In this study, we assessed the phylogenetic relationships among members of Ceratostomella and the morphologically similar genus Xylomelasma, currently classified within the Sordariomycetes. Our phylogenetic analyses, utilising three and five gene markers, revealed that species from these two genera are congeneric, supporting the transfer of Xylomelasma to Ceratostomella. Consequently, we propose two new combinations: C.sordida comb. nov. and C.novae-zelandiae comb. nov. In addition, we identified two cryptic species within the C.sordida species complex, which are described as C.crypta sp. nov. and C.melanospora sp. nov. Traditional micromorphological characters have proven insufficient for differentiating these new species; however, they are clearly distinguishable by molecular data, particularly using the internal transcribed spacer region ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 (ITS) of the nuclear rRNA cistron, and genes encoding the second largest subunit of RNA polymerase II (rpb2), and translation elongation factor 1-α (tef1-α) as primary and secondary barcodes. This study provides new insights into the morphological characteristics of Ceratostomella, identifying the ascogenous system as an important diagnostic trait at the generic level, which distinguishes Ceratostomella from morphologically similar fungi. Ceratostomella is currently recognised with eight species. We also investigated the relationship between Ceratostomella and the closely related Barbatosphaeria. The lack of statistical support in the Maximum likelihood analysis is discussed and the inclusion of Ceratostomella in Barbatosphaeriaceae is not supported. Ceratostomella is accepted as a genus incertae sedis, while Barbatosphaeriaceae remains a monotypic family. The global diversity of Ceratostomella is inferred from metabarcoding data and published field observations. Biogeographic analysis indicates that members of Ceratostomella are widespread, found in soil and decaying wood, as well as in air, dust, roots, shoots, and water across temperate, subtropical and tropical regions in both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres. We are concurrently publishing whole-genome analyses of three ex-type strains of Ceratostomella, i.e. C.crypta, C.melanospora and C.sordida. This effort aims to establish a new standard for high-quality taxonomic studies, which, in accordance with current trends, should incorporate whole-genome sequencing data for future research and application. Our findings underscore the importance of integrating morphological, biogeographic and molecular data for accurate species delineation and highlight the complexity within the genus Ceratostomella.

• Keywords
• Ascogenous hyphae, Sordariomycetes, biogeography, cryptic species, molecular systematics, saprobes, two new species,
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH

The genus Ceratostomella has a long history of taxonomic confusion. While species with evanescent asci have been transferred to the Microascales and Ophiostomatales, the taxonomic status of species with persistent asci has not been completely resolved. In previous studies using DNA sequence data, cultures and morphology, several Ceratostomella spp. were allocated in 13 genera in the Eurotiomycetes and Sordariomycetes. In our study, the systematics of the remaining Ceratostomella spp. with persistent asci is revisited with new collection data, cultures and phylogeny based on novel DNA sequences from six nuclear loci. Bayesian inference and Maximum Likelihood analyses support the monophyly of several wood-inhabiting species formerly classified in Ceratostomella and other unknown morphologically similar taxa and their division into four genera, i.e. Lentomitella, Spadicoides, Torrentispora and the newly described Calyptosphaeria. This robust clade represents the order Xenospadicoidales in the Sordariomycetidae. Comparative analysis of the ITS2 secondary structure revealed a genetic variation among Lentomitella isolates; 11 species were recognised, of which five are newly introduced and two are new combinations. Other taxonomic novelties include four new species and eight new combinations in Calyptosphaeria, Spadicoides, and Torrentispora. Molecular data suggest that Spadicoides is polyphyletic. The core of the genus is positioned in the Xenospadicoidales; Spadicoides s. str. is experimentally linked with sexual morphs for the first time. Based on DNA sequence data, the monotypic genera Xenospadicoides and Pseudodiplococcium are reduced to synonymy under Spadicoides, while Fusoidispora and Pseudoannulatascus are synonymised with Torrentispora. Members of the Xenospadicoidales inhabit decaying wood in terrestrial and freshwater environments and share a few morphological characters such as the absence of stromatic tissue, ascomata with a cylindrical or rostrate neck, similar anatomies of the ascomatal walls, thin-walled unitunicate asci with a non-amyloid apical annulus, disintegrating paraphyses, usually ellipsoidal to fusiform ascospores and holoblastic-denticulate or tretic conidiogenesis. Revised Ceratostomella spp. with persistent asci are listed and the taxonomic status of each species is re-evaluated based on revision of the holotype and other representative material, published details and available phylogenetic data.

