Octosporaconidiophora (Pyronemataceae) - a new species from South Africa and the first report of anamorph in bryophilous Pezizales

Lamprospora benkertii sp. nov., and an evaluation of Lamprospora spp. with seaveri-type ascospore ornamentation

Lamprospora benkertii is described as a new species based on collections from Georgia, Germany, Norway, Slovakia, and Switzerland. It is characterized by orange apothecia without a fimbriate margin, globose ascospores with a seaveri -type ornamentation comprising strong ridges forming a reticulum and a secondary reticulum formed by fine ridges within the meshes of the primary reticulum. The fungus infects rhizoids of Trichostomum crispulum. Delineation of the new species is supported by LSU and EF1α sequence analyses. Lamprospora benkertii is compared with other Lamprospora species with a seaveri -type or similar ascospore ornamentation: L. ascoboloides, L. cailletii, L. dicranellae, L. funigera, L. hispanica, L. irregulariata, L. leptodictya, L. norvegica, L. paechnatzii, L. seaveri. We also present an updated key for this group of species as well as a more complete description of L. hispanica based on our observations from several collections. New host specificity data are provided for L. hispanica, L. leptodictya, L. norvegica, and L. paechnatzii.

The haustorium as a driving force for speciation in thallus-forming Laboulbeniomycetes

Laboulbeniomycetes is a class of fungi that have obligate associations with arthropod hosts, either for dispersal (order Pyxidiophorales) or as biotrophic parasites (orders Herpomycetales and Laboulbeniales). Here, we focus on Herpomycetales and Laboulbeniales, which include fungi that form thalli, 3-dimensional, multicellular units of 1000 s of cells. Based on recently published data regarding patterns of speciation, we present the One-Host-One-Parasite model (1H1P) for haustorial thallus-forming Laboulbeniomycetes. We hypothesize that taxa with haustoria, rhizoidal structures that make contact with the host’s body cavity, have very strict host specificity. For taxa without haustoria, the microhabitat—as selected by the host—governs host shifting, presence or absence of the fungus, abundance, effective host range, and geographic distribution. We make suggestions for future research including fluorescent labeling of waxy lipids and mass spectrometry. These techniques have the potential to generate the data necessary to evaluate the here proposed 1H1P hypothesis for Herpomycetales and Laboulbeniales.

Laboulbeniomycetes: Intimate Fungal Associates of Arthropods

Arthropod-fungus interactions involving the Laboulbeniomycetes have been pondered for several hundred years. Early studies of Laboulbeniomycetes faced several uncertainties. Were they parasitic worms, red algal relatives, or fungi? If they were fungi, to which group did they belong? What was the nature of their interactions with their arthropod hosts? The historical misperceptions resulted from the extraordinary morphological features of these oddly constructed ectoparasitic fungi. More recently, molecular phylogenetic studies, in combination with a better understanding of life histories, have clearly placed these fungi among filamentous Ascomycota (subphylum Pezizomycotina). Species discovery and research on the classification of the group continue today as arthropods, and especially insects, are routinely collected and examined for the presence of Laboulbeniomycetes. Newly armed with molecular methods, mycologists are poisedto use Laboulbeniomycetes-insect associations as models for the study of a variety of basic evolutionary and ecological questions involving host-parasite relationships, modes of nutrient intake, population biology, host specificity, biological control, and invasion biology. Collaboration between mycologists and entomologists is essential to successfully advance knowledge of Laboulbeniomycetes and their intimate association with their hosts.

Additions to the genus Chroogomphus (Boletales, Gomphidiaceae) from Pakistan

With only three published reports, the genus Chroogomphus (Boletales, Gomphidiaceae) is poorly studied in Pakistan. During recent sampling events in Khyber Pakhtunkhawa province, Pakistan, several collections of Chroogomphus were made, representing undescribed taxa. Based on morphological and molecular data, two new species are described: Chroogomphuspakistanicus and C.pruinosus. We present a description and illustrations for both taxa. A molecular phylogenetic reconstruction, based on the internal transcribed spacer (ITS1–5.8S–ITS2) barcode region, shows that C.pakistanicus and C.pruinosus are placed in two different subgenera of Chroogomphus (subg.Chroogomphus and subg. Siccigomphus, respectively).

