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The Fusarium fujikuroi species complex (FFSC) includes more than 60 phylogenetic species (phylospecies) with both phytopathological and clinical importance. Because of their economical relevance, a stable taxonomy and nomenclature is crucial for species in the FFSC. To attain this goal, we examined type specimens and representative cultures of several species by employing morphology and phylogenetic analyses based on partial gene fragments of the translation elongation factor 1-alpha (tef1), beta-tubulin (tub2), calmodulin (cmdA), RNA polymerase largest subunit (rpb1) and RNA polymerase II second largest subunit (rpb2). Based on these results three new species were delimited in the FFSC. Two of these phylospecies clustered within the African clade, and one in the American clade. Epitypes were also designated for six previously described FFSC species including F. proliferatum and F. verticillioides, and a neotype designated for F. subglutinans. Furthermore, both F. acutatum and F. ophioides, which were previously invalidly published, are validated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The genus Neocosmospora (Fusarium solani species complex) contains saprobes, plant endophytes and pathogens of major economic significance as well as opportunistic animal pathogens. Advances in biological and phylogenetic species recognition revealed a rich species diversity which has largely remained understudied. Most of the currently recognised species lack formal descriptions and Latin names, while the taxonomic utility of old names is hampered by the lack of nomenclatural type specimens. Therefore, to stabilise the taxonomy and nomenclature of these important taxa, we examined type specimens and representative cultures of several old names by means of morphology and phylogenetic analyses based on rDNA (ITS and LSU), rpb2 and tef1 sequences. Sixtyeight species are accepted in Neocosmospora, 29 of them described herein as new; while 13 new combinations are made. Eleven additional phylogenetic species are recognized, but remain as yet undescribed. Lectotypes are proposed for eight species, seven species are epitypified and two species are neotypified. Notes on an additional 17 doubtful or excluded taxa are provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fusarium oxysporum is the most economically important and commonly encountered species of Fusarium. This soil-borne fungus is known to harbour both pathogenic (plant, animal and human) and non-pathogenic strains. However, in its current concept F. oxysporum is a species complex consisting of numerous cryptic species. Identification and naming these cryptic species is complicated by multiple subspecific classification systems and the lack of living ex-type material to serve as basic reference point for phylogenetic inference. Therefore, to advance and stabilise the taxonomic position of F. oxysporum as a species and allow naming of the multiple cryptic species recognised in this species complex, an epitype is designated for F. oxysporum. Using multi-locus phylogenetic inference and subtle morphological differences with the newly established epitype of F. oxysporum as reference point, 15 cryptic taxa are resolved in this study and described as species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Fusarium incarnatum-equiseti species complex (FIESC) is a phylogenetically species-rich complex that includes over 30 cryptic phylogenetic species, making identification based on phenotypic characters problematic. Several established Fusarium species known to reside in the FIESC lack type material, further complicating the use of Latin binomials for this complex. To overcome this problem, an informal classification system based on a haplotype nomenclature was introduced to improve communication between researchers in various fields. However, some conflicts in the application of this nomenclature system have arisen. To date, 16 phylo-species in the FIESC have been provided with Latin binomials with approximately 18 FIESC phylo-species still lacking Latin binomials, the majority of which reside in the Incarnatum clade. The aim of this study is