• Keywords
• C. tenebrosa Réblová & A.N. Mill., C. tropica (Huhndorf et al.) Réblová & A.N. Mill., Calyptosphaeria Réblová & A.N. Mill, Calyptosphaeria collapsa Réblová & A.N. Mill., Calyptosphaeria subdenudata (Peck) Réblová & A.N. Mill., Ceratostomella, Conidiogenesis, Holoblastic-denticulate, L. investita (Schw.) Réblová, L. obscura Réblová, L. striatella Réblová, L. sulcata Réblová, L. tenuirostris Réblová, Lentomitella conoidea (Feltg.) Réblová, Lentomitella magna Réblová, Molecular systematics, New taxa, Phaeoisaria-like, S. hyalostoma (Munk) Réblová, Selenosporella-like, Spadicoides fuscolutea (Rehm) Réblová, Spadicoides iberica (Hern.-Restr. et al.) Réblová & A.N. Mill., T. biatriispora (K.D. Hyde) Réblová & A.N. Mill., T. dubia (Sacc.) Réblová & A.N. Mill, T. novae-zelandiae Réblová & A.N. Mill, Taxonomy, Torrentispora aquatica (Vijaykr. et al.) Réblová & A.N. Mill., Torrentispora calembola Réblová & A.N. Mill., Tretic, Xenospadicoidales,
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH

Novel species of fungi described in this study include those from various countries as follows: Australia: Apiognomonia lasiopetali on Lasiopetalum sp., Blastacervulus eucalyptorum on Eucalyptus adesmophloia, Bullanockia australis (incl. Bullanockia gen. nov.) on Kingia australis, Caliciopsis eucalypti on Eucalyptus marginata, Celerioriella petrophiles on Petrophile teretifolia, Coleophoma xanthosiae on Xanthosia rotundifolia, Coniothyrium hakeae on Hakea sp., Diatrypella banksiae on Banksia formosa, Disculoides corymbiae on Corymbia calophylla, Elsinoë eelemani on Melaleuca alternifolia, Elsinoë eucalyptigena on Eucalyptus kingsmillii, Elsinoë preissianae on Eucalyptus preissiana, Eucasphaeria rustici on Eucalyptus creta, Hyweljonesia queenslandica (incl. Hyweljonesia gen. nov.) on the cocoon of an unidentified microlepidoptera, Mycodiella eucalypti (incl. Mycodiella gen. nov.) on Eucalyptus diversicolor, Myrtapenidiella sporadicae on Eucalyptus sporadica, Neocrinula xanthorrhoeae (incl. Neocrinula gen. nov.) on Xanthorrhoea sp., Ophiocordyceps nooreniae on dead ant, Phaeosphaeriopsis agavacearum on Agave sp., Phlogicylindrium mokarei on Eucalyptus sp., Phyllosticta acaciigena on Acacia suaveolens, Pleurophoma acaciae on Acacia glaucoptera, Pyrenochaeta hakeae on Hakea sp., Readeriella lehmannii on Eucalyptus lehmannii, Saccharata banksiae on Banksia grandis, Saccharata daviesiae on Daviesia pachyphylla, Saccharata eucalyptorum on Eucalyptus bigalerita, Saccharata hakeae on Hakea baxteri, Saccharata hakeicola on Hakea victoria, Saccharata lambertiae on Lambertia ericifolia, Saccharata petrophiles on Petrophile sp., Saccharata petrophilicola on Petrophile fastigiata, Sphaerellopsis hakeae on Hakea sp., and Teichospora kingiae on Kingia australis.Brazil: Adautomilanezia caesalpiniae (incl. Adautomilanezia gen. nov.) on Caesalpina echinata, Arthrophiala arthrospora (incl. Arthrophiala gen. nov.) on Sagittaria montevidensis, Diaporthe caatingaensis (endophyte from Tacinga inamoena), Geastrum ishikawae on sandy soil, Geastrum pusillipilosum on soil, Gymnopus pygmaeus on dead leaves and sticks, Inonotus hymenonitens on decayed angiosperm trunk, Pyricularia urashimae on Urochloa brizantha, and Synnemellisia aurantia on Passiflora edulis. Chile: Tubulicrinis australis on Lophosoria quadripinnata.France: Cercophora squamulosa from submerged wood, and Scedosporium cereisporum from fluids of a wastewater treatment plant. Hawaii: Beltraniella acaciae, Dactylaria acaciae, Rhexodenticula acaciae, Rubikia evansii and Torula acaciae (all on Acacia koa).India: Lepidoderma echinosporum on dead semi-woody stems, and Rhodocybe rubrobrunnea from soil. Iran: Talaromyces kabodanensis from hypersaline soil. La Réunion: Neocordana musarum from leaves of Musa sp. Malaysia: Anungitea eucalyptigena on Eucalyptus grandis × pellita, Camptomeriphila leucaenae (incl. Camptomeriphila gen. nov.) on Leucaena leucocephala, Castanediella communis on Eucalyptus pellita, Eucalyptostroma eucalypti (incl. Eucalyptostroma gen. nov.) on Eucalyptus pellita, Melanconiella syzygii on Syzygium sp., Mycophilomyces periconiae (incl. Mycophilomyces gen. nov.) as hyperparasite on Periconia on leaves of Albizia falcataria, Synnemadiella eucalypti (incl. Synnemadiella gen. nov.) on Eucalyptus pellita, and Teichospora nephelii on Nephelium lappaceum.Mexico: Aspergillus bicephalus from soil. New Zealand: Aplosporella sophorae on Sophora microphylla, Libertasomyces platani on Platanus sp., Neothyronectria sophorae (incl. Neothyronectria gen. nov.) on Sophora microphylla, Parastagonospora phoenicicola on Phoenix canariensis, Phaeoacremonium pseudopanacis on Pseudopanax crassifolius, Phlyctema phoenicis on Phoenix canariensis, and Pseudoascochyta novae-zelandiae on Cordyline australis.Panama: Chalara panamensis from needle litter of Pinus cf. caribaea. South Africa: Exophiala eucalypti on leaves of Eucalyptus sp., Fantasmomyces hyalinus (incl. Fantasmomyces gen. nov.) on Acacia exuvialis, Paracladophialophora carceris (incl. Paracladophialophora gen. nov.) on Aloe sp., and Umthunziomyces hagahagensis (incl. Umthunziomyces gen. nov.) on Mimusops caffra.Spain: Clavaria griseobrunnea on bare ground in Pteridium aquilinum field, Cyathus ibericus on small fallen branches of Pinus halepensis, Gyroporus pseudolacteus in humus of Pinus pinaster, and Pseudoascochyta pratensis (incl. Pseudoascochyta gen. nov.) from soil. Thailand: Neoascochyta adenii on Adenium obesum, and Ochroconis capsici on Capsicum annuum. UK: Fusicolla melogrammae from dead stromata of Melogramma campylosporum on bark of Carpinus betulus. Uruguay: Myrmecridium pulvericola from house dust. USA: Neoscolecobasidium agapanthi (incl. Neoscolecobasidium gen. nov.) on Agapanthus sp., Polyscytalum purgamentum on leaf litter, Pseudopithomyces diversisporus from human toenail, Saksenaea trapezispora from knee wound of a soldier, and Sirococcus quercus from Quercus sp. Morphological and culture characteristics along with DNA barcodes are provided.

