Phylogeny and taxonomy of obscure genera of microfungi

Abstract

The recently generated molecular phylogeny for the kingdom Fungi, on which a new classification scheme is based, still suffers from an under representation of numerous apparently asexual genera of microfungi. In an attempt to populate the Fungal Tree of Life, fresh samples of 10 obscure genera of hyphomycetes were collected. These fungi were subsequently established in culture, and subjected to DNA sequence analysis of the ITS and LSU nrRNA genes to resolve species and generic questions related to these obscure genera. Brycekendrickomyces (Herpotrichiellaceae) is introduced as a new genus similar to, but distinct from Haplographium and Lauriomyces. Chalastospora is shown to be a genus in the Pleosporales, with two new species, C. ellipsoidea and C. obclavata, to which Alternaria malorum is added as an additional taxon under its oldest epithet, C. gossypii. Cyphellophora eugeniae is newly described in Cyphellophora (Herpotrichiellaceae), and distinguished from other taxa in the genus. Dictyosporium is placed in the Pleosporales, with one new species, D. streliziae. The genus Edenia, which was recently introduced for a sterile endophytic fungus isolated in Mexico, is shown to be a hyphomycete (Pleosporales) forming a pyronellea-like synanamorph in culture. Thedgonia is shown not to represent an anamorph of Mycosphaerella, but to belong to the Helotiales. Trochophora, however, clustered basal to the Pseudocercospora complex in the Mycosphaerellaceae, as did Verrucisporota. Vonarxia, a rather forgotten genus of hyphomycetes, is shown to belong to the Herpotrichiellaceae and Xenostigmina is confirmed as synanamorph of Mycopappus, and is shown to be allied to Seifertia in the Pleosporales. Dichotomous keys are provided for species in the various genera treated. Furthermore, several families are shown to be polyphyletic within some orders, especially in the Capnodiales, Chaetothyriales and Pleosporales.

Mycobiota of <em>Lupinus albus</em> seeds from a public germplasm collection

“…This fungus, sometimes considered rare (Crous et al 2009), is world-wide and not rare in Washington State. It is a minor pathogen of several plants, and once was recorded as the dominant fungus (contaminant) on Washington wheat grain (Goetz and Dugan 2006).…”

Seifertia shangrilaensis sp. nov. (Melanommataceae), a new species from Southwest China

“…Seifert et al (2007) treated Seifertia in Dothideomycetes based on the large subunit LSU gene sequence data and it clustered with Mycosphaerella mycopappi, but was unrelated to Mycosphaerella sensu stricto. Crous et al (2009) re-examined Xenostigmina and confirmed that Xenostigmina is a synanamorph of Mycopappus and showed to be allied with Seifertia in Pleosporales. Furthermore, Crous et al (2013) revealed that Xenostigmina and Mycopappus clustered in the Phaeosphaeriaceae.…”

“…Based on phylogenetic analysis of LSU sequence data, Seifert et al (2007) treated Seifertia azalea in Dothideomycetes, as closely related to Mycosphaerella mycopappi A. Funk & Dorworth, but unrelated to Mycosphaerella sensu stricto. Crous et al (2009Crous et al ( , 2013 placed Seifertia in Pleosporales which was shown to be allied to Xenostigmina, a synanamorph of Mycopappus, based on combined ITS and LSU phylogenetic analyses. There is little molecular data to resolve the natural placement of Seifertia in Dothideomycetes.…”

Phylogenetic placement of Bahusandhika, Cancellidium and Pseudoepicoccum (asexual Ascomycota)

“…The 5.8S nuclear ribosomal gene with the two flanking internal transcribed spacers (ITS) and 28S nrDNA sequence (LSU) genes were amplified and sequenced using the primer pairs ITS-1F + ITS-4R (White et al 1990) and LR5 + LROR (Crous et al 2009), respectively. The sequence quality was checked using Sequence Scanner Software v1 (Applied Biosystems).…”

“…Asexual fungi may lack or have unknown sexual stages, and were previously difficult to classify in a natural system. However, with molecular sequence data it is now possible to resolve their taxonomic hierarchy and phylogenetic affinity (Crous et al 2009). In this paper, we report on the phylogenetic affinities of three asexually reproducing fungi, Bahusandhika indica (Subram.)…”