to introduce Latin binomials for the unnamed FIESC phylo-species based on phylogenetic inference supported by phenotypic characters. The three-gene (calmodulin, RNA polymerase II second largest subunit and translations elongation factor 1-alpha) phylogenetic inference resolved 47 lineages, of which 44 belonged to the FIESC. The F. camptoceras species complex (FCAMSC) is introduced here for three lineages that are distinct from the FIESC. Epitypes are designated for F. compactum, F. incarnatum and F. scirpi, and a neotype for F. camptoceras. Latin binomials are provided for 20 of these newly resolved phylo-species in the FIESC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fusarium species are well known for their abundance, diversity and cosmopolitan life style. Many members of the genus Fusarium are associated with plant hosts, either as plant pathogens, secondary invaders, saprotrophs, and/or endophytes. We previously studied the diversity of Fusarium species in the Fusarium oxysporum species complex (FOSC) associated with Fusarium wilt of banana in Indonesia. In that study, several Fusarium species not belonging to the FOSC were found to be associated with Fusarium wilt of banana. These Fusarium isolates belonged to three Fusarium species complexes, which included the Fusarium fujikuroi species complex (FFSC), Fusarium incarnatum-equiseti species complex (FIESC) and the Fusarium sambucinum species complex (FSSC). Using a multi-gene phylogeny that included partial fragments of the beta-tubulin (tub), calmodulin (cmdA), translation elongation factor 1-alpha (tef1), the internal transcribed spacer region of the rDNA (ITS), the large subunit of the rDNA (LSU), plus the RNA polymerase II large subunit (rpb1) and second largest subunit (rpb2) genes, we were able to identify and characterise several of these as new Fusarium species in the respective species complexes identified in this study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The genus Neocosmospora encompasses highly prevalent and aggressive human and animal fungal pathogens. Here we assign formal descriptions and Latin binomials to some of the most clinically relevant phylogenetic species of the genus. Three new species, named Neocosmospora catenata, N. gamsii and N. suttoniana (previously assigned to the informal names 'Fusarium' solani species complex (FSSC) lineages, FSSC 43, FSSC 7 and FSSC 20, respectively) are described on the basis of multilocus phylogenetic analyses (using EF-1α, ITS, LSU and RPB2 loci) and morphological characters. Lineage FSSC 9 is conspecific with the ex-type strain of Cylindrocarpon tonkinense, thus the new combination Neocosmospora tonkinensis is proposed. In addition, and based on the latest taxonomy for this generic complex, new combinations are introduced for four medically important taxa: Neocosmospora keratoplastica, N. lichenicola, N. metavorans and N. petroliphila. The most significant distinctive features for all the clinically relevant species treated here are compared and illustrated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The genus Seiridium includes multiple plant pathogenic fungi well-known as causal organisms of cankers on Cupressaceae. Taxonomically, the status of several species has been a topic of debate, as the phylogeny of the genus remains unresolved and authentic ex-type cultures are mostly absent. In the present study, a large collection of Seiridium cultures and specimens from the CBS and IMI collections was investigated morphologically and phylogenetically to resolve the taxonomy of the genus. These investigations included the type material of the most important Cupressaceae pathogens, Seiridium cardinale, S. cupressi and S. unicorne. We constructed a phylogeny of Seiridium based on four loci, namely the ITS rDNA region, and partial translation elongation factor 1-alpha (TEF), β-tubulin (TUB) and RNA polymerase II core subunit (RPB2). Based on these results we were able to confirm that S. unicorne and S. cupressi represent different species. In addition, five new Seiridium species were described, S. cupressi was lectotypified and epitypes were selected for S. cupressi and S. eucalypti. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The diversity of fusaria in symptomatic Citrus trees in Greece, Italy and Spain was evaluated using morphological and molecular multi-locus analyses based on fragments of the calmodulin (CAM), intergenic spacer region of the rDNA (IGS), internal transcribed spacer region of the rDNA (ITS), large subunit of the rDNA (LSU), RNA polymerase largest subunit (RPB1), RNA polymerase second largest subunit (RPB2), translation elongation factor 1-alpha (EF-1α) and beta-tubulin (TUB) genes. A total of 11 species (six Fusarium spp., and five Neocosmospora spp.) were isolated from dry root rot, crown, trunk or twig canker or twig dieback of citrus trees. The most commonly isolated species were Fusarium sarcochroum, F. oxysporum and Neocosmospora solani. Three new Fusarium species are described, i.e., F. citricola and F. salinense belonging to the newly described F. citricola species complex; and F. siculi belonging to the F. fujikuroi species complex. Results of pathogenicity tests showed this new complex to include prominent canker causing agents affecting several Citrus spp. In addition, two new species are described in Neocosmospora, named N. croci and N. macrospora, the latter species being clearly differentiated from most members of this genus by producing large, up to nine-septate sporodochial conidia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cladosporium is mainly known as a ubiquitous environmental saprobic fungus or plant endophyte, and to date, just a few species have been documented as etiologic agents in vertebrate hosts, including humans. In the present study, 10 new species of the genus were isolated from human and animal clinical specimens from the USA. They are proposed and characterized on the basis of their morphology and a molecular phylogenetic analysis using DNA sequences from three loci (the ITS region of the rDNA, and partial fragments of the translation elongation factor 1-alpha and actin genes). Six of those species belong to the C. cladosporioides species complex, i.e., C. alboflavescens, C. angulosum, C. anthropophilum, C. crousii, C. flavovirens and C. xantochromaticum, three new species belong to the C. herbarum species complex, i.e., C. floccosum, C. subcinereum and C. tuberosum; and one to the C. sphaerospermum species complex, namely, C. succulentum. Differential morphological features of the new taxa are provided together with molecular barcodes to distinguish them from the currently accepted species of the genus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The genera Microascus and Scopulariopsis comprise species commonly isolated from soil, decaying plant material and indoor environments. A few species are also recognised as opportunistic pathogens of insects and animals, including humans. In the past, the taxonomy of these fungi has been based on morphology only. With the aim to clarify the taxonomy and phylogeny of these fungi, we studied a large set of clinical and environmental isolates, including the available ex-type strains of numerous species, by means of morphological, physiological and molecular analyses. Species delineation was assessed under the Genealogical Phylogenetic Species Recognition (GCPSR) criterion using DNA sequence data of four loci (ITS region, and fragments of rDNA LSU, translation elongation factor 1-α and β-tubulin). The genera Microascus and Scopulariopsis were found to be separated in two distinct lineages. The genus Pithoascus is reinstated and the new genus Pseudoscopulariopsis is erected, typified by P. schumacheri. Seven new species of Microascus and one of Scopulariopsis are described, namely M. alveolaris, M. brunneosporus, M. campaniformis, M. expansus, M. intricatus, M. restrictus, M. verrucosus and Scopulariopsis cordiae. Microascus trigonosporus var. macrosporus is accepted as a species distinct from M. trigonosporus. Nine new combinations are introduced. Microascus cinereus, M. longirostris, P. schumacheri and S. flava are neotypified. A table summarising the morphological features of the species treated and identification keys for each genus are provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The genus Fusarium includes numerous