerea, Corylicola italica, Curvularia alcornii, Curvularia senegalensis, Diaporthe foeniculina, Diaporthe longicolla, Diaporthe phaseolorum, Diatrypella quercina, Fusarium brachygibbosum, Helicoma aquaticum, Lepiota metulispora, Lepiota pongduadensis, Lepiota subvenenata, Melanconiella meridionalis, Monotosporella erecta, Nodulosphaeria digitalis, Palmiascoma gregariascomum, Periconia byssoides, Periconia cortaderiae, Pleopunctum ellipsoideum, Psilocybe keralensis, Scedosporium apiospermum, Scedosporium dehoogii, Scedosporium marina, Spegazzinia deightonii, Torula fici, Wiesneriomyces laurinus and Xylaria venosula. All these taxa are supported by morphological and multigene phylogenetic analyses. This article allows the researchers to publish fungal collections which are important for future studies. An updated, accurate and timely report of fungus-host and fungus-geography is important. We also provide an updated list of fungal taxa published in the previous fungal diversity notes. In this list, erroneous taxa and synonyms are marked and corrected accordingly.

Phylogenetic Relationships, Speciation, and Origin of Armillaria in the Northern Hemisphere: A Lesson Based on rRNA and Elongation Factor 1-Alpha

Armillaria species have a global distribution and play various roles in the natural ecosystems, e.g., pathogens, decomposers, and mycorrhizal associates. However, their taxonomic boundaries, speciation processes, and origin are poorly understood. Here, we used a phylogenetic approach with 358 samplings from Europe, East Asia, and North America to delimit the species boundaries and to discern the evolutionary forces underpinning divergence and evolution. Three species delimitation methods indicated multiple unrecognized phylogenetic species, and biological species recognition did not reflect the natural evolutionary relationships within Armillaria; for instance, biological species of A. mellea and D. tabescens are divergent and cryptic species/lineages exist associated with their geographic distributions in Europe, North America, and East Asia. While the species-rich and divergent Gallica superclade might represent three phylogenetic species (PS I, PS II, and A. nabsnona) that undergo speciation. The PS II contained four lineages with cryptic diversity associated with the geographic distribution. The genus Armillaria likely originated from East Asia around 21.8 Mya in early Miocene when Boreotropical flora (56–33.9 Mya) and the Bering land bridge might have facilitated transcontinental dispersal of Armillaria species. The Gallica superclade arose at 9.1 Mya and the concurrent vicariance events of Bering Strait opening and the uplift of the northern Tibetan plateau might be important factors in driving the lineage divergence.

Taxonomy and Phylogeny Reveal Two New Potential Edible Ectomycorrhizal Mushrooms of Thelephora from East Asia

The ectomycorrhizal basidiomycetes genus Thelephora has been understudied in subtropical ecosystems. Many species of Thelephora are important edible and medicinal fungi, with substantial economic value. Two new Thelephora species, T. grandinioides and T. wuliangshanensis spp. nov. are proposed here based on a combination of morphological features and molecular evidence. Thelephora grandinioides is characterized by laterally stipitate basidiocarps with a grandinoid hymenial surface, a monomitic hyphal system with clamped generative hyphae, and the presence of tubular and septated cystidia and subglobose to globose basidiospores measuring as 5.3–7.4 × 4–6.5 µm. Thelephora wuliangshanensis is characterized by infundibuliform basidiocarps, radially black striate on the pileus, a smooth, umber to coffee hymenial surface, a monomitic hyphal system with thick-walled generative hyphae, and basidiospores that turn greenish grey to buff in 5% KOH. Phylogenetic analyses of rDNA internal transcribed spacer region (ITS) and nuclear large subunit region (nrLSU) showed that the two new Thelephora are phylogenetically distinct: T. grandinioides is sister to T. aurantiotincta and T. sikkimensis, while T. wuliangshanensis is sister to a clade comprising T. austrosinensis and T. aurantiotincta with high support as well.

