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The order Phyllachorales (Pezizomycotina, Ascomycota) is a group of biotrophic, obligate plant parasitic fungi with a tropical distribution and high host specificity. Traditionally two families are recognised within this order: Phyllachoraceae and Phaeochoraceae, based mostly on morphological and host characteristics. Currently, the position of the order within the class Sordariomycetes is inconclusive, as well as the monophyly of the order, and its internal phylogenetic structure. Here we present a phylogeny of the order Phyllachorales based on sequence data of 29 species with a broad host range resulting from a wide geographical sampling. We inferred Maximum Likelihood and Bayesian phylogenies from data of five DNA regions: nrLSU rDNA, nrSSU rDNA, ITS rDNA, and the protein coding genes RPB2, and TEF1. We found that the order Phyllachorales is monophyletic and related to members of the subclass Sordariomycetidae within Sordariomycetes. Within the order, members of the family Phaeochoraceae form a monophyletic group, and the family Phyllachoraceae is split into two lineages. Maximum Likelihood ancestral state reconstructions indicate that the ancestor of Phyllachorales had a monocotyledonous host plant, immersed perithecia, and a black stroma. Alternative states of these characters evolved multiple times independently within the order. Based on our results we redefine the family Phyllachoraceae and propose the new family Telimenaceae with Telimena erythrinae as type species, resulting in three families in the order. Species of Telimena spp. occur in several monocotyledonous and eudicotyledonous host plants except Poaceae, and generally have enlarged black pseudostroma around the perithecia, a character not present in species of Phyllachoraceae.

The order Phyllachorales (Pezizomycotina, Ascomycota) is a group of biotrophic, obligate plant parasitic fungi with a tropical distribution and high host specificity. Traditionally two families are recognised within this order: Phyllachoraceae and Phaeochoraceae, based mostly on morphological and host characteristics. Currently, the position of the order within the class Sordariomycetes is inconclusive, as well as the monophyly of the order, and its internal phylogenetic structure. Here we present a phylogeny of the order Phyllachorales based on sequence data of 29 species with a broad host range resulting from a wide geographical sampling. We inferred Maximum Likelihood and Bayesian phylogenies from data of five DNA regions: nrLSU rDNA, nrSSU rDNA, ITS rDNA, and the protein coding genes RPB2, and TEF1. We found that the order Phyllachorales is monophyletic and related to members of the subclass Sordariomycetidae within Sordariomycetes. Within the order, members of the family Phaeochoraceae form a monophyletic group, and the family Phyllachoraceae is split into two lineages. Maximum Likelihood ancestral state reconstructions indicate that the ancestor of Phyllachorales had a monocotyledonous host plant, immersed perithecia, and a black stroma. Alternative states of these characters evolved multiple times independently within the order. Based on our results we redefine the family Phyllachoraceae and propose the new family Telimenaceae with Telimena erythrinae as type species, resulting in three families in the order. Species of Telimena spp. occur in several monocotyledonous and eudicotyledonous host plants except Poaceae, and generally have enlarged black pseudostroma around the perithecia, a character not present in species of Phyllachoraceae.

Passalidae (Polyphaga, Coleoptera) is a family of beetles with approximately 960 species that are distributed worldwide. Preliminary studies that characterized ascomycete and basidiomycete yeasts in the gut of these wood-eating beetles from the USA, Guatemala, and Thailand, demonstrated associations between certain yeast taxa and passalids. We extended the study to include yeasts and beetles from tropical forests near Cairns and Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. We isolated more than 1000 yeast strains from about 150 beetles belonging to 10 species. LSU and ITS rRNA markers were used to identify a subset of 250 yeast strains, which revealed that the gut of Australian passalids contained undescribed ascomycetes in the Debaryomyces, Dipodascus, Kazachstania, Ogataea, Scheffersomyces, Sugiyamaella, Spathaspora, Torulaspora, and Zygowilliopsis clades, as well as basidiomycetes in the genera Cryptococcus and Trichosporon. A close relative of Candida subhashii (Spathaspora clade) and the xylose-fermenting yeast Scheffersomyces stipitis were the most common species isolated in Queensland. These results agree with those of previous studies that showed a common association of xylose-fermenting yeasts in the gut of lignicolous insects. Species and higher taxa of yeasts, however, vary between Queensland passalids and those previously collected in distant regions.

Passalidae (Polyphaga, Coleoptera) is a family of beetles with approximately 960 species that are distributed worldwide. Preliminary studies that characterized ascomycete and basidiomycete yeasts in the gut of these wood-eating beetles from the USA, Guatemala, and Thailand, demonstrated associations between certain yeast taxa and passalids. We extended the study to include yeasts and beetles from tropical forests near Cairns and Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. We isolated more than 1000 yeast strains from about 150 beetles belonging to 10 species. LSU and ITS rRNA markers were used to identify a subset of 250 yeast strains, which revealed that the gut of Australian passalids contained undescribed ascomycetes in the Debaryomyces, Dipodascus, Kazachstania, Ogataea, Scheffersomyces, Sugiyamaella, Spathaspora, Torulaspora, and Zygowilliopsis clades, as well as basidiomycetes in the genera Cryptococcus and Trichosporon. A close relative of Candida subhashii (Spathaspora clade) and the xylose-fermenting yeast Scheffersomyces stipitis were the most common species isolated in Queensland. These results agree with those of previous studies that showed a common association of xylose-fermenting yeasts in the gut of lignicolous insects. Species and higher taxa of yeasts, however, vary between Queensland passalids and those previously collected in distant regions.