important plant and human pathogens, as well as many industrially and commercially important species. During our investigation of fungal diversity in China, a total of 356 fusarioid isolates were obtained and identified from diverse diseased and healthy plants, or different environmental habitats, i.e., air, carbonatite, compost, faeces, soil and water, representing hitherto one of the most intensive sampling and identification efforts of fusarioid taxa in China. Combining morphology, multi-locus phylogeny and ecological preference, these isolates were identified as 72 species of Fusarium and allied genera, i.e., Bisifusarium (1), Fusarium (60), and Neocosmospora (11). A seven-locus dataset, comprising the 5.8S nuclear ribosomal RNA gene with the two flanking internal transcribed spacer (ITS) regions, the intergenic spacer region of the rDNA (IGS), partial translation elongation factor 1-alpha (tef1), partial calmodulin (cam), partial RNA polymerase largest subunit (rpb1), partial RNA polymerase second largest subunit (rpb2) gene regions, and partial ß-tubulin (tub2), were sequenced and employed in phylogenetic analyses. A genus-level phylogenetic tree was constructed using combined tef1, rpb1, and rpb2 sequences, which confirmed the presence of four fusarioid genera among the isolates studied. Further phylogenetic analyses of two allied genera (Bisifusarium and Neocosmospora) and nine species complexes of Fusarium were separately conducted employing different multi-locus datasets, to determine relationships among closely related species. Twelve novel species were identified and described in this paper. The F. babinda species complex is herein renamed as the F. falsibabinda species complex, including descriptions of new species. Sixteen species were reported as new records from China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fusarium agapanthi is newly reported from the centre of origin of Agapanthus in South Africa, where it is associated with dead flower stalks of Agapanthus praecox. Mjuua agapanthi, a rare hyphomycete with a morphology corresponding to asexual morphs of Pyxidiophora, was isolated as mycoparasitic on F. agapanthi, along with bacteria that co-occurred in synnematal heads of M. agapanthi. Germinating conidia of M. agapanthi were observed to parasitise germinating conidia of F. agapanthi. Although M. agapanthi could not be cultivated on its own, the association with Fusarium proved to not be restricted to F. agapanthi, as it could also be cultivated with other Fusarium spp. Mjuua agapanthi is a member of Pyxidiophorales, an order of obligate insect parasitic microfungi. The exact role of the bacteria in synnematal heads of M. agapanthi remains to be further elucidated, although one bacterium, Alsobacter metallidurans, appeared to cause lysis of the synnematal conidial cell walls. This discovery suggests that many unculturable obligate biotrophic microbes can probably be cultivated if co-cultivated with their respective hosts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Novel species of fungi described in this study include those from various countries as follows: Antarctica: Cadophora antarctica from soil. Australia: Alfaria dandenongensis on Cyperaceae, Amphosoma persooniae on Persoonia sp., Anungitea nullicana on Eucalyptus sp., Bagadiella eucalypti on Eucalyptus globulus, Castanediella eucalyptigena on Eucalyptus sp., Cercospora dianellicola on Dianella sp., Cladoriella kinglakensis on Eucalyptus regnans, Cladoriella xanthorrhoeae (incl. Cladoriellaceae fam. nov. and Cladoriellales ord. nov.) on Xanthorrhoea sp., Cochlearomyces eucalypti (incl. Cochlearomyces gen. nov. and Cochlearomycetaceae fam. nov.) on Eucalyptus obliqua, Codinaea lambertiae on Lambertia formosa, Diaporthe obtusifoliae on Acacia obtusifolia, Didymella acaciae on Acacia melanoxylon, Dothidea eucalypti on Eucalyptus dalrympleana, Fitzroyomyces cyperi (incl. Fitzroyomyces gen. nov.) on Cyperaceae, Murramarangomyces corymbiae (incl. Murramarangomyces gen. nov., Murramarangomycetaceae fam. nov. and Murramarangomycetales ord. nov.) on Corymbia maculata, Neoanungitea eucalypti (incl. Neoanungitea gen. nov.) on Eucalyptus obliqua, Neoconiothyrium