Biodiversity of Edible Caterpillars of Imbrasia and Host Plants in Boukoko (Central African Republic)

In Central African Republic, edible caterpillars of Imbrasia gender are income of rural populations, present an opportunity to improve food security and belonging to the category of Non-wood forest products. The goal of this study is to document the ecology of caterpillars of genre Imbrasia in relation to its host plants in Boukoko. The questionnaire was addressed to the actors of the collection and consumption of caterpillars in this Commune, to their local knowledge concerning this food resource as well as the plants of their locality on which caterpillars are collected. The survey took place in September to October 2022 and as a general rule, the 120 respondents were elderly people whose age range varied from 35 to 70 years old. Plant samples are collected in their natural environment. Based on local names;herbaria are mounted, plants photographed and samples collected. The types of edible caterpillars have been inventoried in the field in collaboration with the local populations who consume them. Based on local names, the caterpillars are captured manually from morphological traits and then stored in bottles containing 70% ethanol. The specimens were identified. The data was entered into the Excel spreadsheet which also made it possible to produce histograms with the frequencies of the plant species most valued by the different caterpillars. A Principal Component Analysis (PCA) was then performed using R software to highlight the correlation between caterpillars and host plants. The main economic importance trees hosting edible caterpillars of Imbrasia gender in Boukoko region are: Entandrophragma cylindricum, Pentaclethra macrophylla, Maesopsis eminii, Albizia ferruginea, Macaranga spinosa, Amphimas ferrugineus, Pentaclethra macrophylla, Racosperma auriculiforme, Eribroma oblonga. The Principal Component Analysis (PCA) carried out to assess the variability between the different species of caterpillars according to their host plants shows that the first two axes F1 and F2 explain 27.34% of the overall variability. The different variables along the two factorial axes are weakly correlated. The caterpillar species Imbrasia truncata, Imbrasia epimethea, Imbrasia obscura, Imbrasia petiveri, Imbrasia forda and Imbrasia alopia have more host plant diversity than the caterpillar species: Imbrasia melanops, Imbrasia eblis, Imbrasia anthina, Imbrasia wahlbergii and Imbrasia oyemensis.

Changes in Soil Physicochemical Properties under Selected Climate-Smart Agricultural Practices in Central African Republic

Soil nutrient depletion as a result of continuous cultivation with insufficient external nutrient replenishment is a major challenge in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). A trial using the organic and mineral fertilizer was established in the cassava cropping system of the Pissa and Damara areas to address the declining soil fertility. The study aimed to evaluate the effect of cow manure and mineral fertilizer in combination or sole application on soil physico-chemical properties and macronutrients. The experimental trial adopted a randomized complete block design (RCBD) replicated four times. The treatments comprised of;T1 (Control), T2 (Peasant practice), T3 (sole NPK), and T4 (Cow manure + NPK). The data on soil physicochemical analysis was subjected to a one-way analysis of variance in SAS 9.4 and the mean was separated by Tukey’s HSD test at p < 0.005. The soil pH values ranged from 4.20 to 4.91;and 4.53 to 5.28 in Pissa and Damara respectively. According to the treatments, a low pH value is observed in T3 (4.13) in the Pissa. Combined use of cow manure and the mineral fertilizer resulted in higher Mg K and N in the Pissa region and higher soil pH in Damara. The use of sole NPK (T3) gave a higher soil carbon and CN ratio. In the Pissa region the CEC, Cu, Fe, and Zn were higher in the treatments with mineral fertilizer compared to the control. Conclusively, the use of mineral fertilizer and cow manure can be used with optimum rates to improve soil physico-chemical properties on a sustainable basis.

