Taxonomic circumscription and phylogenetics of novel didymellaceous taxa with brown muriform spores

Sexual morph of didymellaceous taxa are characterized by their ascomata with relatively thin peridium,cylindric-clavate to clavate,short-pedicellate or apedicellate asci,hyaline to brown,1-septate to muriform ascospores.Its asexual morphs are coelomycetous and comprising pycnidial or acervulus conidiomata,phialidic,hyaline conidiogenous cells and hyaline or pale brown,septate or aseptate conidia.The majority of these cosmopolitan species are plant associated fungi which can be pathogens on a wide range of hosts and some species are of particular relevance for quarantine measures.Recent studies have significantly improved the taxonomy and systematics of didymellaceous taxa based on molecular phylogenetics.In contrast to the accurate and detailed studies on the asexual morphs which are common obligate pathogens,information on their usually saprobic sexual morphs is still limited.Among these phenotypically diverse species,spore characteristics are quite unique as most have hyaline spores with 0-1 septum,while only Neomicrosphaeropsis and Didymellocamarosporium are reported as producing pigmented,muriform spores.These dematiaceous muriform spores are characteristic of a considerable number of species that may be quite divergent in other characters.During taxonomic investigations on the diversity of didymellaceous taxa,we have isolated species from Alhagi pseudalhagi,Coronilla emerus,Cytisus sp.,Elaeagnus angustifolia and Spartium junceum in Italy,Russia and Uzbekistan.A comprehensive phylogeny,based on four loci(ITS,LSU,rpb2 and tub2)is used to infer species relationships.Comprehensive morphological descriptions and in-depth phylogenetic investigations of five new species viz.Ascochyta coronillae-emeri,Microsphaeropsis spartii-juncei,Neomicrosphaeropsis alhagi-pseudalhagi,N.cytisicola and N.elaeagni are presented.

Mapping tree species distribution in support of China's integrated tree-livestock-crop system

The primary challenge of the contemporary world is to meet accelerating requirements for food.Limited land,competition between crop and livestock farming and climate change are major challenges.Agroforestry offer a form of sustainable agriculture through the direct provision of food by raising farmers’incomes and through various ecosystem services.The first essential step in adopting agroforestry is the selection of appropriate tree species that fit local climates.In this paper,we mapped 20 fodder trees and important crops in China using the multi-model ensemble and Ecocrop modelling approach.Relying on the intersectional concept of set theory,the fuzzy logic technique was applied to identify regions where candidate trees could be grown with appropriate crops and livestock.The resulting models provide important insights into the climatic suitability of trees and crops and offer knowledge critical to the proper integration of trees with crops and livestock at specific locations.The results offer support for developing appropriate strategies regarding potential land-use within agroforestry systems in order to maximize ecosystem services and the benefits of sustainable agriculture.Model outputs could easily convert into conventional maps with clearly defined boundaries for site-specific planning for tree-crop-livestock integration.The next step for actualizing an integrated system is to investigate specifically what these different species may contribute to the existing farming systems,quantify the benefits and estimate any possible tradeoffs.

Tubeufiales,ord.nov.,integrating sexual and asexual generic names

Tubeufiaceae is based on the generic type Tubeufia,which is characterized by superficial,oval and bright ascomata,bitunicate asci,mostly long fusiform to filiform,transeptate ascospores and hyphomycetous asexual states with helicosporous conidia.Most species in this family are saprobic on terrestrial woody substrates and some are aquatic.Their distinct morphology as well as combined LSU,SSU and TEF1 sequence analysis show that Tubeufiaceae should be accommodated in a new order Tubeufiales,which is introduced in this paper.Phylogenetic analyses of combined LSU and ITS sequences were used to resolve genera and species within the family Tubeufiaceae.In this study,we examine and incorporate sexual and asexual states of genera in Tubeufiales to provide a modern treatment,based on single names.An epitype for Tubeufia javanica,the type species of Tubeufia,is designated and represents Tubeufia sensu stricto.The genera Acanthophiobolus,Acanthostigma,Boerlagiomyces,Chlamydotubeufia,Kamalomyces,Podonectria,Thaxteriella and Thaxteriellopsis are accepted,Acanthostigmina is reinstated,and the asexual genera Aquaphila,Helicoma,Helicomyces,Helicosporium and Tamhinispora are accepted in Tubeufiaceae.Three new genera Acanthohelicospora,Helicangiospora and Neoacanthostigma are introduced.The genus Bifrontia is added to the family based on morphological similarity.The incongruous morphological genera Acanthostigmella,Amphinectria,Chaetocrea,Chaetosphaerulina,Glaxoa,Malacaria,Melioliphila,Paranectriella,Puttemansia,Rebentischia and Uredinophila are excluded from Tubeufiaceae despite having characteristic ascomata with setae and multiseptate long spores.A key to genera accepted in Tubeufiaceae is provided.

