Entomopathogenic fungi comprise an ecologically important group of specialized pathogens infecting other fungi, invertebrates, and plants. These fungi are species-rich with high diversity and broad ...distribution worldwide. The majority of entomopathogenic fungi belong to clavicipitoids, which consist of the hypocrealean families, Clavicipitaceae, Cordycipitaceae, Ophiocordycipitaceae, and Polycephalomycetaceae. The latter is a newly established entomopathogenic family that recently separated from the family Ophiocordycipitaceae to accommodate the genera,
, and
. In recent years, Polycephalomycetaceae has been enriched with parasitic and hyperparasitic fungi. With 16 species spread across China, Ecuador, Japan, and Thailand,
is the most speciose genus in the family. In this study, we expand the number of taxa in the genus by introducing four new
species from China, namely,
, and
. We provide detailed descriptions and illustrations and infer genus-level phylogenies based on a combined 6-loci gene sequence dataset comprising the 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). This study contributes to knowledge with regard to the diversity of
specifically and entomopathogenic
more broadly.
The diversity of lignicolous freshwater fungi of the Greater Mekong Subregion are currently being studied. In this paper, 18 fresh collections of
Pleurotheciaceae
from submerged wood in freshwater ...are characterized based on morphological characters and analyses of ITS, LSU, SSU and RPB2 sequence data. Six new species of
Pleurotheciella
(
P. aquatica, P. fusiformis, P. guttulata
,
P. lunata
,
P. saprophytica
,
P. submersa
), one new
Phaeoisaria
species (
Ph. aquatica
) and one new
Pleuroth
e
cium
species (
Pl. aquaticum
) are introduced based on their distinct morphology and evidence from molecular phylogeny.
Pleurotheciella uniseptata
,
Phaeoisaria clematidis
and
Pleurothecium pulneyense
are also redescribed and phylogenetic relationships assessed herein, these species are the first records for China.
Rhododendron
is an essential ornamental plant that is abundant in Yunnan province. In Cangshan Mountain, Yunnan, China, 61 species of
Rhododendron
have been reported. Endophytic fungi are internal ...plant tissue inhabitants that do not harm the host. It has emerged as an exciting research topic as they have the potential to provide numerous secondary metabolites. This study is focused on taxonomic novelties and new host records of endophytic fungi associated with
Rhododendron
plants collected from Cangshan Mountain in Yunnan Province, China.
Pestalotiopsis
fungi are associated with a vast array of plant species worldwide. In this study, fresh leaves of
Rhododendron cyanocarpum
,
Rhododendron decorum
, and
Rhododendron delavayi
were collected from Cangshan Mountain, Yunnan Province, China. Endophytic
Pestalotiopsis
fungi associated with
Rhododendron
were characterized based on phylogenetic analyses of combined ITS, TEF1-α, and TUB genes along with morphological characteristics. Six new species (
Pestalotiopsis appendiculata
,
Pestalotiopsis cangshanensis
,
Pestalotiopsis daliensis
,
Pestalotiopsis fusoidea
,
Pestalotiopsis rosarioides
, and
Pestalotiopsis suae
) and a new host record (
Pestalotiopsis trachicarpicola
) are described. Detailed descriptions and color photo plates of these species are provided. It is the first time that the endophytic fungi of
Rhododendron
plants in Cangshan Mountain have been studied.
