Polycephalomycetaceae,a new family of clavicipitoid fungi segregates from Ophiocordycipitaceae

Clavicipitoid fungi comprise three families,namely Clavicipitaceae,Cordycipitaceae,and Ophiocordycipitaceae.They are found worldwide and are specialized pathogens of invertebrate,plant and fungal hosts.Over the last decade,morphology-and phylogeny-based studies on clavicipitoid fungi have increased.The latter have revealed that Polycephalomyces,Perennicordyceps and Pleurocordyceps consistently cluster together.These genera are currently considered as members of Ophiocordycipitaceae.Nonetheless,information with regard to their diversity and ecology remains sparse.To fill this gap,we collected 29 fresh specimens from insect and fungal substrates from tropical and subtropical evergreen forests in Thailand and southwestern China.We performed detailed morphological analyses and constructed photoplates for all isolated fungi.We used extensive taxon sampling and a dataset comprising internal transcribed spacer gene region(ITS),small subunit ribosomal RNA gene region(SSU),large subunit rRNA gene region(LSU),translation elongation factor 1-alpha gene region(TEF-1α),RNA polymerase II largest subunit gene region(RPB1)and RNA polymerase II second largest subunit(RPB2)to infer order-,family and genus-level phylogenetic trees.Based on these biphasic analyses,we segregate Polycephalomyces,Perennicordyceps,and Pleurocordyceps from Ophiocordycipitaceae and introduce the new family Polycephalomycetaceae to accomodate these three genera.The majority of species in this family have a vast range of insect and fungal hosts.The sexual morph of Polycephalomycetaceae has stromatic ascomata,long stipes,thick peridium,and cylindrical secondary spores.The asexual morph is characterized by colonies on the host surface or synnemata with stipes on the host,one or two types of phialides,and cylindrical to fusiform conidia.We expand the number of taxa in the new family by introducing seven new species(Polycephalomyces albiramus,Perennicordyceps lutea,Pleurocordyceps parvicapitata,Pleurocordyceps lanceolatus,Pleurocordyceps nutansis,Pleurocordyceps heilongtanensis,Pleurocordyceps vitellina),nine new hosts,and one new combination(Perennicordyceps elaphomyceticola).The results herein hint at a high level of diversity for Polycephalomycetaceae.Future investigations focusing on obtaining additional collections and specimens from different geographical areas would help to reveal not only the extent of the group’s diversity,but also resolve its deeper phylogenetic placement.

Profile of Bionectriaceae,Calcarisporiaceae,Hypocreaceae,Nectriaceae,Tilachlidiaceae,Ijuhyaceae fam.nov.,Stromatonectriaceae fam.nov.and Xanthonectriaceae fam.nov

This paper provides outlines for Bionectriaceae,Calcarisporiaceae,Hypocreaceae,Nectriaceae,Tilachlidiaceae,Ijuhy-aceae,Stromatonectriaceae and Xanthonectriaceae with taxonomic treatments.We provide up-to-date DNA sequence-based phylogenies including combined gene analysis of ITS,LSU,rpb2,tef1 and tub2 for Hypocreales and accept 17 families.Three new families and 12 new species are introduced with descriptions and illustrations,while 13 new records and one new species combination are provided.Here we mainly detail the taxonomy of Bionectriaceae,Hypocreaceae,Nectriaceae and Tilachlidiaceae,Ijuhyaceae fam.nov.,Stromatonectriaceae fam.nov.and Xanthonectriaceae fam.nov.are introduced in this study based on phenotypic and molecular analyses.For each family we provide a list of accepted genera,the taxo-nomic history,morphological descriptions,taxonomic placement based on DNA sequence data and illustrate the type genus.Representatives of each family are illustrated based on the type herbarium material or fresh specimens where available,or provide relevant references.Notes on ecological and economic importance of the families are also given.

