A New Genus of the Microascaceae (Ascomycota) Family from a Hypersaline Lagoon in Spain and the Delimitation of the Genus Wardomyces.

The Saladas de Sástago-Bujaraloz is an endorheic and arheic complex of lagoons located in the Ebro Basin and protected by the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands. Due to the semi-arid climate of the region and the high salinity of their waters, these lagoons constitute an extreme environment. We surveyed the biodiversity of salt-tolerant and halophilic fungi residents of the Laguna de Pito, a lagoon belonging to this complex. Therefore, we collected several samples of water, sediments, and soil of the periphery. Throughout the study, we isolated 21 fungal species, including a strain morphologically related to the family Microascaceae. However, this strain did not morphologically match any of genera within this family. After an in-depth morphological characterization and phylogenetic analysis using a concatenated sequence dataset of four phylogenetically informative molecular markers (the internal transcribed spacer region (ITS) of the nuclear ribosomal DNA (nrDNA); the D1-D2 domains of the 28S gene of the nuclear ribosomal RNA (LSU); and a fragment of the translation elongation factor 1-alpha (EF-1α) and the ß-tubulin (tub2) genes), we established the new genus Dactyliodendromyces, with Dactyliodendromyces holomorphus as its species. Additionally, as a result of our taxonomic study, we reclassified the paraphyletic genus Wardomyces into three different genera: Wardomyces sensu stricto, Parawardomyces gen. nov., and Pseudowardomyces gen. nov., with Parawardomyces ovalis (formerly Wardomyces ovalis) and Pseudowardomyces humicola (formerly Wardomyces humicola) as the type species of their respective genera. Furthermore, we propose new combinations, including Parawardomyces giganteus (formerly Wardomyces giganteus) and Pseudowardomyces pulvinatus (formerly Wardomyces pulvinatus).

Sunken Riches: Ascomycete Diversity in the Western Mediterranean Coast through Direct Plating and Flocculation, and Description of Four New Taxa.

The Mediterranean Sea stands out as a hotspot of biodiversity, whose fungal composition remains underexplored. Marine sediments represent the most diverse substrate; however, the challenge of recovering fungi in culture hinders the precise identification of this diversity. Concentration techniques like skimmed milk flocculation (SMF) could represent a suitable solution. Here, we compare the effectiveness in recovering filamentous ascomycetes of direct plating and SMF in combination with three culture media and two incubation temperatures, and we describe the fungal diversity detected in marine sediments. Sediments were collected at different depths on two beaches (Miracle and Arrabassada) on the Spanish western Mediterranean coast between 2021 and 2022. We recovered 362 strains, and after a morphological selection, 188 were identified primarily with the LSU and ITS barcodes, representing 54 genera and 94 species. Aspergillus, Penicillium, and Scedosporium were the most common genera, with different percentages of abundance between both beaches. Arrabassada Beach was more heterogeneous, with 42 genera representing 60 species (Miracle Beach, 28 genera and 54 species). Although most species were recovered with direct plating (70 species), 20 species were exclusively obtained using SMF as a sample pre-treatment, improving our ability to detect fungi in culture. In addition, we propose three new species in the genera Exophiala, Nigrocephalum, and Queenslandipenidiella, and a fourth representing the novel genus Schizochlamydosporiella. We concluded that SMF is a useful technique that, in combination with direct plating, including different culture media and incubation temperatures, improves the chance of recovering marine fungal communities in culture-dependent studies.

Diversity of Rock-Inhabiting Fungi in Tarragona Province, Spain.

Rock-inhabiting fungi (RIF) are usually extremely tolerant or extremophilic, as they can survive on natural and artificial rocks despite being exposed to stressful conditions. RIF have serious negative effects on the appearance and cohesion of rocky substrates, causing the alteration and decomposition of building materials, but also on human and animal health, as they can act as opportunistic pathogens. Their identification is therefore of great importance, especially in urban areas. In the present study, culturing techniques for isolating fungi, and a polyphasic taxonomic approach to their identification, were used to assess the diversity of micromycetes that darken the surfaces of buildings in various villages and cities in Tarragona Province (Spain). Sixty-four species of RIF belonging to forty-one genera were identified, including a new genus (Coccodomyces) and the following six new fungal species: Coccodomyces pleiosporus, Exophiala caementiphila, Exophiala multiformis, Neocatenulostroma spinulosum, Neodevriesia longicatenispora, and Paradevriesia holothallica. Thus, we have established that building materials are ecological niches where a high biodiversity of RIF can develop.

