Designation of a Neotype for Protobothrops mangshanensis (Zhao,1990)

Protobothrops mangshanensis(Zhao,1990) was first described based on the specimens from Mt. Mang,Yizhang,Hunan,China(Zhao and Chen,1990). However,due to poor preservation,the holotype of P. mangshanensis is considerably damaged and cannot presently be used. Thus,according to Article 75 of the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature(1985),we designate a neotype for this species.

A phylogenetic and taxonomic re-evaluation of the Bipolaris - Cochliobolus - Curvularia Complex

Three genera,Cochliobolus,Bipolaris and Curvularia form a complex that contains many plant pathogens,mostly on grasses(Poaceae)with a worldwide distribution.The taxonomy of this complex is confusing as frequent nomenclatural changes and refinements have occurred.There is no clear morphological boundary between the asexual genera Bipolaris and Curvularia,and some species show intermediate morphology.We investigated this complex based on a set of ex-type cultures and collections from northern Thailand.Combined gene analysis of rDNA ITS(internal transcribed spacer),GPDH(glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase),LSU(large subunit)and EF1-α(translation elongation factor 1-α)shows that this generic complex divides into two groups.Bipolaris and Cochliobolus species clustered in Group 1 along with their type species,whereas Curvularia species(including species named as Bipolaris,Cochliobolus and Curvularia)clustered in Group 2,with its generic type.The nomenclatural conflict in this complex is resolved giving priority to the more commonly used established generic names Bipolaris and Curvularia.Modern descriptions of the genera Bipolaris and Curvularia are provided and species resolved in this study are transferred to one of these genera based on their phylogeny.

Mission impossible completed:unlocking the nomenclature of the largest and most complicated subgenus of Cortinarius,Telamonia

So far approximately 144,000 species of fungi have been named but sequences of the majority of them do not exist in the public databases.Therefore,the quality and coverage of public barcode databases is a bottleneck that hinders the study of fungi.Cortinarius is the largest genus of Agaricales with thousands of species world-wide.The most diverse subgenus in Cortinarius is Telamonia and its species have been considered one of the most taxonomically challenging in the Agaricales.Its high diversity combined with convergent,similar appearing taxa have earned it a reputation of being an impossible group to study.In this study a total of 746 specimens,including 482 type specimens representing 184 species were sequenced.Also,a significant number of old types were successfully sequenced,105 type specimens were over 50 years old and 18 type specimens over 100 years old.Altogether,20 epi-or neotypes are proposed for recently commonly used older names.Our study doubles the number of reliable DNA-barcodes of species of C.subgenus Telamonia in the public sequence data-bases.This is also the first extensive phylogenetic study of the subgenus.A majority of the sections and species are shown in a phylogenetic context for the first time.Our study shows that nomenclatural problems,even in difficult groups like C.subgenus Telamonia,can be solved and consequently identification of species based on ITS barcodes becomes an easy task even for non-experts of the genus.

The complex of Diplodia species associated with Fraxinus and some other woody hosts in Italy and Portugal

Studies on the taxonomy and phylogeny of Diplodia have been hampered by the lack of an ex-type culture linked to the holotype of D.mutila,which is the type of the genus.In this study a large collection of Diplodia strains,obtained from ash and other woody hosts showing V-shaped cankers and branch dieback,were identified based on morphological characters and DNA sequence data from ITS and EF1-α loci.Results of combined morphological and phylogenetic analyses showed that the Fraxinus isolates from Italy,the Netherlands,Portugal and Spain belong to three distinct species namely Diplodia fraxini,Diplodia mutila and Diplodia subglobosa sp.nov.An epitype was designated for Diplodia mutila,with associated ex-epitype cultures.The name D.fraxini is re-instated and a neotype designated.Two species,Diplodia seriata and Diplodia pseudoseriata were reported for the first time on Fraxinus spp.