Diatrypella macrospora,a new host and geographical record from Forlì-Cesena,Italy

During a microfungi survey in the Province of Forlì-Cesena,Italy,a diatrypaceous taxon was collected on a dead branch of Quercus cerris(Fagaceae,Fagales).Phylogenetic analyses of combined ITS andβ-tubulin sequence data identified the taxon as Diatrypella macrospora.This represents a new host and geographical record for D.macrospora.This new collection is similar to the holotype,but differs in having shorter perithecial necks and smaller ascospores with marked curvature.In this account,a detailed description,colour photographs and phylogenetic analyses are provided to represent the new record of D.macrospora.

Species concepts of Dothideomycetes:classification,phylogenetic inconsistencies and taxonomic standardization

The species is one of the basic units of biological classification.Both species concepts and recognition are essential topics in taxonomic studies and other biological research.In the first part of this review,we briefly discuss the taxonomic history of the class Dothideomycetes.In the second part of the paper,we review four commonly used species concepts,focusing on morphological,ecological,biological and phylogenetic criteria and their applicability in the taxonomy of Dothideomycetes.The application and utility of the four criteria is discussed with examples in the genera Ascochyta,Cercospora and Neofu-sicoccum.Some problems and challenges of studying Dothideomycetes are analyzed and basic guidelines for classifying species under the above criteria are provided.

Evolution of freshwater Diaporthomycetidae(Sordariomycetes)provides evidence for five new orders and six new families

Cancellidium is a remarkable fungal genus which has been collected from wood submerged in freshwater and has unique conidia that are important in dispersal in running streams.With such a remarkable morphology,one would have expected it to be a distinct family or order.However,due to the dearth of molecular evidence in related taxa,this genus has previ-ously been placed in the order Hypocreales,subclass Hypocreomycetidae of Sordariomycetes.In this study,we made three new collections of this remarkable aquatic genus from streams in China and Thailand,isolated them into culture,extracted DNA and carried out multigene phylogenetic analysis and divergence time estimation which placed the genus in Diaporthomycetidae.This is one of the seven subclasses of Sordariomycetes and contains 30 lineages that are only known from freshwater.The subclass is therefore of interest when considering the evolution of freshwater fungi.Several lineages of Diaporthomycetidae are morphologically unique and taxa cluster with strong support,but have weak support at the base of the trees.The phylogenetic and MCC trees generated in this study indicate that Aquapteridospora,Barbatosphaeriaceae,Bullimyces,Cancellidium,Ceratolenta,Conlarium,Phialemoniopsis,Pseudostanjehughesia and Rhamphoriaceae are distinct genera/families that evolved in the family/order time frame.The new orders Barbatosphaeriales(177 MYA),Cancellidiales(137 MYA),Ceratolentales(147 MYA),Conlariales(138 MYA)and Rhamphoriales(133 MYA)and six new families,Aquapteridosporaceae(110 MYA),Cancellidiaceae(137 MYA),Ceratolentaceae(81 MYA),Bullimycetaceae(81 MYA),Phialemoniopsaceae(59 MYA),and Pseudostanjehughesiaceae(111 MYA)are introduced with evidence from phylogenies,divergence estimates and distinct morphologies.Of these families,Aquapteridosporaceae,Cancellidiaceae,Bullimycetaceae,and Pseudostanjehughesiaceae are only known from freshwater.

The numbers of fungi: is the descriptive curve flattening?