• Keywords
• ITS nrDNA barcodes, LSU, novel fungal species, systematics,
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH

Phylogenetic analyses of DNA sequences from nuclear ribosomal and protein-coding loci support the placement of several perithecial ascomycetes and dematiaceous hyphomycetes from freshwater and terrestrial environments in two monophyletic clades closely related to the Savoryellales. One clade formed by five species of Conioscypha and a second clade containing several genera of uncertain taxonomic status centred on Pleurothecium, represent two distinct taxonomic groups at the ordinal systematic rank. They are proposed as new orders, the Conioscyphales and Pleurotheciales. Several taxonomic novelties are introduced in the Pleurotheciales, i.e. two new genera (Adelosphaeria and Melanotrigonum), three novel species (A. catenata, M. ovale, Phaeoisaria fasciculata) and a new combination (Pleurotheciella uniseptata). A new combination is proposed for Savoryella limnetica in Ascotaiwania s.str. based on molecular data and culture characters. A strongly supported lineage containing a new genus Plagiascoma, species of Bactrodesmiastrum and Ascotaiwania persoonii, was identified as a sister to the Conioscyphales/Pleurotheciales/Savoryellales clade in our multilocus phylogeny. Together, they are nested in a monophyly in the Hypocreomycetidae, significantly supported by Bayesian inference and Maximum Likelihood analyses. Members of this clade share a few morphological characters, such as the absence of stromatic tissue or clypeus, similar anatomies of the 2-layered ascomatal walls, thin-walled unitunicate asci with a distinct, non-amyloid apical annulus, symmetrical, transversely septate ascospores and holoblastic conidiogenesis. They represent the only fungi in the Hypocreomycetidae with apically free, filiform to cylindrical, persistent or partially disintegrating paraphyses. The systematic placement of two other dematiaceous hyphomycetes was resolved based on DNA sequences; Phragmocephala stemphylioides is a member of the Pleurotheciales and Triadelphia uniseptata is within the Savoryellales.

