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Arthropods are hosts to a variety of parasitic fungi, including those within the order of Laboulbeniales (Ascomycota, Laboulbeniomycetes). Species in the genus Hesperomyces are specialized in growing on ladybirds (Coccinellidae). Recent studies have uncovered multiple cryptic species within the Hesperomyces virescens species complex. They found that these species are segregated not only by host, but also by a geographic component. Here, we describe two new species in this species complex, based on morphological, molecular phylogenetic, ecological, and geographical evidence: Hesperomyces chilocori-bipustulati sp. nov. on Chilocorus bipustulatus from the Mediterranean region, and He. coccinellae-transversalis sp. nov. on Coccinella transversalis from Peninsular Malaysia. Hesperomyces chilocori-bipustulati is the second species known to associate with a representative of the genus Chilocorus, after He. virescens sensu stricto which was described from Ch. stigma from the USA. The findings of this paper contribute to our understanding of the diversity, host specificity, and biogeographical distribution within the Hesperomyces virescens species complex and highlight the need for further integrative taxonomy approaches in Laboulbeniales. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lyophyllum plays an important role in the natural ecosystem and has significant economic value. Some species of this genus have been cultivated in Asia, America, and Europe. This study describes four edible species of Lyophyllum, two of which were newly discovered. Lyophyllum edulis has a dark grayish orange pileus, a grayish orange upper part of the stipe, and globose, subglobose to broadly ellipsoid basidiospores, while L. sinense has a dark gray-orange when injured pileus, dark grayish orange points and lines on the stipe surface, and quadrangular to broadly fusiform basidiospores. Molecular phylogenetic analyses using the internal transcribed spacer ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 ribosomal RNA (ITS), the large subunit ribosomal RNA (LSU), the second-largest subunit of RNA polymerase II (rpb2), and translation elongation factor 1-alpha (tef1-α) indicated that L. edulis is related to L. shimeji, L. heimogu, and L. decastes, and L. sinense has an affinity to L. bulborhizum and L. nigrum. We also summarize the cultivation techniques of the two edible species, L. shimeji and L. decastes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Saprobic fungi are known for their critical role in decomposition and nutrient cycling. The study of saprobic fungi is equally important, as it helps in understanding their ecological roles and identifying their hidden diversity. This study focused on saprobic fungi on Aquilaria, which is poorly studied compared to economically important hosts like coffee, tea, and rubber. Our rigorous process led to the collection of two new terrestrial saprobic fungi from the Guangdong and Yunnan provinces in China. After extensive phylogenetic analyses and detailed comparison of morphological characteristics, the two collections were identified as two new species belonging to Pleosporales, Ascomycota. Aquilariomyces maomingensis sp. nov. was isolated from Aquilaria sinensis in Guangdong Province, while Mangifericomes aquilariae sp. nov. was isolated from Aquilaria sp. in Yunnan Province. Full descriptions, photo plates, and phylogenetic analyses (maximum likelihood and Bayesian inference analyses based on LSU , ITS , SSU , tef1-α, and rpb2 gene combinations) of the new species are provided, along with a comprehensive list of saprobic fungi associated with Aquilaria spp. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In our study, dead stems of two Asteraceae species (weeds) were collected from northern Thailand. Both morphology and multigene phylogeny were used to determine the identity of the taxa. Maximum likelihood and Bayesian inference analyses of combined LSU , SSU , ITS , tef1-α and rpb2 data revealed two new species Pseudoroussoella bidenticola, and Neoroussoella chromolaenae with one new host record of N. entadae. Preliminary investigation into antibacterial properties revealed that our three isolates inhibited the growth of Bacillus subtilis, Escherichia coli, and Staphylococcus aureus. Additionally, we present updated phylogenetic trees for Roussoellaceae, accompanied by detailed descriptions and illustrations of the three identified species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study is based on three terrestrial saprobic fungi associated with Aquilaria in Guangdong and Yunnan provinces in China. All isolated species matched with generic concepts of Melomastia. Detailed morphological characteristics and combined multigene phylogeny of LSU , SSU , and TEF revealed that the new isolates represent two new species (Melomastia guangdongensis and M. yunnanensis), and one new host and geographical record (M. sinensis). Melomastia guangdongensis is distinct from the phylogenetically closest species in having semi-immersed to immersed, globose to subglobose ascomata, and two strata of the peridium. Melomastia yunnanensis differs from the phylogenetically closest species in having immersed ascomata, conical ostiolar canals, and branched pseudoparaphyses. The discovery of these two new species and one new record collected expands the number of saprobic species associated with Aquilaria from 28 to 