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The cosmopolitan plant genus Clematis contains many climbing species that can be found worldwide. The genus occurs in the wild and is grown commercially for horticulture. Microfungi on Clematis were collected from Belgium, China, Italy, Thailand and the UK. They are characterized by morphology and analyses of gene sequence data using an integrated species concept to validate identifications. The study revealed two new families, 12 new genera, 50 new species, 26 new host records with one dimorphic character report, and ten species are transferred to other genera. The new families revealed by multigene phylogeny are Longiostiolaceae and Pseudomassarinaceae in Pleosporales (Dothideomycetes). New genera are Anthodidymella (Didymellaceae), Anthosulcatispora and Parasulcatispora (Sulcatisporaceae), Fusiformispora (Amniculicolaceae), Longispora (Phaeosphaeriaceae), Neobyssosphaeria (Melanommataceae), Neoleptosporella (Chaetosphaeriales, genera incertae sedis), Neostictis (Stictidaceae), Pseudohelminthosporium (Neomassarinaceae), Pseudomassarina (Pseudomassarinaceae), Sclerenchymomyces (Leptosphaeriaceae) and Xenoplectosphaerella (Plectosphaerellaceae). The newly described species are Alloleptosphaeria clematidis, Anthodidymella ranunculacearum, Anthosulcatispora subglobosa, Aquadictyospora clematidis, Brunneofusispora clematidis, Chaetosphaeronema clematidicola, C. clematidis, Chromolaenicola clematidis, Diaporthe clematidina, Dictyocheirospora clematidis, Distoseptispora clematidis, Floricola clematidis, Fusiformispora clematidis, Hermatomyces clematidis, Leptospora clematidis, Longispora clematidis, Massariosphaeria clematidis, Melomastia clematidis, M. fulvicomae, Neobyssosphaeria clematidis, Neoleptosporella clematidis, Neoroussoella clematidis, N. fulvicomae, Neostictis nigricans, Neovaginatispora clematidis, Parasulcatispora clematidis, Parathyridaria clematidis, P. serratifoliae, P. virginianae, Periconia verrucose, Phomatospora uniseriata, Pleopunctum clematidis, Pseudocapulatispora clematidis, Pseudocoleophoma clematidis, Pseudohelminthosporium clematidis, Pseudolophiostoma chiangraiense, P. clematidis, Pseudomassarina clematidis, Ramusculicola clematidis, Sarocladium clematidis, Sclerenchymomyces clematidis, Sigarispora clematidicola, S. clematidis, S. montanae, Sordaria clematidis, Stemphylium clematidis, Wojnowiciella clematidis, Xenodidymella clematidis, Xenomassariosphaeria clematidis and Xenoplectosphaerella clematidis. The following fungi are recorded on Clematis species for the first time: Angustimassarina rosarum, Dendryphion europaeum, Dermatiopleospora mariae, Diaporthe ravennica, D. rudis, Dichotomopilus ramosissimum, Dictyocheirospora xishuangbannaensis, Didymosphaeria rubi-ulmifolii, Fitzroyomyces cyperacearum, Fusarium celtidicola, Leptospora thailandica, Memnoniella oblongispora, Neodidymelliopsis longicolla, Neoeutypella baoshanensis, Neoroussoella heveae, Nigrograna chromolaenae, N. obliqua, Pestalotiopsis verruculosa, Pseudoberkleasmium chiangmaiense, Pseudoophiobolus rosae, Pseudoroussoella chromolaenae, P. elaeicola, Ramusculicola thailandica, Stemphylium vesicarium and Torula chromolaenae. The new combinations are Anthodidymella clematidis (≡ Didymella clematidis), A. vitalbina (≡ Didymella vitalbina), Anthosulcatispora brunnea (≡ Neobambusicola brunnea), Fuscohypha kunmingensis (≡ Plectosphaerella kunmingensis), Magnibotryascoma rubriostiolata (≡ Teichospora rubriostiolata), Pararoussoella mangrovei (≡ Roussoella mangrovei), Pseudoneoconiothyrium euonymi (≡ Roussoella euonymi), Sclerenchymomyces jonesii (≡ Neoleptosphaeria jonesii), Stemphylium rosae (≡ Pleospora rosae), and S. rosae-caninae (≡ Pleospora rosae-caninae). The microfungi on Clematis is distributed in several classes of Ascomycota. The analyses are based on morphological examination of specimens, coupled with phylogenetic sequence data. To the best of our knowledge, the consolidated species concept approach is recommended in validating species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fungi play a vital role as decomposers in mangrove ecosystems. A new ascomycete species, Acuminatispora palmarum, inhabiting decayed petioles and rachides of palms in mangrove habitats, is introduced in this paper based on morphological and phylogenetic evidence. Phylogenetic relationships of related taxa were inferred from combined LSU, SSU, TEF1α, and RPB2 sequence data, and the analyses indicate that A. palmarum could be recognized as a distinct group in Pleosporales, but its familial placement needs to be further resolved. The morphological characters of this new taxon are also different from other members in Pleosporales by its deeply immersed ascomata, long pedicellate asci, and biseriate to triseriate, 1-(rarely 