Three Mycogone Species, Including a New Species, Cause Wet Bubble Disease of Agaricus bisporus in China

White button mushroom, Agaricus bisporus (Lange) Imbach, is the most extensively cultivated and edible mushroom worldwide. The production of A. bisporus is commonly affected by wet bubble disease (WBD), imposing a significant economic burden in China. Although studies have shown that this disease is caused by fungi of the Mycogone genus, the pathogen has not been fully characterized. In this study, 802 samples of diseased fruiting bodies of A. bisporus were collected from nine major mushroom-cultivating provinces in China, yielding a total of 586 Mycogone isolates. The morphologic characteristics of these isolates were observed and compared, and multilocus phylogenetic analyses (internal transcribed spacer [ITS], ACT, TEF1-α, TUB, RPB2, and large ribosomal subunit [LSU]) were performed on the selected representative isolates. Three Mycogone species were identified: a new species, M. xinjiangensis; M. perniciosa; and M. rosea. Mycogone rosea was the first ever reported in China. Furthermore, M. rosea was found to be the most prevalent species (54.95% of all isolates) in all the sampled areas, except in Hubei and Xinjiang, followed by M. perniciosa (39.93%) and M. xinjiangensis (5.12%). Pathogenicity tests on the fruiting body and mushroom bed substantiated Koch's postulates by the development of mildly different symptoms after inoculation with each species. This study, therefore, enhances our knowledge of the species associated with WBD in A. bisporus and provides useful insights for preventing WBD and allied diseases.

Discovery of Three Novel Cytospora Species in Thailand and Their Antagonistic Potential

During an ongoing research survey of saprobic fungi in Thailand, four coelomycetous strains were isolated from decaying leaves in Chiang Mai and Phitsanulok Provinces. Morphological characteristics demonstrated that these taxa are typical of Cytospora in forming multi-loculate, entostromatic conidiomata, branched or unbranched conidiophores, with enteroblastic, phialidic conidiogenous cells and hyaline, allantoid, aseptate conidia. Multiloci phylogeny of ITS, LSU, ACT, RPB2, TEF1-α and TUB2 confirmed these taxa are distinct new species in Cytospora in Cytosporaceae (Diaporthales, Sordariomycetes), viz., Cytospora chiangmaiensis, C. phitsanulokensis and C. shoreae. Cytospora chiangmaiensis has a close phylogenetic relationship with C. shoreae, while C. phitsanulokensis is sister to C. acaciae. These three novel species were also preliminary screened for their antagonistic activity against five plant pathogenic fungi: Colletotrichumfructicola, Co. siamense, Co. artocarpicola, Co. viniferum and Fusarium sambucinum. Cytospora shoreae and C. phitsanulokensis showed >60% inhibition against Co. viniferum and F. sambucinum, while C. chiangmaiensis had moderate inhibition activity against all pathogens.

Retrospective study of phaeohyphomycosis in aquarium-housed fish, with first descriptions of Exophiala lecanii-corni and Neodevriesia cladophorae in fish

A broadening fish host range is affected by novel and known pigmented fungal pathogens. A review of 2,250 piscine submissions received by the Aquatic Pathology Service, University of Georgia, revealed 47 phaeohyphomycosis cases (2.1%), representing 34 bony and cartilaginous fish species. The majority involved bony fish (45/47, 95.7%) and were predominantly marine (41/47, 87.2%), with only a few freshwater species (4/47, 8.5%). Cartilaginous fish cases included two zebra sharks (Stegostoma fasciatum) (2/47, 4.3%). Northern seahorses (Hippocampus erectus) had the highest incidence overall (7/47, 14.9%). Culture and sequencing of the internal-transcribed spacer region of the rDNA (ITS), large ribosomal subunit gene D1/D2 domains (LSU) and the DNA polymerase II gene (RPB2) were performed for fungal identification when fresh tissue was obtainable. Exophiala, Ochroconis and Neodevriesia spp. were identified, with Exophiala as the most common fungal genus (8/11, 72.7%). Exophiala lecanii-corni and Neodevriesia cladophorae were described for the first time from fish. Microscopically, lesions were characterized by necrosis, granulomatous inflammation and angioinvasion most frequently affecting the skin/fin, skeletal muscle and kidneys. In this study of diverse aquarium-housed fish species, phaeohyphomycosis cases occurred sporadically and in rare outbreaks with variable pathologic presentations, tissue distributions and severities.