Fungal diversity notes 1–110:taxonomic and phylogenetic contributions to fungal species

This paper is a compilation of notes on 110 fungal taxa,including one new family,10 new genera,and 76 new species,representing a wide taxonomic and geographic range.The new family,Paradictyoarthriniaceae is introduced based on its distinct lineage in Dothideomycetes and its unique morphology.The family is sister to Biatriosporaceae and Roussoellaceae.The new genera are Allophaeosphaeria(Phaeosphaeriaceae),Amphibambusa(Amphisphaeriaceae),Brunneomycosphaerella(Capnodiales genera incertae cedis),Chaetocapnodium(Capnodiaceae),Flammeascoma(Anteagloniaceae),Multiseptospora(Pleosporales genera incertae cedis),Neogaeumannomyces(Magnaporthaceae),Palmiascoma(Bambusicolaceae),Paralecia(Squamarinaceae)and Sarimanas(Melanommataceae).The newly described species are the Ascomycota Aliquandostipite manochii,Allophaeosphaeria dactylidis,A.muriformia,Alternaria cesenica,Amphibambusa bambusicola,Amphisphaeria sorbi,Annulohypoxylon thailandicum,Atrotorquata spartii,Brunneomycosphaerella laburni,Byssosphaeria musae,Camarosporium aborescentis,C.aureum,C.frutexensis,Chaetocapnodium siamensis,Chaetothyrium agathis,Colletotrichum sedi,Conicomyces pseudotransvaalensis,Cytospora berberidis,C.sibiraeae,Diaporthe thunbergiicola,Diatrype palmicola,Dictyosporium aquaticum,D.meiosporum,D.thailandicum,Didymella cirsii,Dinemasporium nelloi,Flammeascoma bambusae,Kalmusia italica,K.spartii,Keissleriella sparticola,Lauriomyces synnematicus,Leptosphaeria ebuli,Lophiostoma pseudodictyosporium,L.ravennicum,Lophiotrema eburnoides,Montagnula graminicola,Multiseptospora thailandica,Myrothecium macrosporum,Natantispora unipolaris,Neogaeumannomyces bambusicola,Neosetophoma clematidis,N.italica,Oxydothis atypica,Palmiascoma gregariascomum,Paraconiothyrium nelloi,P.thysanolaenae,Paradictyoarthrinium tectonicola,Paralecia pratorum,Paraphaeosphaeria spartii,Pestalotiopsis digitalis,P.dracontomelon,P.italiana,Phaeoisaria pseudoclematidis,Phragmocapnias philippinensis,Pseudocamarosporium cotinae,Pseudocercospora tamarindi,Pseudotrichia rubriostiolata,P.thailandica,Psiloglonium multiseptatum,Saagaromyces mangrovei,Sarimanas pseudofluviatile,S.shirakamiense,Tothia spartii,Trichomerium siamensis,Wojnowicia dactylidicola,W.dactylidis and W.lonicerae.The Basidiomycota Agaricus flavicentrus,A.hanthanaensis,A.parvibicolor,A.sodalis,Cantharellus luteostipitatus,Lactarius atrobrunneus,L.politus,Phylloporia dependens and Russula cortinarioides are also introduced.Epitypifications or reference specimens are designated for Hapalocystis berkeleyi,Meliola tamarindi,Pallidocercospora acaciigena,Phaeosphaeria musae,Plenodomus agnitus,Psiloglonium colihuae,P.sasicola and Zasmidium musae while notes and/or new sequence data are provided for Annulohypoxylon leptascum,A.nitens,A.stygium,Biscogniauxia marginata,Fasciatispora nypae,Hypoxylon fendleri,H.monticulosum,Leptosphaeria doliolum,Microsphaeropsis olivacea,Neomicrothyrium,Paraleptosphaeria nitschkei,Phoma medicaginis and Saccotheciaceae.A full description of each species is provided with light micrographs(or drawings).Molecular data is provided for 90 taxa and used to generate phylogenetic trees to establish a natural classification for species.

The Faces of Fungi database:fungal names linked with morphology,phylogeny and human impacts