Passalidae (Polyphaga, Coleoptera) is a family of beetles with approximately 960 species that are distributed worldwide. Preliminary studies that characterized ascomycete and basidiomycete yeasts in the gut of these wood-eating beetles from the USA, Guatemala, and Thailand, demonstrated associations between certain yeast taxa and passalids. We extended the study to include yeasts and beetles from tropical forests near Cairns and Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. We isolated more than 1000 yeast strains from about 150 beetles belonging to 10 species. LSU and ITS rRNA markers were used to identify a subset of 250 yeast strains, which revealed that the gut of Australian passalids contained undescribed ascomycetes in the Debaryomyces, Dipodascus, Kazachstania, Ogataea, Scheffersomyces, Sugiyamaella, Spathaspora, Torulaspora, and Zygowilliopsis clades, as well as basidiomycetes in the genera Cryptococcus and Trichosporon. A close relative of Candida subhashii (Spathaspora clade) and the xylose-fermenting yeast Scheffersomyces stipitis were the most common species isolated in Queensland. These results agree with those of previous studies that showed a common association of xylose-fermenting yeasts in the gut of lignicolous insects. Species and higher taxa of yeasts, however, vary between Queensland passalids and those previously collected in distant regions.

Passalidae (Polyphaga, Coleoptera) is a family of beetles with approximately 960 species that are distributed worldwide. Preliminary studies that characterized ascomycete and basidiomycete yeasts in the gut of these wood-eating beetles from the USA, Guatemala, and Thailand, demonstrated associations between certain yeast taxa and passalids. We extended the study to include yeasts and beetles from tropical forests near Cairns and Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. We isolated more than 1000 yeast strains from about 150 beetles belonging to 10 species. LSU and ITS rRNA markers were used to identify a subset of 250 yeast strains, which revealed that the gut of Australian passalids contained undescribed ascomycetes in the Debaryomyces, Dipodascus, Kazachstania, Ogataea, Scheffersomyces, Sugiyamaella, Spathaspora, Torulaspora, and Zygowilliopsis clades, as well as basidiomycetes in the genera Cryptococcus and Trichosporon. A close relative of Candida subhashii (Spathaspora clade) and the xylose-fermenting yeast Scheffersomyces stipitis were the most common species isolated in Queensland. These results agree with those of previous studies that showed a common association of xylose-fermenting yeasts in the gut of lignicolous insects. Species and higher taxa of yeasts, however, vary between Queensland passalids and those previously collected in distant regions.

Passalidae (Polyphaga, Coleoptera) is a family of beetles with approximately 960 species that are distributed worldwide. Preliminary studies that characterized ascomycete and basidiomycete yeasts in the gut of these wood-eating beetles from the USA, Guatemala, and Thailand, demonstrated associations between certain yeast taxa and passalids. We extended the study to include yeasts and beetles from tropical forests near Cairns and Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. We isolated more than 1000 yeast strains from about 150 beetles belonging to 10 species. LSU and ITS rRNA markers were used to identify a subset of 250 yeast strains, which revealed that the gut of Australian passalids contained undescribed ascomycetes in the Debaryomyces, Dipodascus, Kazachstania, Ogataea, Scheffersomyces, Sugiyamaella, Spathaspora, Torulaspora, and Zygowilliopsis clades, as well as basidiomycetes in the genera Cryptococcus and Trichosporon. A close relative of Candida subhashii (Spathaspora clade) and the xylose-fermenting yeast Scheffersomyces stipitis were the most common species isolated in Queensland. These results agree with those of previous studies that showed a common association of xylose-fermenting yeasts in the gut of lignicolous insects. Species and higher taxa of yeasts, however, vary between Queensland passalids and those previously collected in distant regions.

Models of infectious diseases have been developed since the first half of the twentieth century. Most models haven't considered the role that emotional factors of the individual may play on the population's behavioral adaptation during the spread of a pandemic disease. Considering that local interactions among individuals generate patterns that -at a large scale- govern the action of masses, we have studied the behavioral adaptation of a population induced by the spread of an infectious disease. Therefore, we have developed a rule-based model of a hypothetical zombie outbreak, written in Kappa language, and simulated using Guillespie's stochastic approach. Our study addresses the specificity and heterogeneity of the system at the individual level, a highly desirable characteristic, mostly overlooked in classic epidemic models. Together with the basic elements of a typical epidemiological model, our model includes an individual representation of the disease progression and the traveling of agents among cities being affected. It also introduces an approximation to measure the effect of panic in the population as a function of the individual situational awareness. In addition, the effect of two possible countermeasures to overcome the zombie threat is considered: the availability of medical treatment and the deployment of special armed forces. However, due to the special characteristics of this hypothetical infectious disease, even using exaggerated numbers of countermeasures, only a small percentage of the population can be saved at the end of the simulations. As expected from a rule-based model approach, the global dynamics of our model resulted primarily governed by the mechanistic description of local interactions occurring at the individual level. As a whole, people's situational awareness resulted essential to modulate the inner dynamics of the system., Comment: 4 figures