• Keywords
• Hypocreomycetidae, Phaeoisaria, freshwater fungi, holoblastic conidiogenesis, multigene analysis, systematics,
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH

The Calosphaeriales is revisited with new collection data, living cultures, morphological studies of ascoma centrum, secondary structures of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) rDNA and phylogeny based on novel DNA sequences of five nuclear ribosomal and protein-coding loci. Morphological features, molecular evidence and information from predicted RNA secondary structures of ITS converged upon robust phylogenies of the Calosphaeriales and Togniniales. The current concept of the Calosphaeriales includes the Calosphaeriaceae and Pleurostomataceae encompassing five monophyletic genera, Calosphaeria, Flabellascus gen. nov., Jattaea, Pleurostoma and Togniniella, strongly supported by Bayesian and Maximum Likelihood methods. The structural elements of ITS1 form characteristic patterns that are phylogenetically conserved, corroborate observations based on morphology and have a high predictive value at the generic level. Three major clades containing 44 species of Phaeoacremonium were recovered in the closely related Togniniales based on ITS, actin and β-tubulin sequences. They are newly characterized by sexual and RNA structural characters and ecology. This approach is a first step towards understanding of the molecular systematics of Phaeoacremonium and possibly its new classification. In the Calosphaeriales, Jattaea aphanospora sp. nov. and J. ribicola sp. nov. are introduced, Calosphaeria taediosa is combined in Jattaea and epitypified. The sexual morph of Phaeoacremonium cinereum was encountered for the first time on decaying wood and obtained in vitro. In order to achieve a single nomenclature, the genera of asexual morphs linked with the Calosphaeriales are transferred to synonymy of their sexual morphs following the principle of priority, i.e. Calosphaeriophora to Calosphaeria, Phaeocrella to Togniniella and Pleurostomophora to Pleurostoma. Three new combinations are proposed, i.e. Pleurostoma ochraceum comb. nov., P. repens comb. nov. and P. richardsiae comb. nov. The morphology-based key is provided to facilitate identification of genera accepted in the Calosphaeriales.

• MeSH
• Ascomycota classification   genetics   MeSH
• Bayes Theorem MeSH
• RNA, Fungal genetics   MeSH
• Phylogeny * MeSH
• Genes, Fungal genetics   MeSH
• Nucleic Acid Conformation MeSH
• DNA, Ribosomal Spacer chemistry   genetics   MeSH
• Evolution, Molecular MeSH
• Likelihood Functions MeSH
• RNA, Ribosomal, 16S genetics   MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH
• Names of Substances
• RNA, Fungal MeSH
• DNA, Ribosomal Spacer MeSH
• RNA, Ribosomal, 16S MeSH

Thirteen morphologically similar strains of barbatosphaeria- and tectonidula-like fungi were studied based on the comparison of cultural and morphological features of sexual and asexual morphs and phylogenetic analyses of five nuclear loci, i.e. internal transcribed spacer rDNA operon (ITS), large and small subunit nuclear ribosomal DNA, β-tubulin, and second largest subunit of RNA polymerase II. Phylogenetic results were supported by in-depth comparative analyses of common core secondary structure of ITS1 and ITS2 in all strains and the identification of non-conserved, co-evolving nucleotides that maintain base pairing in the RNA transcript. Barbatosphaeria is defined as a well-supported monophyletic clade comprising several lineages and is placed in the Sordariomycetes incertae sedis. The genus is expanded to encompass nine species with both septate and non-septate ascospores in clavate, stipitate asci with a non-amyloid apical annulus and non-stromatic ascomata with a long decumbent neck and carbonised wall often covered by pubescence. The asexual morphs are dematiaceous hyphomycetes with holoblastic conidiogenesis belonging to Ramichloridium and Sporothrix types. The morphologically similar Tectonidula, represented by the type species T. hippocrepida, grouped with members of Barbatosphaeria and is transferred to that genus. Four new species are introduced and three new combinations in Barbatosphaeria are proposed. A dichotomous key to species accepted in the genus is provided.

• Keywords
• Ramichloridium, Sporothrix, Tectonidula, phylogenetics, sequence analysis, spacer regions,
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH

Four morphologically similar specimens of an unidentified perithecial ascomycete were collected on decaying wood submerged in fresh water. Phylogenetic analysis of DNA sequences from protein-coding and ribosomal nuclear loci supports the placement of the unidentified fungus together with Achroceratosphaeria in a strongly supported monophyletic clade. The four collections are described as two new species of the new genus Pisorisporium characterised by non-stromatic, black, immersed to superficial perithecial ascomata, persistent paraphyses, unitunicate, persistent asci with an amyloid apical annulus and hyaline, fusiform, cymbiform to cylindrical, transversely multiseptate ascospores with conspicuous guttules. The asexual morph is unknown and no conidia were formed in vitro or on the natural substratum. The clade containing Achroceratosphaeria and Pisorisporium is introduced as the new order Pisorisporiales, family Pisorisporiaceae in the class Sordariomycetes. It represents a new lineage of aquatic fungi. A sister relationship for Pisorisporiales with the Lulworthiales and Koralionastetales is weakly supported by Bayesian inference and maximum likelihood analyses. The systematic position of Pisorisporium among morphologically similar perithecial ascomycetes is discussed.

• Keywords
• Achroceratosphaeria, Hypocreomycetidae, Koralionastetales, Lulworthiales, freshwater, multigene analysis, systematics,
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH