Allelochaeta (Sporocadaceae): pigmentation lost and gained

Abstract

The appendaged coelomycete genus Seimatosporium (Sporocadaceae, Sordariomycetes) and some of its purported synonyms Allelochaeta, Diploceras and Vermisporium are re-evaluated. Based on DNA data for five loci (ITS, LSU, rpb2, tub2 and tef1), Seimatosporium is shown to be paraphyletic. The ex-type species of Allelochaeta, Discostromopsis and Vermisporium represent a distinct sister clade to which the oldest name Allelochaeta is applied. These genera were traditionally separated based on a combination of conidial pigmentation, septation, and the nature of their conidial appendages. Allelochaeta is revealed to include taxa with both branched or solitary appendages, that could be cellular or continuous, with conidia being (2-)3(-5)-septate, hyaline, or pigmented, concolourous or versicolourous. This suggests that these characters should be applied at species, and not at the generic level. Conidial pigmentation appears to have been lost or gained several times during the evolution of species within Allelochaeta. In total, 25 new species, 15 new combinations, and 10 new epitypifications are proposed.

Sporocadaceae, a family of coelomycetous fungi with appendage-bearing conidia

“…Due to the large number of taxa discussed throughout this manuscript, the generic names are abbreviated with the first three or four letters. Allelochaeta was recently treated in a separate study (Crous et al. 2018).…”

“…hypericinum and similar forms, previously considered as synonyms of Seimatosporium. The majority of the other species of Diploceras were however shown to belong to Allelochaeta (Crous et al. 2018).…”

“…Truncatella , Pestalotiopsis , Morinia ). This indicates that the number of appendages may have evolved more than once among these genera, similar to the number of conidial septa or pigmentation (Crous et al. 2018).…”

“…Based on LSU and ITS phylogenetic analyses, Vermisporium was again synonymised under Seimatosporium (Barber et al., 2011, Tanaka et al., 2011). In a subsequent multi-locus phylogenetic study including type species, Crous et al. (2018) resurrected the older name Allelochaeta (syn.…”

New and Interesting Fungi. 2

“…As this has led to problems with new combinations or genera and families subsequently based on these names also being rendered invalid, and thus we decided to validate these names below. Notes: Allelochaeta was treated by Crous et al (2018a). Unfortunately, the holotype specimen was incorrectly cited and thus the epitype is consequently invalid.…”