Taxonomic names are key links between various databases that store information on different organisms.Several global fungal nomenclural and taxonomic databases(notably Index Fungorum,Species Fungorum and MycoBank)can be sourced to find taxonomic details about fungi,while DNA sequence data can be sourced from NCBI,EBI and UNITE databases.Although the sequence data may be linked to a name,the quality of the metadata is variable and generally there is no corresponding link to images,descriptions or herbarium material.There is generally no way to establish the accuracy of the names in these genomic databases,other than whether the submission is from a reputable source.To tackle this problem,a new database(FacesofFungi),accessible at www.facesoffungi.org(FoF)has been established.This fungal database allows deposition of taxonomic data,phenotypic details and other useful data,which will enhance our current taxonomic understanding and ultimately enable mycologists to gain better and updated insights into the current fungal classification system.In addition,the database will also allow access to comprehensive metadata including descriptions of voucher and type specimens.This database is user-friendly,providing links and easy access between taxonomic ranks,with the classification system based primarily on molecular data(from the literature and via updated web-based phylogenetic trees),and to a lesser extent on morphological data when molecular data are unavailable.In FoF species are not only linked to the closest phylogenetic representatives,but also relevant data is provided,wherever available,on various applied aspects,such as ecological,industrial,quarantine and chemical uses.The data include the three main fungal groups(Ascomycota,Basidiomycota,Basal fungi)and fungus-like organisms.The FoF webpage is an output funded by the Mushroom Research Foundation which is an NGO with seven directors with mycological expertise.The webpage has 76 curators,and with the help of these specialists,FoF will provide an updated natural classification of the fungi,with illustrated accounts of species linked to molecular data.The present paper introduces the FoF database to the scientific community and briefly reviews some of the problems associated with classification and identification of the main fungal groups.The structure and use of the database is then explained.We would like to invite all mycologists to contribute to these web pages.

Fungal diversity notes 111-252-taxonomic and phylogenetic contributions to fungal taxa

This paper is a compilation of notes on 142 fungal taxa,including five new families,20 new genera,and 100 new species,representing a wide taxonomic and geographic range.The new families,Ascocylindricaceae,Caryosporaceae and Wicklowiaceae(Ascomycota)are introduced based on their distinct lineages and unique morphology.The new Dothideomycete genera Pseudomassariosphaeria(Amniculicolaceae),Heracleicola,Neodidymella and Pseudomicrosphaeriopsis(Didymellaceae),Pseudopithomyces(Didymosphaeriaceae),Brunneoclavispora,Neolophiostoma and Sulcosporium(Halotthiaceae),Lophiohelichrysum(Lophiostomataceae),Galliicola,Populocrescentia and Vagicola(Phaeosphaeriaceae),Ascocylindrica(Ascocylindricaceae),Elongatopedicellata(Roussoellaceae),Pseudoasteromassaria(Latoruaceae)and Pseudomonodictys(Macrodiplodiopsidaceae)are introduced.The newly described species of Dothideomycetes(Ascomycota)are Pseudomassariosphaeria bromicola(Amniculicolaceae),Flammeascoma lignicola(Anteagloniaceae),Ascocylindrica marina(Ascocylindricaceae),Lembosia xyliae(Asterinaceae),Diplodia crataegicola and Diplodia galiicola(Botryosphaeriaceae),Caryospora aquatica(Caryosporaceae),Heracleicola premilcurensis and Neodidymella thailandicum(Didymellaceae),Pseudopithomyces palmicola(Didymosphaeriaceae),Floricola viticola(Floricolaceae),Brunneoclavispora bambusae,Neolophiostoma pigmentatum and Sulcosporium thailandica(Halotthiaceae),Pseudoasteromassaria fagi(Latoruaceae),Keissleriella dactylidicola(Lentitheciaceae),Lophiohelichrysum helichrysi(Lophiostomataceae),Aquasubmersa japonica(Lophiotremataceae),Pseudomonodictys tectonae(Macrodiplodiopsidaceae),Microthyrium buxicola and Tumidispora shoreae(Microthyriaceae),Alloleptosphaeria clematidis,Allophaeosphaeria cytisi,Allophaeosphaeria subcylindrospora,Dematiopleospora luzulae,Entodesmium artemisiae,Galiicola pseudophaeosphaeria,Loratospora luzulae,Nodulosphaeria senecionis,Ophiosphaerella aquaticus,Populocrescentia forlicesenensis and Vagicola vagans(Phaeosphaeriaceae),Elongatopedicellata lignicola,Roussoella magnatum and Roussoella angustior(Roussoellaceae)and Shrungabeeja longiappendiculata(Tetraploasphaeriaceae).The new combinations Pseudomassariosphaeria grandispora,Austropleospora archidendri,Pseudopithomyces chartarum,Pseudopithomyces maydicus,Pseudopithomyces sacchari,Vagicola vagans,Punctulariopsis cremeoalbida and Punctulariopsis efibulata Dothideomycetes.The new genera Dictyosporella(Annulatascaceae),and Tinhaudeus(Halosphaeriaceae)are introduced in Sordariomycetes(Ascomycota)while Dictyosporella aquatica(Annulatascaceae),Chaetosphaeria rivularia(Chaetosphaeriaceae),Beauveria gryllotalpidicola and Beauveria loeiensis(Cordycipitaceae),Seimatosporium sorbi and Seimatosporium pseudorosarum(Discosiaceae),Colletotrichum aciculare,Colletotrichum fusiforme and Colletotrichum hymenocallidicola(Glomerellaceae),Tinhaudeus formosanus(Halosphaeriaceae),Pestalotiopsis subshorea and Pestalotiopsis dracaenea(Pestalotiopsiceae),Phaeoacremonium tectonae(Togniniaceae),Cytospora parasitica and Cytospora tanaitica(Valsaceae),Annulohypoxylon palmicola,Biscogniauxia effusae and Nemania fusoideis(Xylariaceae)are introduced as novel species to order Sordariomycetes.The newly described species of Eurotiomycetes are Mycocalicium hyaloparvicellulum(Mycocaliciaceae).Acarospora septentrionalis and Acarospora castaneocarpa(Acarosporaceae),Chapsa multicarpa and Fissurina carassensis(Graphidaceae),Sticta fuscotomentosa and Sticta subfilicinella(Lobariaceae)are newly introduced in class Lecanoromycetes.In class Pezizomycetes,Helvella pseudolacunosa and Helvella rugosa(Helvellaceae)are introduced as new species.The new families,Dendrominiaceae and Neoantrodiellaceae(Basidiomycota)are introduced together with a new genus Neoantrodiella(Neoantrodiellaceae),here based on both morphology coupled with molecular data.In the class Agaricomycetes,Agaricus pseudolangei,Agaricus haematinus,Agaricus atrodiscus and Agaricus exilissimus(Agaricaceae),Amanita melleialba,Amanita pseudosychnopyramis and Amanita subparvipantherina(Amanitaceae),Entoloma calabrum,Cora barbulata,Dictyonema gomezianum and Inocybe granulosa(Inocybaceae),Xerocomellus sarnarii(Boletaceae),Cantharellus eucalyptorum,Cantharellus nigrescens,Cantharellus tricolor and Cantharellus variabilicolor(Cantharellaceae),Cortinarius alboamarescens,Cortinarius brunneoalbus,Cortinarius ochroamarus,Cortinarius putorius and Cortinarius seidlii(Cortinariaceae),Hymenochaete micropora and Hymenochaete subporioides(Hymenochaetaceae),Xylodon ramicida(Schizoporaceae),Colospora andalasii(Polyporaceae),Russula guangxiensis and Russula hakkae(Russulaceae),Tremella dirinariae,Tremella graphidis and Tremella pyrenulae(Tremellaceae)are introduced.Four new combinations Neoantrodiella gypsea,Neoantrodiella thujae(Neoantrodiellaceae),Punctulariopsis cremeoalbida,Punctulariopsis efibulata(Punctulariaceae)are also introduced here for the division Basidiomycota.Furthermore Absidia caatinguensis,Absidia koreana and Gongronella koreana(Cunninghamellaceae),Mortierella pisiformis and Mortierella formosana(Mortierellaceae)are newly introduced in the Zygomycota,while Neocallimastix cameroonii and Piromyces irregularis(Neocallimastigaceae)are introduced in the Neocallimastigomycota.Reference specimens or changes in classification and notes are provided for Alternaria ethzedia,Cucurbitaria ephedricola,Austropleospora,Austropleospora archidendri,Byssosphaeria rhodomphala,Lophiostoma caulium,Pseudopithomyces maydicus,Massariosphaeria,Neomassariosphaeria and Pestalotiopsis montellica.

