The oldest fossil mushroom.

A new fossil mushroom is described and illustrated from the Lower Cretaceous Crato Formation of northeast Brazil. Gondwanagaricites magnificus gen. et sp. nov. is remarkable for its exceptional preservation as a mineralized replacement in laminated limestone, as all other fossil mushrooms are known from amber inclusions. Gondwanagaricites represents the oldest fossil mushroom to date and the first fossil mushroom from Gondwana.

Studies in genera similar to Torula: Bahusaganda, Bahusandhika, Pseudotorula, and Simmonsiella gen. nov.

A generic key is presented to delimit Torula from seven hyphomycete genera whose type species were at one time included in the genus or whose conidium ontogeny and conidium development appear similar or superficially similar to that of Torula herbarum, the type of the genus. In Bahusaganda, two new species are described (B. elliseverhartii and B. simmonsii spp. nov.) and three new combinations made (B. ambrosiae, B. elaeodes, and B. heteromorpha combs. nov.). In Bahusandhika, one new species (B. hughesii sp. nov.) is introduced, and two new combinations made (B. rhombica and B. terrestris combs. nov.), along with emendations in the circumscription of B. caligans and B. intercalaris. Latorua is considered synonymous with Bahusandhika. In Pseudotorula, one new combination is made (P. sundara comb. nov.), and one emendation proposed (P. helica). The transfer of Dwayabeeja sundara, the type species of the genus, to Pseudotorula will require a new generic name to be introduced for D. aethiopica and D. cubensis. The new generic name Simmonsiella is established for Torula ndjilensis. Bahusandhika compacta is shown to be synonymous with Torula verrucospora.

The amsterdam declaration on fungal nomenclature.

The Amsterdam Declaration on Fungal Nomenclature was agreed at an international symposium convened in Amsterdam on 19-20 April 2011 under the auspices of the International Commission on the Taxonomy of Fungi (ICTF). The purpose of the symposium was to address the issue of whether or how the current system of naming pleomorphic fungi should be maintained or changed now that molecular data are routinely available. The issue is urgent as mycologists currently follow different practices, and no consensus was achieved by a Special Committee appointed in 2005 by the International Botanical Congress to advise on the problem. The Declaration recognizes the need for an orderly transitition to a single-name nomenclatural system for all fungi, and to provide mechanisms to protect names that otherwise then become endangered. That is, meaning that priority should be given to the first described name, except where that is a younger name in general use when the first author to select a name of a pleomorphic monophyletic genus is to be followed, and suggests controversial cases are referred to a body, such as the ICTF, which will report to the Committee for Fungi. If appropriate, the ICTF could be mandated to promote the implementation of the Declaration. In addition, but not forming part of the Declaration, are reports of discussions held during the symposium on the governance of the nomenclature of fungi, and the naming of fungi known only from an environmental nucleic acid sequence in particular. Possible amendments to the Draft BioCode (2011) to allow for the needs of mycologists are suggested for further consideration, and a possible example of how a fungus only known from the environment might be described is presented.

'Sporidesmium' lichenicola sp. nov., a new lichenicolous fungus on Leptogium from Venezuela.

'Sporidesmium' lichenicola sp. nov. is described from the decaying thallus of an unidentified Leptogium species growing on unidentified tree bark from the Guaramacal National Park in Boconó, Táchira, in western Venezuela. This is only the second lichenicolous species to be described under this generic name, and differences from that species and similar species in Sporidesmium s. lat. are discussed. A more precise generic placement will have to await a molecularly based taxonomy of the genus. The original material comes from a mycologically little explored region of the country, and brief information on previous mycological (including lichenological) studies in the area is provided for the first time in English. The new combination S. sinense (syn. Repetophragma sinense) also is made.