Astrosphaeriella sensu lato is a common genus occurring on bamboo, palms and stout grasses. Species of Astrosphaeriella have been collected from various countries in tropical, subtropical or ...temperate regions. In Asia, species have been collected in Brunei, China, Indonesia, Japan, Philippines and Vietnam. There have been several morphological studies on Astrosphaeriella, but molecular work and phylogenetic analyses are generally lacking. Taxa included in Astrosphaeriella were characterized in three main groups 1) typical Astrosphaeriella species (sensu stricto) having carbonaceous, erumpent, conical ascostromata 2) atypical Astrosphaeriella species (sensu lato) having immersed, coriaceous ascostromata with short to long papilla and 3) lophiostoma-like species having immersed ascostromata with slit-like openings. Some of the latter Astrosphaeriella species, having slit-like openings, have been transferred to Fissuroma and Rimora in Aigialaceae. In this study five type specimens of Astrosphaeriella were loaned from herbaria worldwide and re-examined and are re-described and illustrated. Collections of Astrosphaeriella were also made in Thailand and morphologically examined. Pure cultures were obtained from single spores and used in molecular studies. The asexual morph was induced on sterile bamboo pieces placed on water agar. Phylogenetic analyses of combined LSU, SSU and TEF1 sequence data of astrosphaeriella-like species using Bayesian, Maximum parsimony (MP) and Randomized Accelerated Maximum Likelihood (RAxML) analyses were carried out. Phylogenetic analyses show that species of Astrosphaeriella can be distinguished in at least three families. Species of Astrosphaeriella sensu stricto with erumpent, carbonaceous ascostromata, form a strongly supported clade with Pteridiospora species and a new family, Astrosphaeriellaceae, is introduced to accommodate these taxa. The genera are revised and Astrosphaeriella bambusae, A. neofusispora, A. neostellata, A. thailandica, A. thysanolaenae and Pteridiospora chiangraiensis are introduced as new species. Astrosphaeriella exorrhiza is reported on a dead stem of Thysanolaena maxima and is the first record for Thailand. Reference specimens for A. fusispora and A. tornata are designated to stabilize the taxonomy of Astrosphaeriella. The coelomycetous asexual morph of A. bambusae is reported and forms hyaline, globose to subglobose, aseptate conidia. Species of Astrosphaeriella sensu lato with immersed, coriaceous ascostromata, with short to long papilla and striate ascospores, form a sister clade with Tetraplosphaeriaceae. The genus Pseudoastrosphaeriella is introduced to accommodate some of these taxa with three new species and three new combinations, viz. P. aequatoriensis, P. africana, P. bambusae, P. longicolla, P. papillata and P. thailandensis. A new family Pseudoastrosphaeriellaceae is introduced to accommodate this presently monotypic lineage comprising Pseudoastrosphaeriella. The asexual morph of P. thailandensis is described. Astrosphaeriella bakeriana forms a distinct clade basal to Aigialaceae. Astrosphaeriella bakeriana is excluded from Astrosphaeriella and a new genus Astrosphaeriellopsis, placed in Dothideomycetes genera incertae sedis, is introduced to accommodate this taxon. Fissuroma aggregata (Aigialaceae) is re-visited and is shown to be a cryptic species. Three new species of Fissuroma and a new combination are introduced based on morphology and phylogeny viz. F. bambusae, F. fissuristoma, F. neoaggregata and F. thailandicum. The asexual morph of Fissuroma bambusae is also reported.
Hypocreomycetidae
is a highly diverse group with species from various habitats. This subclass has been reported as pathogenic, endophytic, parasitic, saprobic, fungicolous, lichenicolous, algicolous, ...coprophilous and insect fungi from aquatic and terrestrial habitats. In this study, we focused on freshwater fungi of
Hypocreomycetidae
which resulted 41 fresh collections from China and Thailand. Based on morphological and phylogenetic analyses, we identified 26 species that belong to two orders (
Hypocreales
and
Microascales
) and six families (
Bionectriaceae
,
Halosphaeriaceae
,
Microascaceae
,
Nectriaceae
,
Sarocladiaceae
and
Stachybotryaceae
). Ten new species are introduced and 13 new habitats and geographic records are reported.
Mariannaea superimposita, Stachybotrys chartarum
and
S. chlorohalonatus
are recollected from freshwater habitats in China. Based on phylogenetic analysis of combined LSU, ITS, SSU,
rpb
2 and
tef
1-α sequences data,
Emericellopsis
is transferred to
Hypocreales
genera
incertae sedis
;
Pseudoacremonium
is transferred to
Bionectriaceae
;
Sedecimiella
is placed in
Nectriaceae
;
Nautosphaeria
and
Tubakiella
are excluded from
Halosphaeriaceae
and placed in
Microascales
genera
incertae sedis
; and
Faurelina
is excluded from
Hypocreomycetidae
.
Varicosporella
is placed under
Atractium
as a synonym of
Atractium
. In addition, phylogenetic analysis and divergence time estimates showed that
Ascocodina
,
Campylospora
,
Cornuvesica
and
Xenodactylariaceae
form distinct lineages in
Hypocreomycetidae
and they evolved in the family/order time frame. Hence, a new order (
Xenodactylariales
) and three new families (
Ascocodinaceae
,
Campylosporaceae
and
Cornuvesicaceae
) are introduced based on phylogenetic analysis, divergence time estimations and morphological characters. Ancestral character state analysis is performed for different habitats of
Hypocreomycetidae
including freshwater, marine and terrestrial taxa. The result indicates that marine and freshwater fungi evolved independently from terrestrial ancestors. The results further support those early diverging clades of this subclass, mostly comprising terrestrial taxa and freshwater and marine taxa have been secondarily derived, while the crown clade (
Nectriaceae
) is represented in all three habitats. The evolution of various morphological adaptations towards their habitual changes are also discussed.
During a study of diversity and taxonomy of lignicolous freshwater fungi in China, nine species of Acrogenospora were collected. Seven of these were new species and they are described and ...illustrated. With morphology, additional evidence to support establishment of new species is provided by phylogeny derived from DNA sequence analyses of a combined LSU, SSU, TEF1α, and RPB2 sequence dataset. Acrogenospora subprolata and A. verrucispora were re-collected and sequenced for the first time. The genus Acrogenospora is far more species rich than originally thought, with nine species found in a small area of Yunnan Province, China.
The Red River Basin is located in the Indo-Burma biodiversity hotspot and is rich in lignicolous freshwater fungi, but no systematic research has been conducted. A systematic study on the species ...diversity of lignicolous freshwater fungi in the basin is ongoing. Seven distoseptispora-like specimens were collected from the Red River Basin in Yunnan. Phylogenetic analysis of ITS, LSU,
1-α, and
2 genes and combined morphological data indicate that there are six distinct species of
, including two new species and four known species. Two new species were named
and
, and the four known species were
,
,
and
. This study provides detailed descriptions and illustrations of these six species and an updated phylogenetic backbone tree of
.
During an investigation into lignicolous freshwater fungi from the plateau lakes in Yunnan Province, China, two fresh collections of
Torula
taxa were collected and examined morpholgically.
Torula ...luguhuensis
is characterised by: conidiophores which are semi-macronematous mononematous, erect, septate, smooth, slightly flexuous and pale brown; conidiogenous cells which are holoblastic, mono- to polyblastic, integrated, terminal, terminal or intercalary in conidial chains, doliiform and pale brown; conidia which are branched chains, acrogenous, straight or slightly curved, dark brown to blackish, pale brown or subhyaline at apex, 1–3 septate, strongly constricted at the septa, verruculose or finely echinulate and rounded at both ends. A new species was introduced, based on morphological and phylogenetic analysis of combined ITS, LSU, RPB2 and TEF sequence data. Detailed descriptions and illustrations are provided, with an updated phylogenetic tree depicting intergeneric relationships within the Torulaceae.
During the investigation of lignicolous freshwater fungi in plateau lakes in Yunnan Province, China, eight Lentitheciaceae species were collected from five lakes viz. Luguhu, Qiluhu, Xingyunhu, ...Cibihu, and Xihu lake. Based on morphological characters and phylogenetic analysis of combined ITS, LSU, SSU, and tef 1-α sequence data, a new genus Paralentithecium, two new species (Paralentithecium suae, and Setoseptoria suae), three new records (Halobyssothecium phragmitis, H. unicellulare, and Lentithecium yunnanensis) and three known species viz. Halobyssothecium aquifusiforme, Lentithecium pseudoclioninum, and Setoseptoria bambusae are reported.
PDF