3) septate, brown, fusiform ascospores with acute or narrowly pointed ending cells. Acuminatispora gen. nov. (Pleosporales, incertae sedis) is therefore established to accommodate the new taxon A. palmarum. Furthermore, phylogenetic relationships of Acrocordiopsis and Caryospora are discussed with a consideration of morphological observations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel saprobic fungal genus, Thyridariella (Thyridariaceae), is herein described to include Thyridariella mangrovei, the type species and T. mahakoshae spp. nov. Both species were collected as saprobes on decaying wood of Avicennia marina, a common mangrove species found near Kaveri River Delta, Tamil Nadu, on the east coast of India. Thyridariella is diagnosed by having an exclusive combination of characters, such as ascomata with ostiolar necks thickened laterally, hyaline, and centrally constricted muriform ascospores with a single longitudinal septum in each segment and surrounded by a mucilaginous sheath. These characters demarcate these taxa from morphologically similar genera such as Halojulella and Julella. In addition, the new genus also differs from Parathyridaria and Thyridaria in having hyaline, muriform ascospores with distinct mucilaginous sheaths. The monophyly of Thyridariella is well supported in the phylogenetic analysis based on a concatenated dataset from two proteins and three nuclear gene regions. The phylogeny also depicts a sister group relationship of our new genus to Parathyridaria and Thyridaria and hence confirms its position within Thyridariaceae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Palm fungi are highly diverse in the tropical regions of Asia. Recent investigations on these palmicolous fungi have led to the collection of astrosphaeriella-like taxa from Calamus, Caryota, and Licuala species in Thailand (Chiang Rai and Narathiwat provinces) and southwest China (Yunnan Province). This study characterizes fungal taxa, which are new to science, based on morphological examination and concatenated DNA sequence data, to infer their familial relationships. Morphological comparisons reveal six new species, viz. Astrosphaeriellopsis caryotae, Fissuroma calami, F. caryotae, Neoastrosphaeriella sribooniensis, Pithomyces caryotae, and P. licualae.Their similarities and differences to other extant species are discussed. The phylogenetic results indicate that all of these new taxa belong to Aigialaceae and Astrosphaeriellaceae (Pleosporales) and support their establishment. Astrosphaeriellopsis is assigned to Astrosphaeriellaceae and the family is amended in order to accommodate both coelomycetous and hyphomycetous asexual morphs. A generic key is presented for Astrosphaeriellaceae to delimit Astrosphaeriella, Astrosphaeriellopsis, Pteridiospora, and Pithomyces. Asexual morph connections of Pithomyces caryotae and P. licualae are established from axenic cultures derived from single ascospores. DNA-based sequence data supports the establishment of our new species; however, the affinities of Astrosphaeriella tornata to other Astrosphaeriella and Pithomyces species are unclear and warrant further investigations with increased taxon sampling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phylogenetic analyses of multi-gene (LSU, SSU, TEF1α, RPB2 and ITS) sequence data support the placement of several Sporidesmium-like species within Sordariomycetes. The taxa collected in the present study were from unidentified submerged twigs in a stream in Prachuap Khiri Khan and Phang Nga Provinces, Thailand and Guizhou Province, China. Morphological examination and phylogenetic analyses provide evidence for several taxonomic novelties, including a new genus (Pseudostanjehughesia) and five novel species (Distoseptispora guttulata, D. phangngaensis, D. suoluoensis, Pseudostanjehughesia aquitropica and Sporidesmium gyrinomorphum). The collections also comprised three previously described species (Distoseptispora multiseptata, Sporidesmium thailandense and S. tropicale). Descriptions and illustrations of the above taxa are provided and their systematic placement is discussed. The description of Distoseptispora is emended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is the seventh in the Fungal Diversity Notes series, where 131 taxa accommodated in 28 families are mainly described from Rosa (Rosaceae) and a few other hosts. Novel fungal taxa are described in the present study, including 17 new genera, 93 new species, four combinations, a sexual record for a species and new host records for 16 species. Bhatiellae, Cycasicola, Dactylidina, Embarria, Hawksworthiana, Italica, Melanocucurbitaria, Melanodiplodia, Monoseptella, Uzbekistanica, Neoconiothyrium, Neopaucispora, Pararoussoella, Paraxylaria, Marjia, Sporormurispora and Xenomassariosphaeria are introduced