persooniae (incl. Neoconiothyrium gen. nov.) on Persoonia laurina subsp. laurina, Neocrinula lambertiae (incl. Neocrinulaceae fam. nov.) on Lambertia sp., Ochroconis podocarpi on Podocarpus grayae, Paraphysalospora eucalypti (incl. Paraphysalospora gen. nov.) on Eucalyptus sieberi, Pararamichloridium livistonae (incl. Pararamichloridium gen. nov., Pararamichloridiaceae fam. nov. and Pararamichloridiales ord. nov.) on Livistona sp., Pestalotiopsis dianellae on Dianella sp., Phaeosphaeria gahniae on Gahnia aspera, Phlogicylindrium tereticornis on Eucalyptus tereticornis, Pleopassalora acaciae on Acacia obliquinervia, Pseudodactylaria xanthorrhoeae (incl. Pseudodactylaria gen. nov., Pseudodactylariaceae fam. nov. and Pseudodactylariales ord. nov.) on Xanthorrhoea sp., Pseudosporidesmium lambertiae (incl. Pseudosporidesmiaceae fam. nov.) on Lambertia formosa, Saccharata acaciae on Acacia sp., Saccharata epacridis on Epacris sp., Saccharata hakeigena on Hakea sericea, Seiridium persooniae on Persoonia sp., Semifissispora tooloomensis on Eucalyptus dunnii, Stagonospora lomandrae on Lomandra longifolia, Stagonospora victoriana on Poaceae, Subramaniomyces podocarpi on Podocarpus elatus, Sympoventuria melaleucae on Melaleuca sp., Sympoventuria regnans on Eucalyptus regnans, Trichomerium eucalypti on Eucalyptus tereticornis, Vermiculariopsiella eucalypticola on Eucalyptus dalrympleana, Verrucoconiothyrium acaciae on Acacia falciformis, Xenopassalora petrophiles (incl. Xenopassalora gen. nov.) on Petrophile sp., Zasmidium dasypogonis on Dasypogon sp., Zasmidium gahniicola on Gahnia sieberiana. Brazil: Achaetomium lippiae on Lippia gracilis, Cyathus isometricus on decaying wood, Geastrum caririense on soil, Lycoperdon demoulinii (incl. Lycoperdon subg. Arenicola) on soil, Megatomentella cristata (incl. Megatomentella gen. nov.) on unidentified plant, Mutinus verrucosus on soil, Paraopeba schefflerae (incl. Paraopeba gen. nov.) on Schefflera morototoni, Phyllosticta catimbauensis on Mandevilla catimbauensis, Pseudocercospora angularis on Prunus persica, Pseudophialophora sorghi on Sorghum bicolor, Spumula piptadeniae on Piptadenia paniculata. Bulgaria: Yarrowia parophonii from gut of Parophonus hirsutulus. Croatia: Pyrenopeziza velebitica on Lonicera borbasiana. Cyprus: Peziza halophila on coastal dunes. Czech Republic: Aspergillus contaminans from human fingernail. Ecuador: Cuphophyllus yacurensis on forest soil, Ganoderma podocarpense on fallen tree trunk. England: Pilidium anglicum (incl. Chaetomellales ord. nov.) on Eucalyptus sp. France: Planamyces parisiensis (incl. Planamyces gen. nov.) on wood inside a house. French Guiana: Lactifluus ceraceus on soil. Germany: Talaromyces musae on Musa sp. India: Hyalocladosporiella cannae on Canna indica, Nothophoma raii from soil. Italy: Setophaeosphaeria citri on Citrus reticulata, Yuccamyces citri on Citrus limon. Japan: Glutinomyces brunneus (incl. Glutinomyces gen. nov.) from roots of Quercus sp. Netherlands (all from soil): Collariella hilkhuijsenii, Fusarium petersiae, Gamsia kooimaniorum, Paracremonium binnewijzendii, Phaeoisaria annesophieae, Plectosphaerella niemeijerarum, Striaticonidium deklijnearum, Talaromyces annesophieae, Umbelopsis wiegerinckiae, Vandijckella johannae (incl. Vandijckella gen. nov. and Vandijckellaceae fam. nov.), Verhulstia trisororum (incl. Verhulstia gen. nov.). New Zealand: Lasiosphaeria similisorbina on decorticated wood. Papua New Guinea: Pseudosubramaniomyces gen. nov. (based on Pseudosubramaniomyces fusisaprophyticus comb. nov.). Slovakia: Hemileucoglossum pusillum on soil. South Africa: Tygervalleyomyces podocarpi (incl. Tygervalleyomyces gen. nov.) on Podocarpus falcatus. Spain: Coniella heterospora from herbivorous dung, Hymenochaete macrochloae on Macrochloa tenacissima, Ramaria cistophila on shrubland of Cistus ladanifer. Thailand: Polycephalomyces phaothaiensis on Coleoptera larvae, buried in soil. Uruguay: Penicillium uruguayense from soil. Vietnam: Entoloma nigrovelutinum on forest soil, Volvariella morozovae on wood of unknown tree. Morphological and culture characteristics along with DNA barcodes are provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]