Evolution of non‑lichenized,saprotrophic species of Arthonia(Ascomycota,Arthoniales)and resurrection of Naevia,with notes on Mycoporum

Fungi that are barely lichenized or non-lichenized and closely related to lichenized taxa,the so-called borderline fungi,are an important element in reconstructing the evolutionary history of lichenized lineages.Arthoniaceae is a prime example including non-lichenized,saprotrophic lineages which potentially were precursors to lichenized taxa.In this study,we focused on saprotrophic species of Arthonia sensu lato,including new sequence data for Arthonia pinastri.We obtained fresh material of this taxon from a living branch of Fraxinus ornus in Italy to assess its taxonomic status and to elucidate its phylogenetic relationships within Arthonia.Thin sections of the thallus and ascomata of A.pinastri confirmed the absence of a photobiont.Maximum likelihood and Bayesian analyses of combined mtSSU,nuLSU and RPB2 sequence data placed the species close to A.dispersa(barely lichenized or non-lichenized)and A.punctiformis(non-lichenized)in a clade closely related to Arthonia sensu stricto,and the A.pinastri clade is here resurrected under the name Naevia.Ancestral character state analysis within a broader context of Arthoniales does not support the saprotrophic lifestyle to be a plesiomorphic feature,but suggests loss of lichenization in Naevia,as well as loss and possible regain in a second clade containing saprotrophic species and including taxa resembling Mycoporum,underlining the evolutionary plasticity of Arthoniales.These two clades constitute model taxa to further investigate the evolution of alternative biological lifestyles within the context of chiefly lichenized taxa.

Thailand’s amazing diversity:up to 96%of fungi in northern Thailand may be novel

Fungi have been often neglected,despite the fact that they provided penicillin,lovastatin and many other important medicines.They are an understudied,but essential,fascinating and biotechnologically useful group of organisms.The study of fungi in northern Thailand has been carried out by us since 2005.These studies have been diverse,ranging from ecological aspects,phylogenetics with the incorportation of molecular dating,taxonomy(including morphology and chemotaxonomy)among a myriad of microfungi,to growing novel mushrooms,and DNA-based identification of plant pathogens.In this paper,advances in understanding the biodiversity of fungi in the region are discussed and compared with those further afield.Many new species have been inventoried for the region,but many unknown species remain to be described and/or catalogued.For example,in the edible genus Agaricus,over 35 new species have been introduced from northern Thailand,and numerous other taxa await description.In this relatively well known genus,93%of species novelty is apparent.In the microfungi,which are relatively poorly studied,the percentage of novel species is,surprisingly,generally not as high(55–96%).As well as Thai fungi,fungi on several hosts from Europe have been also investigated.Even with the well studied European microfungi an astounding percentage of new taxa(32–76%)have been discovered.The work is just a beginning and it will be a daunting task to document this astonishingly high apparent novelty among fungi.

Towards a natural classification of Ophiobolus and ophiobolus-like taxa;introducing three novel genera Ophiobolopsis, Paraophiobolus and Pseudoophiobolus in Phaeosphaeriaceae (Pleosporales)

Ophiobolus is a large genus of Phaeosphaeriaceae comprising more than 350 possible species,most of which are saprobes on herbaceous plants in Europe and North America.Ophiobolus species are polyphyletic and the type of Ophiobolus is not represented in GenBank.Therefore,an increased taxon sampling of ophiobolus-like taxa and epitypification of the type species,O.disseminans is reported.Multigene phylogenetic analyses of combined LSU,SSU,TEF1-a and ITS sequence data position O.disseminans in a sister clade with O.ponticus and several Entodesmium species in Phaeosphaeriaceae with high support.Therefore,Entodesmium is synonymized under Ophiobolus.Premilcurensis with it type species,P.senecionis also clusters within the Ophiobolus clade and is synonymized under Ophiobolus.Ophiobolus rossicus sp.nov.is introduced and a reference specimen is designated for O.ponticus.Other ophiobolus-like taxa(Ophiobolus sensu lato)can be distinguished as three main groups,which are introduced as new genera.Ophiobolopsis is introduced to accommodate the new species,Ophiobolopsis italica.The new genus Paraophiobolus is introduced to accommodate P.arundinis sp.nov.and P.plantaginis comb.nov.This genus is characterized by hyaline to pale yellowish ascospores,some green-yellowish at maturity,with a swollen cell,terminal appendages and ascospores not separating into part spores.Pseudoophiobolus gen.nov.is introduced to accommodate six new species and two new combinations,viz.Ps.achilleae,Ps.erythrosporus,Ps.galii,Ps.italicus,Ps.mathieui,Ps.rosae,Ps.subhyalinisporus and Ps.urticicola.Pseudoophiobolus is characterized by subhyaline to pale yellowish or yellowish ascospores,with a swollen cell,lack of terminal appendages and ascospores that do not separate into part spores and is related to Nodulosphaeria.An updated tree for Phaeosphaeriaceae based on multigene analysis is also provided.

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 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.