Fungal Systematics and Evolution: FUSE 5

Thirteen new species are formally described: Cortinarius brunneocarpus from Pakistan, C. lilacinoarmillatus from India, Curvularia khuzestanica on Atriplex lentiformis from Iran, Gloeocantharellus neoechinosporus from China, Laboulbenia bernaliana on species of Apenes, Apristus, and Philophuga (Coleoptera, Carabidae) from Nicaragua and Panama, L. oioveliicola on Oiovelia machadoi (Hemiptera, Veliidae) from Brazil, L. termiticola on Macrotermes subhyalinus (Blattodea, Termitidae) from the DR Congo, Pluteus cutefractus from Slovenia, Rhizoglomus variabile from Peru, Russula phloginea from China, Stagonosporopsis flacciduvarum on Vitis vinifera from Italy, Strobilomyces huangshanensis from China, Uromyces klotzschianus on Rumex dentatus subsp. klotzschianus from Pakistan. The following new records are reported: Alternaria calendulae on Calendula officinalis from India; A. tenuissima on apple and quince fruits from Iran; Candelariella oleaginescens from Turkey; Didymella americana and D. calidophila on Vitis vinifera from Italy; Lasiodiplodia theobromae causing tip blight of Dianella tasmanica 'variegata' from India; Marasmiellus subpruinosus from Madeira, Portugal, new for Macaronesia and Africa; Mycena albidolilacea, M. tenuispinosa, and M. xantholeuca from Russia; Neonectria neomacrospora on Madhuca longifolia from India; Nothophoma quercina on Vitis vinifera from Italy; Plagiosphaera immersa on Urtica dioica from Austria; Rinodina sicula from Turkey; Sphaerosporium lignatile from Wisconsin, USA; and Verrucaria murina from Turkey. Multi-locus analysis of ITS, LSU, rpb1, tef1 sequences revealed that P. immersa, commonly classified within Gnomoniaceae (Diaporthales) or as Sordariomycetes incertae sedis, belongs to Magnaporthaceae (Magnaporthales). Analysis of a six-locus Ascomycota-wide dataset including SSU and LSU sequences of S. lignatile revealed that this species, currently in Ascomycota incertae sedis, belongs to Pyronemataceae (Pezizomycetes, Pezizales).

Taxonomy and phylogeny of the Leptographium olivaceum complex (Ophiostomatales, Ascomycota), including descriptions of six new species from China and Europe

The Leptographiumolivacea complex encompasses species in the broadly defined genus Leptographium (Ophiostomatales, Ascomycota) that are generally characterized by synnematous conidiophores. Most species of the complex are associates of conifer-infesting bark beetles in Europe and North America. The aims of this study were to reconsider the delineation of known species, and to confirm the identity of several additional isolates resembling L.olivacea that have emerged from recent surveys in China, Finland, Poland, Russia, and Spain. Phylogenetic analyses of sequence data for five loci (ACT, TUB, CAL, ITS2-LSU, and TEF-1α) distinguished 14 species within the complex. These included eight known species (L.cucullatum, L.davidsonii, L.erubescens, L.francke-grosmanniae, L.olivaceum, L.olivaceapini, L.sagmatosporum, and L.vescum) and six new species (herein described as L.breviuscapum, L.conplurium, L.pseudoalbum, L.rhizoidum, L.sylvestris, and L.xiningense). New combinations are provided for L.cucullatum, L.davidsonii, L.erubescens, L.olivaceum, L.olivaceapini, L.sagmatosporum and L.vescum. New Typifications: Lectotypes are designated for L.olivaceum, L.erubescens and L.sagmatosporum. Epitypes were designated for L.olivaceapini and L.sagmatosporum. In addition to phylogenetic separation, the synnematous asexual states and ascomata with almost cylindrical necks and prominent ostiolar hyphae, distinguish the L.olivaceum complex from others in Leptographium.