Fungal diversity notes 253-366:taxonomic and phylogenetic contributions to fungal taxa

Notes on 113 fungal taxa are compiled in this paper,including 11 new genera,89 new species,one new subspecies,three new combinations and seven reference specimens.Awide geographic and taxonomic range of fungal taxa are detailed.In the Ascomycota the new genera Angustospora(Testudinaceae),Camporesia(Xylariaceae),Clematidis,Crassiparies(Pleosporales genera incertae sedis),Farasanispora,Longiostiolum(Pleosporales genera incertae sedis),Multilocularia(Parabambusicolaceae),Neophaeocryptopus(Dothideaceae),Parameliola(Pleosporales genera incertae sedis),and Towyspora(Lentitheciaceae)are introduced.Newly introduced species are Angustospora nilensis,Aniptodera aquibella,Annulohypoxylon albidiscum,Astrocystis thailandica,Camporesia sambuci,Clematidis italica,Colletotrichum menispermi,C.quinquefoliae,Comoclathris pimpinellae,Crassiparies quadrisporus,Cytospora salicicola,Diatrype thailandica,Dothiorella rhamni,Durotheca macrostroma,Farasanispora avicenniae,Halorosellinia rhizophorae,Humicola koreana,Hypoxylon lilloi,Kirschsteiniothelia tectonae,Lindgomyces okinawaensis,Longiostiolum tectonae,Lophiostoma pseudoarmatisporum,Moelleriella phukhiaoensis,M.pongdueatensis,Mucoharknessia anthoxanthi,Multilocularia bambusae,Multiseptospora thysanolaenae,Neophaeocryptopus cytisi,Ocellularia arachchigei,O.ratnapurensis,Ochronectria thailandica,Ophiocordyceps karstii,Parameliola acaciae,P.dimocarpi,Parastagonospora cumpignensis,Pseudodidymosphaeria phlei,Polyplosphaeria thailandica,Pseudolachnella brevifusiformis,Psiloglonium macrosporum,Rhabdodiscus albodenticulatus,Rosellinia chiangmaiensis,Saccothecium rubi,Seimatosporium pseudocornii,S.pseudorosae,Sigarispora ononidis and Towyspora aestuari.New combinations are provided for Eutiarosporella dactylidis(sexual morph described and illus trated)and Pseudocamarosporium pini.Descriptions,illustrations and/or reference specimens are designated for Aposphaeria corallinolutea,Cryptovalsa ampelina,Dothiorella vidmadera,Ophiocordyceps formosana,Petrakia echinata,Phragmoporthe conformis and Pseudocamarosporium pini.The new species of Basidiomycota are Agaricus coccyginus,A.luteofibrillosus,Amanita atrobrunnea,A.digitosa,A.gleocystidiosa,A.pyriformis,A.strobilipes,Bondarzewia tibetica,Cortinarius albosericeus,C.badioflavidus,C.dentigratus,C.duboisensis,C.fragrantissimus,C.roseobasilis,C.vinaceobrunneus,C.vinaceogrisescens,C.wahkiacus,Cyanoboletus hymenoglutinosus,Fomitiporia atlantica,F.subtilissima,Ganoderma wuzhishanensis,Inonotus shoreicola,Lactifluus armeniacus,L.ramipilosus,Leccinum indoaurantiacum,Musumecia alpina,M.sardoa,Russula amethystina subp.tengii and R.wangii are introduced.Descriptions,illustrations,notes and/or reference specimens are designated for Clarkeinda trachodes,Dentocorticium ussuricum,Galzinia longibasidia,Lentinus stuppeus and Leptocorticium tenellum.The other new genera,species new combinations are Anaeromyces robustus,Neocallimastix californiae and Piromyces finnis from Neocallimastigomycota,Phytophthora estuarina,P.rhizophorae,Salispina,S.intermedia,S.lobata and S.spinosa from Oomycota,and Absidia stercoraria,Gongronella orasabula,Mortierella calciphila,Mucor caatinguensis,M.koreanus,M.merdicola and Rhizopus koreanus in Zygomycota.

Classification of marine Ascomycota,Basidiomycota,Blastocladiomycota and Chytridiomycota

This paper lists the accepted names and classification of marine fungi,updating the scheme presented in 2009.The classification includes 1,112 species(in 472 genera):Ascomycota 805(in 352 genera),Basidiomycota 21 species(in 17 genera),Chytridiomycota and related phyla 26 species(in 13 genera),Zygomycota three(in two genera),Blastocladiomycota one species(one genus),asexual morphs of filamentous fungi 43(in 26 genera);and marine yeasts:Ascomycota 138 species(in 35 genera),Basidiomycota 75 species(in 26 genera).These fungi belong to 129 families and 65 orders.The Halosphaeriaceae remains the largest family of marine fungi with 141 species in 59 genera,while the most specious genera are Aspergillus(47 species),Penicillium(39 species)and the yeast genus Candida(64 species).The review includes details of recent higher order nomenclature changes,and accounts of new families,genera and species described over the past 5 years.