as new ascomycete genera. We also introduce the new species Absidia jindoensis, Alternaria doliconidium, A. hampshirensis, Angustimassarina rosarum, Astragalicola vasilyevae, Backusella locustae, Bartalinia rosicola, Bhatiellae rosae, Broomella rosae, Castanediella camelliae, Coelodictyosporium rosarum, Comoclathris rosae, C. rosarum, Comoclathris rosigena, Coniochaeta baysunika, C. rosae, Cycasicola goaensis, Dactylidina shoemakeri, Dematiopleospora donetzica, D. rosicola, D. salsolae, Diaporthe rosae, D. rosicola, Endoconidioma rosae-hissaricae, Epicoccum rosae, Hawksworthiana clematidicola, H. lonicerae, Italica achilleae, Keissleriella phragmiticola, K. rosacearum, K. rosae, K. rosarum, Lophiostoma rosae, Marjia tianschanica, M. uzbekistanica, Melanocucurbitaria uzbekistanica, Melanodiplodia tianschanica, Monoseptella rosae, Mucor fluvius, Muriformistrickeria rosae, Murilentithecium rosae, Neoascochyta rosicola, Neoconiothyrium rosae, Neopaucispora rosaecae, Neosetophoma rosarum, N. rosae, N. rosigena, Neostagonospora artemisiae, Ophiobolus artemisiicola, Paraconiothyrium rosae, Paraphaeosphaeria rosae, P. rosicola, Pararoussoella rosarum, Parathyridaria rosae, Paraxylaria rosacearum, Penicillium acidum, P. aquaticum, Phragmocamarosporium rosae, Pleospora rosae, P. rosae-caninae, Poaceicola agrostina, P. arundinicola, P. rosae, Populocrescentia ammophilae, P. rosae, Pseudocamarosporium pteleae, P. ulmi-minoris, Pseudocercospora rosae, Pseudopithomyces rosae, Pseudostrickeria rosae, Sclerostagonospora lathyri, S. rosae, S. rosicola, Seimatosporium rosigenum, S. rosicola, Seiridium rosarum, Setoseptoria arundelensis, S. englandensis, S. lulworthcovensis, Sigarispora agrostidis, S. caryophyllacearum, S. junci, S. medicaginicola, S. rosicola, S. scrophulariae, S. thymi, Sporormurispora atraphaxidis, S. pruni, Suttonomyces rosae, Umbelopsis sinsidoensis, Uzbekistanica rosae-hissaricae, U. yakutkhanika, Wojnowicia rosicola, Xenomassariosphaeria rosae. New host records are provided for Amandinea punctata, Angustimassarina quercicola, Diaporthe rhusicola, D. eres, D. foeniculina, D. rudis, Diplodia seriata, Dothiorella iberica, Lasiodiplodia theobromae, Lecidella elaeochroma, Muriformistrickeria rubi, Neofusicoccum australe, Paraphaeosphaeria michotii, Pleurophoma pleurospora, Sigarispora caulium and Teichospora rubriostiolata. The new combinations are Dactylidina dactylidis (=Allophaeosphaeria dactylidis), Embarria clematidis (=Allophaeosphaeria clematidis), Hawksworthiana alliariae (=Dematiopleospora alliariae) and Italica luzulae (=Dematiopleospora luzulae). This study also provides some insights into the diversity of fungi on Rosa species and especially those on Rosa spines that resulted in the characterisation of eight new genera, 45 new species, and nine new host records. We also collected taxa from Rosa stems and there was 31% (20/65) overlap with taxa found on stems with that on spines. Because of the limited and non-targeted sampling for comparison with collections from spines and stems of the same host and location, it is not possible to say that the fungi on spines of Rosa differ from those on stems. The study however, does illustrate how spines are interesting substrates with high fungal biodiversity. This may be because of their hard structure resulting in slow decay and hence are suitable substrates leading to fungal colonisation. All data presented herein are based on morphological examination of specimens, coupled with phylogenetic sequence data to better integrate taxa into appropriate taxonomic ranks and infer their evolutionary relationships. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Leptosphaeriaceae is a family in the order Pleosporales comprising economically important plant pathogens. Species may also be endophytes or saprobes on various host plants. In recent classifications Alternariaster, Leptosphaeria, Neophaeosphaeria, Paraleptosphaeria, Heterospora, Subplenodomus and Plenodomus were included in the family. The taxonomy of genera and species in Leptosphaeriaceae has been problematic due to the lack of understanding of the importance of morphological characters used to distinguish taxa, as well as the lack of reference strains. In order to establish evolutionary relationships and to provide a backbone tree for Leptosphaeria and allied genera, we sequenced the 18S nrDNA, 28S nrDNA, ITS, RPB2, TEF and ACT gene regions of Leptosphaeriaceae species and analysed this data. Multi-locus phylogenies together with morphology robustly support the monophyletic nature of Leptosphaeriaceae among the other families in Pleosporales, and the inclusion of the genera Alternariaster, Heterospora, Leptosphaeria, Paraleptosphaeria, Sphaerellopsis, Subplenodomus, Plenodomus and three novel genera Alloleptosphaeria, Neoleptosphaeria and