Phylogenetic insights resolve Dacampiaceae(Pleosporales)as polyphyletic:Didymocyrtis(Pleosporales,Phaeosphaeriaceae)with Phoma-like anamorphs resurrected and segregated from Polycoccum(Trypetheliales,Polycoccaceae fam.nov.)

A phylogenetic analysis of nuLSU and ITS sequences representing genera previously included in Dacampiaceae indicates that the family is strongly polyphyletic and that the type species of Dacampia is placed in Pleosporales.The genus Munkovalsaria s.str.is placed in Didymosphaeriaceae(Pleosporales).Polycoccum s.str.and two species of Clypeococcum are shown to form a new lineage sister to the Trypetheliaceae in Trypetheliales and described here as Polycoccaceae.Other members of Polycoccum s.lat.are included in the Pleosporales and are closely related to lichenicolous Phoma-like species of the family Phaeosphaeriaceae.The genus Didymocyrtis is resurrected for these species and for lichenicolous species previously assigned to Diederichia,Diederichomyces,Leptosphaeria and Phoma.The genera Diederichia and Diederichomyces are synonymized with Didymocyrtis.The new combinations Didymocyrtis bryonthae,D.cladoniicola,D.foliaceiphila,D.infestans,D.kaernefeltii,D.melanelixiae,D.pseudeverniae,D.ramalinae,D.slaptoniensis and D.xanthomendozae are made,and the new name D.epiphyscia is introduced for Phoma physciicola.Some anamorph-teleomorph relationships are resolved,such as Didymocyrtis ramalinae–Phoma ficuzzae and Didymocyrtis consimilis–Phoma caloplacae,the phylogenetic results being supported by single ascospore cultures that lead to the asexual stage producing pycnidia and conidia in culture.Speciation by host switching is assumed to be important in the genus Didymocyrtis.An identification key to Didymocyrtis species is provided.

Molecular data resolve a new order of Arthoniomycetes sister to the primarily lichenized Arthoniales and composed of black yeasts, lichenicolous and rock-inhabiting species

Lichenicolous fungi belonging to the anamorphtypified genus Phaeosporobolus and to the teleomorph-typified genus Lichenostigma were isolated in pure culture or sequenced directly,with nuLSU and mtSSU sequences obtained.Phylogenetic analyses place the species of Phaeosporobolusin a strongly supported clade with the generic type of Lichenostigma(L.maureri),the genus Phaeococcomyces and several melanized rock-inhabiting isolates.This strongly supported nonlichenized lineage is sister to the primarily lichenized Arthoniales in the Arthoniomycetes and is here described as the Lichenostigmatales.The new order is characterized by cells multiplying by budding,either representing black yeasts,or species in which conidiomata and ascomata are entirely made of an organised agglomeration of spherical yeast-like cells.This way of life is not only very different from all other Arthoniomycetes that exist only in the mycelial stage,but ascomata and conidiomata representing a dense and organised agglomeration of yeast cells might be unique amongst fungi.A further difference with the Arthoniales is the absence of paraphysoids.Phylogenetic results suggest that Phaeosporobolus usneae is the asexual stage of Lichenostigma maureri.Most species of Phaeosporobolus are transferred to the genus Lichenostigma except P.trypethelii,for which the new genus Etayoa is described.The genus Diederimyces is reduced into synonymy with Lichenostigma.Several other members of Lichenostigma are placed in the Dothideomycetes and are intermixed with Lichenothelia species.

Molecular data place the hyphomycetous lichenicolous genus Sclerococcum close to Dactylospora (Eurotiomycetes) and S. parmeliae in Cladophialophora (Chaetothyriales)

The lichenicolous anamorphic fungus Sclerococcum parmeliae was isolated in pure culture,and ITS,nuLSU and mtSSU sequences were obtained from these isolates.For comparison,sequences from S.sphaerale,the generic type,were obtained directly from freshly collected specimens.Phylogenetic analyses place S.sphaerale with species of Dactylospora and an unidentified lichen-inhabiting isolate in a strongly supported clade that is sister to a lineage comprising members of the Chaetothyriales and Pyrenulales.In contrast,S.parmeliae is inferred as a member of the Herpotrichiellaceae(Chaetothyriales)and belongs to a robustly supported clade that also includes species of Cladophialophora,Capronia semiimmersa,and Phialophora verrucosa.Within the Herpotrichiellaceae,S.parmeliae most closely resembles members of the anamorph genus Cladophialophora.Accordingly,we propose the transfer of S.parmeliae and the morphologically similar species S.cladoniae,S.hawksworthii and S.normandinae to Cladophialophora.A new lichenicolous species,Clad.megalosporae,collected twice on Megalospora in Florida and Papua New Guinea,is also described.

Briancoppinsia,a new coelomycetous genus of Arthoniaceae(Arthoniales)for the lichenicolous Phoma cytospora,with a key to this and similar taxa

Morphological,anatomical,chemical and molecular data suggest that a relatively common lichenicolous coelomycete on Lecanora conizaeoides is conspecific with Phoma cytospora,previously known only from parmelioid lichens,and that further populations on Cladonia and Pertusaria belong to the same species.This species is distinguished from Phoma by several taxonomically important characters and obviously represents a previously unrecognized genus,for which the name Briancoppinsia is introduced.Phylogenetic analyses using nuLSU and mtSSU sequences of isolates obtained in pure culture suggest that the new genus belongs to the Arthoniaceae(Arthoniales).This is the first obligate lichenicolous,non-lichenized anamorph confirmed to belong to the Arthoniales based on molecular data.