Families of Sordariomycetes

Sordariomycetes is one of the largest classes of Ascomycota that comprises a highly diverse range of fungi characterized mainly by perithecial ascomata and inoperculate unitunicate asci.The class includes many important plant pathogens,as well as endophytes,saprobes,epiphytes,coprophilous and fungicolous,lichenized or lichenicolous taxa.They occur in terrestrial,freshwater and marine habitats worldwide.This paper reviews the 107 families of the class Sordariomycetes and provides a modified backbone tree based on phylogenetic analysis of four combined loci,with a maximum five representative taxa from each family,where available.This paper brings together for the first time,since Barrs’1990 Prodromus,descriptions,notes on the history,and plates or illustrations of type or representative taxa of each family,a list of accepted genera,including asexual genera and a key to these taxa of Sordariomycetes.Delineation of taxa is supported where possible by molecular data.The outline is based on literature to the end of 2015 and the Sordariomycetes now comprises six subclasses,32 orders,105 families and 1331 genera.The family Obryzaceae and Pleurotremataceae are excluded from the class.

Naming and outline of Dothideomycetes-2014 including proposals for the protection or suppression of generic names

Article 59.1,of the International Code of Nomenclature for Algae,Fungi,and Plants(ICN;Melbourne Code),which addresses the nomenclature of pleomorphic fungi,became effective from 30 July 2011.Since that date,each fungal species can have one nomenclaturally correct name in a particular classification.All other previously used names for this species will be considered as synonyms.The older generic epithet takes priority over the younger name.Any widely used younger names proposed for use,must comply with Art.57.2 and their usage should be approved by the Nomenclature Committee for Fungi(NCF).In this paper,we list all genera currently accepted by us in Dothideomycetes(belonging to 23 orders and 110 families),including pleomorphic and nonpleomorphic genera.In the case of pleomorphic genera,we follow the rulings of the current ICN and propose single generic names for future usage.The taxonomic placements of 1261 genera are listed as an outline.Protected names and suppressed names for 34 pleomorphic genera are listed separately.Notes and justifications are provided for possible proposed names after the list of genera.Notes are also provided on recent advances in our understanding of asexual and sexual morph linkages in Dothideomycetes.A phylogenetic tree based on four gene analyses supported 23 orders and 75 families,while 35 families still lack molecular data.

An online resource for marine fungi

Index Fungorum,Species Fungorum and MycoBank are the key fungal nomenclature and taxonomic databases that can be sourced to find taxonomic details concerning fungi,while DNA sequence data can be sourced from the NCBI,EBI and UNITE databases.Nomenclature and ecological data on freshwater fungi can be accessed on http://fungi.life.illinois.edu/,while http://www.marinespecies.org/provides a comprehensive list of names of marine organisms,including information on their synonymy.Previous websites however have little information on marine fungi and their ecology,beside articles that deal with marine fungi,especially those published in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries may not be accessible to those working in third world countries.To address this problem,a new website www.marinefungi.org was set up and is introduced in this paper.This website provides a search facility to genera of marine fungi,full species descriptions,key to species and illustrations,an up to date classification of all recorded marine fungi which includes all fungal groups(Ascomycota,Basidiomycota,Blastocladiomycota,Chytridiomycota,Mucoromycota and fungus-like organisms e.g.Thraustochytriales),and listing recent publications.Currently,1257 species are listed in the marine fungi website(www.marinefungi.org),in 539 genera,74 orders,168 families,20 classes and five phyla,with new taxa continuing to be described.The website has curators with specialist mycological expertise who help to provide update data on the classification of marine fungi.This article also reviews knowledge of marine fungi covering a wide range of topics:their higher classification,ecology and world distribution,role in energy transfer in the oceans,origin and new chemical structures.An updated classification of marine fungi is also included.We would like to invite all mycologists to contribute to this innovative website.