31. Descriptions, photo plates, and phylogenetic analyses of taxa are provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stictidaceae is characterised by a wide geographic distribution and diverse ecological roles. It has recently been the focus of taxonomic research in China. In this study, we describe two new asexual Stictidaceae species that we presume to be saprobes: Glomerobolus poacearum and Ostropomyces yunnanensis. The specimens were collected from decaying stems of unidentified herbaceous and Poaceae hosts in the Yunnan Dashanbao Black-necked Crane National Nature Reserve, China. Our approach combines morphological and multi-locus phylogenetic analysis, utilising LSU, ITS, mtSSU and rpb2 markers. Glomerobolus poacearum sp. nov., was collected on decayed aquatic grass stems. In our phylogeny, it forms a well-supported clade with G. gelineus, the type of the genus. The species differs from G. gelineus in having comparatively smaller hyphoma, lobes and ballistic propagules that are spherical or fan-shaped when swollen. The discovery of Glomerobolus poacearum on Poaceae species within China are new observations of plant associates and geographical distribution in the genus. Ostropomyces yunnanensis sp. nov., was collected on a stem of a herbaceous plant. In our phylogenetic analysis, it forms a well-supported clade with G. gelineus, the type species of the genus and is characterised by the production of conidiomata with forcible discharge. Ostropomyces yunnanensis is distinguishable from the asexual morph of O. pruinosellus by possessing larger pycnidial conidiomata, which feature multiple locules of conical or irregular shapes and by having larger conidia that are 0–4-septate. These taxonomic contributions enrich our understanding of the diversity, evolutionary relationships and ecological interactions within Stictidaceae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the continuous investigation into inconspicuous xylarialean species in northern Thailand, two amphisphaeria-like taxa were found in samples collected between July and October 2022. Both taxa have solitary, immersed ascomata with a two-layered peridium and unitunicate asci that are morphologically similar to Amphisphaeria species. Macro–micro morphological comparisons with related taxa and multigene phylogenetic analyses based on combined internal transcribed spacer (ITS), partial 28S large subunit rDNA (LSU), partial RNA polymerase II second largest subunit (rpb2), and partial β-tubulin (tub2) sequences revealed that the two taxa are novel to science. Amphisphaeria chiangmaiensis sp. nov. is distinguished from known taxa by having larger ascomata, a J- apical ring in Melzer's reagent, and hyaline ascospores. Amphisphaeria hydei sp. nov. differs from its sister taxa in having larger ascomata, a longer ostiolar canal, and longer asci. Morphological descriptions, illustrations, and phylogenetic analyses of two novel taxa are provided herein. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pleosporales is the largest order of Ascomycota which is distributed worldwide. Among the wide range of hosts, Pleosporales species are frequently isolated from palms. During the surveys of palm fungi from 2020 to 2021, rotting tissues of Licuala peltata var. sumawongii, Phoenix roebelenii and Trachycarpus fortunei were collected in Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China. Fungal isolates were identified based on morphological characteristics and multi-gene phylogenetic analyses. In the present study, we introduce two new species viz. Byssosphaeria guangdongense and Paraconiothyrium guangdongensis. In addition, we introduce a new host record for Trachycarpus fortunei. Photo plates, detailed descriptions, and in-depth phylogenetic analysis results are provided for all identified taxa. Our findings expand the understanding of the fungi that are associated with palm hosts. Moreover, our data will contribute to the knowledge of the biodiversity of South China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two novel species within the family Dictyosporiaceae are described and illustrated from terrestrial habitats on dead culms of bamboo and an unidentified plant, respectively. Through morphological comparisons and the multi-locus phylogenetic analyses of combined LSU , ITS , SSU , and tef1-α sequence dataset, two species, Gregarithecium bambusicola, Pseudocoleophoma paraphysoidea are identified. Phylogenetically, both species clustered into a monophyletic clade with strong bootstrap support. Gregarithecium bambusicola sp. nov. can be distinguished from other species within the genus based on its almost straight ascospores. Pseudocoleophoma paraphysoidea sp. nov. differs from other species in its conidiogenous cells intermixed with paraphyses, longer conidiogenous cells and larger conidia. The identification of this lineage contributes to our understanding of the classification of Dictyosporiaceae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Species of Grifola are famous edible mushrooms and are deeply loved by consumers around the world. Most species of this genus have been described and recorded in Oceania, Europe and South America, with only Grifola frondosa being recorded in Asia. In this study, two novel species of Grifola from southwestern China (Asia) are introduced. Macro and micromorphological characters are described. Grifola edulis sp. nov. present medium-size basidiomata with gray to