Pseudoleptosphaeria. Five new species, Alternariaster centaureae-diffusae, Leptosphaeria cichorium, Paraleptosphaeria rubi, Plenodomus guttulatus and P. salviae are introduced. An account of sexual morph of Alternariaster centaureae-diffusae is provided, and the sexual morph of Leptosphaeria doliolum is re-described and illustrated using modern concepts from fresh collections. A novel family Neophaeosphaeriaceae is established to accommodate the genus Neophaeosphaeria and its species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent estimates suggest that there are as many as 10,000 marine fungal species, although the current number stands at just over 500. Previous studies were predominantly surveys of marine fungal diversity on various substrata in Europe, north American and Asia, while little research exists on the possible processes leading to their current distribution. Therefore, this study was initiated to assess the genetic structure and geographical distribution of the cosmopolitan aquatic fungus Lignincola laevis. The internal transcribed spacers and partial 28S region of the rRNA gene clusters, and the partial MCM7 protein gene were sequenced and analysed using maximum parsimony and Bayesian likelihood methods. Three distinct lineages were present in the sampled L. laevis isolates with a mean pairwise distance between the groups >10 %. However, no geographical assemblages could be identified in the phylogeny. The high genetic divergence suggests that Lignincola laevis is a species complex that consists of a group of closely related species with subtle morphological differences. The lack of geographical structure in the sampled isolates of L. laevis may suggest a high dispersal capacity for L. laevis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigated the effects of salinity on the zoospore production of four mangrove thraustochytrid isolates, Schizochytrium sp. KF1, Aurantiochytrium mangrovei KF6, Thraustochytrium striatum KF9 and Ulkenia sp. KF13. The zoospore motilities, which were based on curvilinear velocity (VCL) and straight-line velocity (VSL), were monitored using the Computer-Assisted Sperm Motility Analysis (CASA) Software system. The zoospore production of four isolates was suppressed at salinity above 15‰. Schizochytrium sp. produced the greatest number of zoospores at 15‰, while Aurantiochytrium mangrovei and Ulkenia sp. produced abundant zoospores in diluted sea water ranging from 7.5 to 15‰. Thraustochytrium striatum performed relatively poorly under all salinities. Salinity and exposure time, as well as their interactions, had significant impacts on most zoospore velocity measurements. The optimal velocities of zoospore motility also varied among isolates. Zoospores of Schizochytrium sp. and A. mangrovei had similar responses to salinity, with the highest motility at 7.3‰, followed by a decrease in velocities with increasing salinity. In contrast, the zoospore of T. striatum had optimal motility at 12‰ and remained highly motile from 15 to 20‰. The velocities of zoospores of Ulkenia sp. were the lowest among the tested thraustochytrids and had optimal motility at 12‰. Zoospores of all the isolates remained active after 4 h of exposure to aqueous medium, but the optimal salinity for each mode of swimming changed. The ecological significance of these data are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract  Although the phenomenon of chirality appears in many investigations of maps and hypermaps, no detailed study of chirality seems to have been carried out. Chirality of maps and hypermaps is not merely a binary invariant but can be quantified by two new invariants—the chirality group and the chirality index, the latter being the size of the chirality group. A detailed investigation of the chirality groups of orientably regular maps and hypermaps will be the main objective of this paper. The most extreme type of chirality arises when the chirality group coincides with the monodromy group. Such hypermaps are called totally chiral. Examples of these are constructed by considering appropriate “asymmetric” pairs of generators of certain non-abelian simple groups. We also show that every finite abelian group is the chirality group of some hypermap, whereas many non-abelian groups, including symmetric and dihedral groups, cannot arise as chirality groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract  This report summarises practical aspects to measuring cell motility in culture. The methods described here were discussed at a 1-day European Tissue Culture Society (ETCS-UK) workshop organised by John Masters and Gareth E Jones that was held at University College London on 19th April 2007. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract  We present a statistical method called Covering Topic Score (CTS) to predict query performance for information retrieval. Estimation is based on how well the topic of a user’s query is covered by documents retrieved from a certain retrieval system. Our approach is conceptually simple and intuitive, and can be easily extended to incorporate features beyond bag-of-words such as phrases and proximity of terms. Experiments demonstrate that CTS significantly correlates with query performance in a variety of TREC test collections, and in particular CTS gains more prediction power benefiting from features of phrases and proximity of terms. We compare CTS with previous state-of-the-art methods for query performance prediction including clarity score and robustness score. Our experimental results show that CTS consistently performs better than, or at least as well as, these other methods. In addition to its high effectiveness, CTS is also shown to have very low computational complexity, meaning that it can be practical for real applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The taxonomic status of the genera Lignincola and Nais was re-evaluated by phylogenetic analysis of the partial large subunit ribosomal DNA sequence. Both Lignincola and Nais are inferred to be polyphyletic genera. Lignincola laevis and L. longirostris are phylogenetically related taxa but they are not monophyletic. Nais inornata, the type species of the genus, has a close relationship with Aniptodera ( A. chesapeakensis) while N. glitra forms a well-supported clade with Halosarpheia abonnis and H. ratnagiriensis. Neptunella gen. nov. is introduced to accommodate L. longirostris and Saagaromyces gen. nov. to accommodate H. abonnis, H. ratnagiriensis and N. glitra. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A molecular phylogenetic study of selected species of three sub-genera of the genus Cordyceps was undertaken, along with representatives of the genera Akanthomyces, Aschersonia, Gibellula, Hymenostilbe, Hypocrella, Nomuraea and Torrubiella, to examine their inter-relationship. Phylogenetic analyses of the data indicated that the Clavicipitaceae form a monophyletic group within the Hypocreales, while the monophyly of Cordyceps was not supported. Four clades were identified: Cor. militaris/Cor. pseudomilitaris; Cor. iranginesis/Cor. sphecocephala; Cor. intermedia/Cor. capitata; and Cor. cylindrica/Nom. atypicola. The sub-genus Neocordyceps was shown to be monophyletic while the sub-genera Eucordyceps and Ophiocordyceps do not form monophyletic groups. The genus Hypocrella appeared monophyletic, and radiated after the formation of the genera Cordyceps, and Torrubiella. Akanthomyces arachnophilus and Gi. pulchra, anamorphs of Torrubiella species, formed a distinct clade that was separate from one formed by the scale insect pathogens, To. luteorostrata and Paecilomyces cinnamomeus, suggesting that this genus may be polyphyletic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ultrastructure of Cucullosporella mangrovei ascospores is described. Mature ascospores possess two wall layers, an outer electron-dense episporium and an innermost tripartite mesosporium. Episporial elaborations form electrondense spore wall ornamentations from which extend fibrils that may constitute a highly hydrated exosporium which was not visualised at either the scanning electron microscope or light microscope level. Ascospores possess a hamate appendage at each pole which unfolds in seawater to form a long thread. Ultrastructurally the polar appendage comprises folded fibro-granular electron-dense material and fine fibrils. The fibrils form a matrix around and within the fibro-granular appendage and around the entire unreleased ascospore. These fibrils have not been observed associated with the ascospore appendages in other species of the Halosphaeriales and are a discrete and new appendage component. The fibro-granular appendage and fibrils are bounded by the outer delimiting membrane which is absent around released ascospores. The nature of the spore appendage is compared with that of other marine and freshwater ascomycetes and the taxonomic assignment of the species is discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Caryospora australiensis sp. nov., Platystomum scabridisporum sp. nov. and Savoryella melanospora sp. nov. are described from driftwood collected from a sand dune at Rye, on the Mornington Peninsula Nature Park, Victoria, Australia. These species are compared with other taxa in these and related genera. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new metabolite xyloketal H ( 1), was isolated from mangrove fungus Xylaria sp. (No.2508) obtained from the South China Sea. By spectroscopic analyses, primarily 2D NMR methods and X-ray diffraction experiments, its structure was elucidated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]