Families of Dothideomycetes

Dothideomycetes comprise a highly diverse range of fungi characterized mainly by asci with two wall layers(bitunicate asci)and often with fissitunicate dehiscence.Many species are saprobes,with many asexual states comprising important plant pathogens.They are also endophytes,epiphytes,fungicolous,lichenized,or lichenicolous fungi.They occur in terrestrial,freshwater and marine habitats in almost every part of the world.We accept 105 families in Dothideomycetes with the new families Anteagloniaceae,Bambusicolaceae,Biatriosporaceae,Lichenoconiaceae,Muyocopronaceae,Paranectriellaceae,Roussoellaceae,Salsugineaceae,Seynesiopeltidaceae and Thyridariaceae introduced in this paper.Each family is provided with a description and notes,including asexual and asexual states,and if more than one genus is included,the type genus is also characterized.Each family is provided with at least one figure-plate,usually illustrating the type genus,a list of accepted genera,including asexual genera,and a key to these genera.A phylogenetic tree based on four gene combined analysis add support for 64 of the families and 22 orders,including the novel orders,Dyfrolomycetales,Lichenoconiales,Lichenotheliales,Monoblastiales,Natipusillales,Phaeotrichales and Strigulales.The paper is expected to provide a working document on Dothideomycetes which can be modified as new data comes to light.It is hoped that by illustrating types we provide stimulation and interest so that more work is carried out in this remarkable group of fungi.

Phylogenetic placement of lichenicolous Phoma species in the Phaeosphaeriaceae(Pleosporales,Dothideomycetes)

More than twenty species of lichenicolous fungi have been described in Phoma,a large anamorphic genus of primarily plant-associated pathogens with broad geographic distributions.We obtained nuclear and mitochondrial rDNA sequences from 19 fungal cultures isolated from specimens representing four described and two undescribed lichenicolous species in the genus.Our multilocus phylogeny indicates that lichenicolous Phoma species represent at least two phylogenetically distinct clades in the Phaeosphaeriaceae,one including a new species,Phoma puncteliae,isolated from a specimen of Punctelia rudecta collected inMaryland,USA,and another group of primarily lichenicolous species.This latter group includes four described lichenicolous Phoma species,an unidentified melanized rock fungus,and a new lichenicolous Phoma species isolated from Xanthomendoza species collected in Canada that we are naming P.xanthomendozae.Some specimens in this clade collected from different lichen genera and species were found to be very similar genetically,which calls into question the recent practice of recognizing lichenicolous Phoma species mainly by differences in host preference.

Taxonomy and phylogeny of dematiaceous coelomycetes

t Coelomycetous fungi are an artificial taxonomic group which produce conidia inside a cavity i.e.conidiomata.Coelomycetes comprise about,1000 genera and 7000 species,which can be endophytic,pathogenic or saprobic.Traditional classification of coelomycetes was previously based on morphology,such as the shape of conidiomata and mode of conidiogenesis,while it was treated as a distinct group i.e.Deuteromycotina.Sequence based taxonomic studies has been used to accommodate asexual fungi in a natural classification system,resolve generic boundaries of polyphyletic genera and species complexes,as well as establish asexual-sexual links.Nevertheless,most of genera lack sequence data,thus,morphology based identification is still important when introducing new genera or species.In this paper we illustrate,describe,and provide taxonomic notes for 235 dematiaceous coelomycetous genera,including five new genera viz.Apiculospora,Didymellocamarosporium,Melanocamarosporium,Melnikia and Paulkirkia.Phylogenetic analyses of combined sequence data are provided to show placements of dematiaceous coelomycetes in Dothideomycetes,Leotiomycetes and Sordariomycetes.One-hundred and fifty-two(65%)of genera have sequence data,thus,their taxonomic placement in a natural classification system,is listed as an outline.However,83 genera still lack sequence data,hence,they are treated as Ascomycota,genera incertae sedis.In addition,separate analyses are provided where better taxonomic resolution is needed.

Dismantling Melaspileaceae:a first phylogenetic study of Buelliella,Hemigrapha,Karschia,Labrocarpon and Melaspilea

Melaspileaceae is a heterogeneous group of Ascomycota including lichenized,lichenicolous and saprobic fungi.A first phylogenetic study of Melaspileaceae is presented and is based on mtSSU and nuLSU sequence data.We obtained 49 new sequences for 28 specimens representing 15 species.The genera Buelliella,Hemigrapha,Karschia,Labrocarpon and Melaspilea s.str.are included in a molecular phylogeny for the first time.Melaspileaceae is recovered as polyphyletic,with members placed in two main lineages of Dothideomycetes.Melaspilea s.str.is included in Eremithallales.Eremithallaceae is placed in synonymy with Melaspileaceae.The genus Encephalographa is placed in Melaspileaceae.The genera Buelliella,Karschia,Labrocarpon and several members of Melaspilea are demonstrated to belong to Asterinales,while Hemigrapha is confirmed in this order.The genera Melaspileella,Melaspileopsis,Stictographa are reinstated for former Melaspilea species now placed in Asterinales.Karschia cezannei is described as new,and the new combinations Melaspilea costaricensis,M.enteroleuca,M.urceolata,Melaspileella proximella and Melaspileopsis diplasiospora are made.Melaspileaceae as newly defined includes lichenized and saprobic species.The lichenicolous and saprobic life styles form different intermixed lineages in Asterinales that do not include lichenized taxa.The phylogenetic data provide a first framework for dismantling further the genus Melaspilea for which most of the species are expected to belong to Asterinales.