The recent realistic estimate of fungal numbers which used various algorithms was between 2.2 and 3.8 million.There are nearly 100,000 accepted species of Fungi and fungus-like taxa,which is between 2.6 and 4.5%of the estimated species.Several forums such as Botanica Marina series,Fungal Diversity notes,Fungal Biodiversity Profiles,Fungal Systematics and Evolution-New and Interesting Fungi,Mycosphere notes and Fungal Planet have enhanced the introduction of new taxa and nearly 2000 species have been introduced in these publications in the last decade.The need to define a fungal species more accurately has been recognized,but there is much research needed before this can be better clarified.We address the evidence that is needed to estimate the numbers of fungi and address the various advances that have been made towards its understanding.Some genera are barely known,whereas some plant pathogens comprise numerous species complexes and numbers are steadily increasing.In this paper,we examine ten genera as case studies to establish trends in fungal description and introduce new species in each genus.The genera are the ascomycetes Colletotrichum and Pestalotiopsis(with many species or complexes),Atrocalyx,Dothiora,Lignosphaeria,Okeanomyces,Rhamphoriopsis,Thozetella,Thyrostroma(rela-tively poorly studied genera)and the basidiomycete genus Lepiota.We provide examples where knowledge is incomplete or lacking and suggest areas needing further research.These include(1)the need to establish what is a species,(2)the need to establish how host-specific fungi are,not in highly disturbed urban areas,but in pristine or relatively undisturbed forests,and(3)the need to establish if species in different continents,islands,countries or regions are different,or if the same fungi occur worldwide?Finally,we conclude whether we are anywhere near to flattening the curve in new species description.

Species diversity of Basidiomycota

Fungi are eukaryotes that play essential roles in ecosystems.Among fungi,Basidiomycota is one of the major phyla with more than 40,000 described species.We review species diversity of Basidiomycota from five groups with different lifestyles or habitats:saprobic in grass/forest litter,wood-decaying,yeast-like,ectomycorrhizal,and plant parasitic.Case studies of Agaricus,Cantharellus,Ganoderma,Gyroporus,Russula,Tricholoma,and groups of lichenicolous yeast-like fungi,rust fungi,and smut fungi are used to determine trends in discovery of biodiversity.In each case study,the number of new species published during 2009–2020 is analysed to determine the rate of discovery.Publication rates differ between taxa and reflect different states of progress for species discovery in different genera.The results showed that lichenicolous yeast-like taxa had the highest publication rate for new species in the past two decades,and it is likely this trend will continue in the next decade.The species discovery rate of plant parasitic basidiomycetes was low in the past ten years,and remained constant in the past 50 years.We also found that the establishment of comprehensive and robust taxonomic systems based on a joint global initiative by mycologists could promote and standardize the recognition of taxa.We estimated that more than 54,000 species of Basidiomycota will be discovered by 2030,and estimate a total of 1.4–4.2 million species of Basidiomycota glob-ally.These numbers illustrate a huge gap between the described and yet unknown diversity in Basidiomycota.

Biphasic taxonomic approaches for generic relatedness and phylogenetic relationships of Teichosporaceae

The placement of the dothideomycetous family Teichosporaceae has been controversial.Recent phylogenetic investigations have used a taxonomic lumping approach with the Floricolaceae and its genera have been synonymized under the earlier fam-ily name,Teichosporaceae.Intergeneric relationships were therefore obscure and proper generic delimitation was needed in upcoming studies.We here taxonomically revised the family Teichosporaceae based on both morphological and phylogenetic evidence.Teichosporaceae species have immersed or semi-immersed,erumpent to superficial,ostiolate ascomata,cellular or trabeculate pseudoparaphyses,cylindrical to oblong or sub-clavate asci and ellipsoid to oblong or fusiform,cylindric-fusiform or oblong to elliptical,ovoid to clavate,symmetric or asymmetric,initially hyaline or pale brown to dark brown or yellowish brown,1-3-septate or muriform ascospores.Asexual morphs are coelomycetous.Type or representative speci-mens of Teichosporaceae were loaned and fresh specimens were collected from China and Thailand.Maximum likelihood and Bayesian analyses of a combined ITS,LSU,SSU,tef1-αand rpb2 dataset were performed to clarify the phylogenetic affinities of taxa and examine monophyly of newly proposed genera.One new species(Floricola festucae),one new host record(Ramusculicola thailandica)and four new combinations(Aurantiascoma nephelii,A.quercus,Magnibotryascoma acaciae,M.melanommoides)are introduced.The broad genus concept of Teichospora is dismissed based on morphological dissimilarities and the monophyletic status of the proposed genera.We accept Asymmetrispora,Aurantiascoma,Floricola,Magnibotryascoma,Misturatosphaeria,Pseudoaurantiascoma,Pseudomisturatosphaeria,Ramusculicola and Teichospora as distinct genera in the Teichosporaceae.All recognized genera are phenotypically characterized and phylogenetically well-supported.The phylogenetic placements of three genera(Chaetomastia,Loculohypoxylon and Sinodidymella),which do not have molecular data cannot be conclusively clarified at present,but are still placed in Teichosporaceae for future studies.