gray-brown lobes upper surface, mostly tibiiform or narrowly clavate, rarely narrowly lageniform or ellipsoid chlamydospores, cuticle hyphae terminal segments slightly enlarged. Grifola sinensis sp. nov. has white to grayish white lobes upper surface, mostly ellipsoid, rarely narrowly utriform chlamydospores, and broadly ellipsoid to ellipsoid basidiospores (4.6-7.9 × 3.0-5.9 µm). The two new species are supported by phylogenetic analyses of combined nuclear rDNA internal transcribed spacer ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 rDNA (ITS) and ß-tubulin (TUBB). Moreover, the genetic distance between TUBB sequences of those specimen from GenBank was 1.76-1.9%. Thus, the conspecificity relationship of our specimens remains uncertain, and further specimens are required to conclusively confirm its identity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the construction and assembly of the Mars 2020 mission components at two different NASA cleanrooms, several fungal strains were isolated. Based on their colony morphology, two strains that showed yeast-like appearance were further characterized for their phylogenetic position. The species-level classification of these two novel strains, using traditional colony and cell morphology methods combined with the phylogenetic reconstructions using multi-locus sequence analysis (MLSA) based on several gene loci (ITS, LSU, SSU, RPB1, RPB2, CYTB and TEF1), and whole genome sequencing (WGS) was carried out. This polyphasic taxonomic approach supported the conclusion that the two basidiomycetous yeasts belong to hitherto undescribed species. The strain FJI-L2-BK-P3T, isolated from the Jet Propulsion Laboratory Spacecraft Assembly Facility, was placed in the Naganishia albida clade (Filobasidiales, Tremellomycetes), but is genetically and physiologically different from other members of the clade. Another yeast strain FKI-L6-BK-PAB1T, isolated from the Kennedy Space Center Payload Hazardous and Servicing Facility, was placed in the genus Cystobasidium (Cystobasidiales, Cystobasidiomycetes) and is distantly related to C. benthicum. Here we propose two novel species with the type strains, Naganishia kalamii sp. nov. (FJI-L2-BK-P3T = NRRL 64466 = DSM 115730) and Cystobasidium onofrii sp. nov. (FKI-L6-BK-PAB1T = NRRL 64426 = DSM 114625). The phylogenetic analyses revealed that single gene phylogenies (ITS or LSU) were not conclusive, and MLSA and WGS-based phylogenies were more advantageous for species discrimination in the two genera. The genomic analysis predicted proteins associated with dehydration and desiccation stress-response and the presence of genes that are directly related to osmotolerance and psychrotolerance in both novel yeasts described. Cells of these two newly-described yeasts were exposed to UV-C radiation and compared with N. onofrii, an extremophilic UV-C resistant cold-adapted Alpine yeast. Both novel species were UV resistant, emphasizing the need for collecting and characterizing extremotolerant microbes, including yeasts, to improve microbial reduction techniques used in NASA planetary protection programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While investigating the diversity of lignicolous fungi in Yunnan Province, China, six fresh collections of Torulaceae were collected and identified based on morphological examination and phylogenetic analyses of combined LSU, ITS, SSU, tef1-α, and rpb2 sequence data. Two new species, viz. Neopodoconis yunnanensis and Torula suae, and three new records, viz. T. canangae (new freshwater habitat record), T. masonii (new host record), and T. sundara (new freshwater habitat record) are reported. Detailed descriptions, illustrations, and a phylogenetic tree to show the placement of these species are provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mucor species are common fast-growing fungi found in soil. Two new species of Mucor and one new geographical record of M. nederlandicus were collected from northern Thailand and are described in this study. Evidence from morphophysiological data and phylogenetic analysis supports the introduction of the new taxa. Phylogenetic analysis based on the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) and large subunit of the nuclear ribosomal RNA (LSU) data showed that the new isolates cluster distinctly from other Mucor species with high or maximum bootstrap support. Mucor aseptatophorus is characterized by aseptate sporangiophores, globose columella, resistant and deliquescent sporangia, has sympodial, and monopodial branches and shows growth at 37 °C. It also differs from M. irregularis in having smaller sporangiospores, and larger sporangia. Mucor chiangraiensis has subglobose or slightly elongated globose columella, produces hyaline sporangiospores, and resistant and deliquescent sporangia. Furthermore, this species has wider sporangiophore, smaller sporangia and lower growth than M. nederlandicus. A detailed description of the species and illustrations are provided for the novel species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During our survey of the diversity of woody litter fungi in China and Thailand, three Hermatomyces species were collected from dead woody twigs of Dipterocarpus sp. (Dipterocarpaceae) and Ehretia acuminata (Boraginaceae). Both morphology and multigene analyses revealed two taxa as new species (Hermatomyces turbinatus and H. jinghaensis) and the remaining collections as new records of H. sphaericus. Hermatomyces turbinatus is characterized by 1) dimorphic conidia, having circular to oval lenticular conidia and 2) turbinate conidia consisting of two columns with two septa composed of 2-3 cells in each column. Hermatomyces jinghaensis is characterized by dimorphic conidia, having circular to oval lenticular conidia and clavate or subcylindrical to cylindrical conidia and consisting of one or two columns with 6-8 cells in each column. Phylogenetic analyses of combined LSU, ITS, tub2, tef1-a and rpb2 sequence data supports the placement of these new taxa within Hermatomycetaceae with high statistical support. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We describe Allocanariomyces tritici gen et sp. nov. and Achaetomium aegilopis sp. nov. as seed endophytes of Triticum boeoticum and Aegilops triuncialis, respectively, in the west and northwestern Iran using morphological traits and sequences of the internal transcribed spacer regions 1 and 2 including the intervening 5.8S nuclear ribosomal DNA (ITS), partial nuclear 28S ribosomal DNA (LSU), β-tubulin (TUB2), and the second-largest subunit of DNA-directed RNA polymerase II (RPB2) gene. Chaetomium carinthiacum, C. iranianum, and C. truncatulum are also combined here under the new genus, Parachaetomium. Allocanariomyces is differentiated from Canariomyces, its closest relative, by having solitary and glabrous ascomata, cells of the perithecial wall forming a textura epidermoidea, stalked asci, densely granular ascospores with a distinct subapical germ pore, and producing only solitary conidia. Parachaetomium is characterized by distinctly ostiolate ascomata and equi- or inequilaterally fusiform, typically less than 13-μm-long ascospores with an oblique or subapical germ pore. Achaetomium aegilopis is mainly distinguished from A. strumarium, its closest relative, by possessing brown, ascomata, hyaline ascomatal hairs covered with hyaline crystals, hyaline chlamydospores, and lacking an anamorph. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two new species of Amanita sect. Phalloideae are described from tropical Africa (incl. Madagascar) based on both morphological and molecular (DNA sequence) data. Amanita bweyeyensis sp. nov. was collected, associated with Eucalyptus, in Rwanda, Burundi and Tanzania. It is consumed by local people and chemical analyses showed the absence of amatoxins and phallotoxins in the basidiomata. Surprisingly, molecular analysis performed on the same specimens nevertheless demonstrated the presence of the gene sequence encoding for the phallotoxin phallacidin (PHA gene, member of the MSDIN family). The second species, Amanita harkoneniana sp. nov. was collected in Tanzania and Madagascar. It is also characterised by a complete PHA gene sequence and is suspected to be deadly poisonous. Both species clustered together in a well-supported terminal clade in multilocus phylogenetic inferences (including nuclear ribosomal partial LSU and ITS-5.8S, partial tef1-a, rpb2 and ß-tubulin genes), considered either individually or concatenated. This, along with the occurrence of other species in sub-Saharan Africa and their phylogenetic relationships, are briefly discussed. Macro- and microscopic descriptions, as well as pictures and line drawings, are presented for both species. An identification key to the African and Madagascan species of Amanita sect. Phalloideae is provided. The differences between the two new species and the closest Phalloideae species are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Roussoella species mainly occur on monocotyledons, especially bamboo, and are characterized by raised, immersed ascostromata, cylindrical to clavate asci and ellipsoidal to fusiform, brown to dark brown, 1-septate, ornamented ascospores. They have cytospora-like asexual morphs with enteroblastic conidiogenous cells and hyaline to dark brown conidia, which are often minutely warty. In this article, two new species and two new records of Roussoella associated with dead bamboo, collected from Yunnan Province of China, are described and illustrated. These four taxa are similar in morphological characteristics, but can be distinguished by phylogenetic analyses of the concatenated ITS, LSU, TEF1-α, and RPB2 sequence data. Based on maximum likelihood and Bayesian inference analyses of the combined sequence dataset, we introduce Roussoella kunmingensis and R. yunnanensis spp. nov. Roussoella mukdahanensis is provided here as the first record on bamboo from China. The asexual morph of R. pseudohysterioides is illustrated and described on dead bamboo culms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The taxonomic concept of Herniosina Roháček, 1983 (Diptera: Sphaeroceridae) is revised on the basis of five W. Palaearctic species, thus excluding the E. Nearctic Herniosina voluminosa Marshall, 1987 whose inclusion caused the paraphyly of the genus. Two new species, H. erymantha sp. n. (male only, Greece: Peloponnese) and H. hamata sp. n. (both sexes, Cyprus), are described and illustrated, and the other three species, H. bequaerti (Villeneuve, 1917), H. horrida (Roháček, 1978) and H. pollex Roháček, 1993, are diagnosed with an atlas of their male and female terminalia. The relationships of the redefined genus and of all its species are discussed, and their biology and distribution are reviewed. A new illustrated key to Herniosina species is given. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]