What is a species in fungal plant pathogens?

Scientific names are crucial for communicating knowledge concerning fungi and fungus-like organisms.In plant pathology,they link information regarding biology,host range,distribution and potential risk to agriculture and food security.In the past,delimitation among pathogenic taxa was primarily based on morphological characteristics.Due to distinct species sharing overlapping characteristics,the morphological identification of species is often neither straightforward nor reliable.Hence,the phylogenetic species concept based on molecular phylogenetic reconstructions gained importance.The present opinion discusses what a fungal species is and how identification of species in plant pathology has changed over the past decades.In this context,host-specialization and species complexes are discussed.Furthermore,species concepts in plant pathology are examined using case studies from Bipolaris,Colletotrichum,Curvularia,Diaporthe,Diplodia,Meliola,Plasmopara,rust fungi and Trichoderma.Each entry contains a brief introduction to the genus,concepts used in species identification so far and the problems in describing a species followed by recommendations.The importance of correctly naming and identifying a species is addressed in the context of recent introductions,and we also discuss whether the introduction of new species in pathogenic genera has been overestimated.We also provide guidelines to be considered when introducing a new species in a plant pathogenic genus.

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

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

Freshwater Dothideomycetes

Freshwater Dothideomycetes are a highly diverse group of fungi,which are mostly saprobic in freshwater habitats world-wide.They are important decomposers of submerged woody debris and leaves in water.In this paper,we outline the genera of freshwater Dothideomycetes with notes and keys to species.Based on multigene analyses and morphology,we introduce nine new genera,viz.Aquimassariosphaeria,Aquatospora,Aquihelicascus,Fusiformiseptata,Neohelicascus,Neojahnula,Pseudojahnula,Purpureofaciens,Submersispora;33 new species,viz.Acrocalymma bipolare,Aquimassariosphaeria kun-mingensis,Aquatospora cylindrica,Aquihelicascus songkhlaensis,A.yunnanensis,Ascagilis submersa,A.thailandensis,Bambusicola aquatica,Caryospora submersa,Dictyocheirospora thailandica,Fusiformiseptata crocea,Helicosporium thai-landense,Hongkongmyces aquaticus,Lentistoma aquaticum,Lentithecium kunmingense,Lindgomyces aquaticus,Longipedi-cellata aquatica,Neohelicascus submersus,Neohelicomyces dehongensis,N.thailandicus,Neohelicosporium submersum,Nigrograna aquatica,Occultibambusa kunmingensis,Parabambusicola aquatica,Pseudoasteromassaria aquatica,Pseu-doastrosphaeriella aquatica,Pseudoxylomyces aquaticus,Purpureofaciens aquatica,Roussoella aquatica,Shrungabeeja aquatica,Submersispora variabilis,Tetraploa puzheheiensis,T.yunnanensis;16 new combinations,viz.Aquimassariospha-eria typhicola,Aquihelicascus thalassioideus,Ascagilis guttulaspora,A.queenslandica,A.seychellensis,A.sunyatsenii,Ernakulamia xishuangbannaensis,Neohelicascus aquaticus,N.chiangraiensis,N.egyptiacus,N.elaterascus,N.gallicus,N.unilocularis,N.uniseptatus,Neojahnula australiensis,Pseudojahnula potamophila;17 new geographical and habitat records,viz.Aliquandostipite khaoyaiensis,Aquastroma magniostiolata,Caryospora aquatica,C.quercus,Dendryphiella vinosa,Ernakulamia cochinensis,Fissuroma neoaggregatum,Helicotruncatum palmigenum,Jahnula rostrata,Neorous-soella bambusae,N.leucaenae,Occultibambusa pustula,Paramonodictys solitarius,Pleopunctum pseudoellipsoideum,Pseudocapulatispora longiappendiculata,Seriascoma didymosporum,Shrungabeeja vadirajensis and ten new collections from China and Thailand,viz.Amniculicola guttulata,Aquaphila albicans,Berkleasmium latisporum,Clohesyomyces aquati-cus,Dictyocheirospora rotunda,Flabellascoma fusiforme,Pseudoastrosphaeriella bambusae,Pseudoxylomyces elegans,Tubeufia aquatica and T.cylindrothecia.Dendryphiella phitsanulokensis and Tubeufia roseohelicospora are synonymized with D.vinosa and T.tectonae,respectively.Six orders,43 families and 145 genera which belong to freshwater Dothideo-mycetes are reviewed.Of these,46 genera occur exclusively in freshwater habitats.A world map illustrates the distribution of freshwater Dothideomycetes.

Delimiting species in Basidiomycota:a review

Species delimitation is one of the most fundamental processes in biology.Biodiversity undertakings,for instance,require explicit species concepts and criteria for species delimitation in order to be relevant and translatable.However,a perfect species concept does not exist for Fungi.Here,we review the species concepts commonly used in Basidiomycota,the second largest phylum of Fungi that contains some of the best known species of mushrooms,rusts,smuts,and jelly fungi.In general,best practice is to delimitate species,publish new taxa,and conduct taxonomic revisions based on as many independent lines of evidence as possible,that is,by applying a so-called unifying(or integrative)conceptual framework.However,the types of data used vary considerably from group to group.For this reason we discuss the different classes of Basidiomycota,and for each provide:(i)a general introduction with difficulties faced in species recognition,(ii)species concepts and methods for species delimitation,and(iii)community recommendations and conclusions.

Appressorial interactions with host and their evolution

Fungi have evolved diverse strategies to acquire nutrients as endophytes,saprobes,symbionts,or pathogens.Appressoria have been intensively studied due to their importance in attaching and breaching the host surface.These specialized infection structures have evolved into various morpho-types:proto-appressoria,hyaline appressoria,melanized(dark)appressoria,and compound appressoria.In this review,we discuss the differences in the formation,differentiation,and function of appres-soria among fungi with diverse life strategies.Using DNA sequence information,LSU,5.8S,SSU and rpb2 gene fragments,we reconstructed the ancestral states for appressorial types in the main phyla of fungi and fungus-like organisms and found that the hyaline appressoria was the most ancestral form.Our analysis estimated proto-appressoria diversification during the Mesozoic period(92-239 million years ago),however,its origin remains inconclusive.Our data suggest that these hyaline appressoria diversified into melanized or compound appressoria,with evidence of adaptive radiation.

Ten decadal advances in fungal biology leading towards human well‑being

Fungi are an understudied resource possessing huge potential for developing products that can greatly improve human well-being.In the current paper,we highlight some important discoveries and developments in applied mycology and interdisciplinary Life Science research.These examples concern recently introduced drugs for the treatment of infections and neurological diseases;application of–OMICS techniques and genetic tools in medical mycology and the regulation of mycotoxin production;as well as some highlights of mushroom cultivaton in Asia.Examples for new diagnostic tools in medical mycology and the exploitation of new candidates for therapeutic drugs,are also given.In addition,two entries illustrating the latest developments in the use of fungi for biodegradation and fungal biomaterial production are provided.Some other areas where there have been and/or will be significant developments are also included.It is our hope that this paper will help realise the importance of fungi as a potential industrial resource and see the next two decades bring forward many new fungal and fungus-derived products.