A new endophytic species of Microthecium (Melanosporales, Sordariomycetes, Pezizomycotina, Ascomycota) from Mallorca (Balearic Islands, Spain) / Una nueva especie endofítica de Microthecium (Melanosporales, Sordariomycetes, Pezizomycotina, Ascomycota) de Mallorca (Islas Baleares, España)

Background The genus Microthecium contains 31 species worldwide distributed. Most of them are saprobic on soil and plant debris, but a few have been reported as mycoparasites on hypocrealean fungi. By contrast, this genus has never been reported as phytopathogenic, nor endophytic. Aims To isolate and identify endophytic fungi from Mediterranean herbaceous plants and trees in order to contribute to the knowledge of the hosts and their geographical location. The present work has been focused on the study of endophytic fungi of hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna). Methods The following steps were taken: i, isolation of the fungal strain from living stems of C. monogyna; ii, cultural and micro-morphological study, and iii, sequence comparison of different genetic markers by BLAST search with sequences deposited in GenBank. Results At the present work we describe a new species of the genus, Microthecium pleomorphosporum, isolated from living stems of C. monogyna in Mallorca (Balearic Islands, Spain). This fungus is characterized by the production of non-ostiolate perithecia and two sorts of ascospores (some smooth-walled, others delicately reticulated) bearing a germ pore at each end which are frequently ornamented by a surrounding donut-like structures, and a phialidic asexual morph and bulbils. The morphologically closest related species is Microthecium tenuissimum, which has bigger ascospores and lacks asexual reproduction. Phylogenetically, M pleomorphosporum is close-related to other species of the genus, although no genetic marker that discriminates this new species from other phylogenetically closer ones could be elucidated as a gold standard. Conclusions M. pleomorphosporum, order Melanosporales, is reported here as the first endophytic species of C. monogyna. (AU)

Antecedentes El género Microthecium incluye 31 especies de distribución cosmopolita. La gran mayoría de ellas son saprobias en el suelo y se encuentran sobre detritos vegetales, y tan solo unas pocas se han descrito como micoparásitas de hongos hipocreales. Por el contrario, nunca se había descrito a este género como fitopatógeno ni endofítico. Objetivos Aislar e identificar hongos endófitos de plantas herbáceas y árboles mediterráneos con el fin de contribuir al conocimiento de los hospederos y su situación geográfica. El presente trabajo se ha centrado en el estudio de los hongos endófitos del espino albar (Crataegus monogyna). Métodos Se incluyeron diferentes procesos: (1) aislamiento de la cepa fúngica a partir de tallos vivos de Crataegus monogyna; (2) estudio cultural y micromorfológico y (3) comparación de las secuencias nucleotídicas de diferentes marcadores filogenéticamente informativos con secuencias de taxones conocidos depositadas en el GenBank mediante búsqueda BLAST. Resultados En el presente trabajo describimos una nueva especie para el género, Microthecium pleomorphosporum, aislada de tallos vivos de C. monogyna en Mallorca (Islas Baleares, España). Este hongo se caracteriza por la producción de peritecios no ostiolados y de dos tipos de ascosporas (unas con paredes lisas y otras con paredes delicadamente reticuladas), con un poro germinativo en cada extremo frecuentemente ornamentado por estructuras circundantes en forma de rosquilla, y un estado asexual que produce conidios fialídicos y bulbillos. La especie morfológicamente más cercana es Microthecium tenuissimum, que tiene ascosporas más grandes y carece de multiplicación asexual. Filogenéticamente, Microthecium pleomorphosporum está estrechamente emparentada con otras especies del género y no se ha podido establecer ningún marcador genético de referencia (gold standard) para discriminar esta nueva especie de otras filogenéticamente más próximas. Conclusiones ... (AU)

Insights into Some Onygenalean Fungi from Freshwater Sediments in Spain and Description of Novel Taxa.

During the course of a project investigating culturable Ascomycota diversity from freshwater sediments in Spain, we isolated 63 strains of cycloheximide-resistant fungi belonging to the order Onygenales. These well-known ascomycetes, able to infect both humans and animals, are commonly found in terrestrial habitats, colonizing keratin-rich soils or dung. Little is known about their diversity in aquatic environments. Combining morphological features and sequence analyses of the ITS and LSU regions of the nrDNA, we identified 14 species distributed in the genera Aphanoascus, Arachniotus, Arthroderma, Arthropsis, Emmonsiellopsis, Gymnoascoideus, Leucothecium, Malbranchea, and Myriodontium. Furthermore, three novel species for the genus Malbranchea are proposed as M. echinulata sp. nov., M. irregularis sp. nov., and M. sinuata sp. nov. The new genera Albidomyces and Neoarthropsis are introduced based on Arachniotus albicans and Arthropsis hispanica, respectively. Neoarthropsis sexualis sp. nov. is characterized and differentiated morphologically from its counterpart by the production of a sexual morph. The novel family Neoarthropsidaceae is proposed for the genera Albidomyes, Apinisia, Arachnotheca, Myriodontium, and Neoarthropsis, based on their phylogenetic relationships and phenotypic and ecological traits. Pseudoamaurascopsis gen. nov. is introduced to accommodate P. spiralis sp. nov., a fungus with unclear taxonomy related to Amaurascopsis and Polytolypa. We traced the ecology and global distribution of the novel fungi through ITS environmental sequences deposited in the GlobalFungi database. Studying the fungal diversity from freshwater sediments not only contributes to filling gaps in the relationships and taxonomy of the Ascomycota but also gives us insights into the fungal community that might represent a putative risk to the health of animals and humans inhabiting or transient in aquatic environments.

Hybrid De Novo Whole-Genome Assembly, Annotation, and Identification of Secondary Metabolite Gene Clusters in the Ex-Type Strain of Chrysosporium keratinophilum.

Chrysosporium is a polyphyletic genus belonging (mostly) to different families of the order Onygenales (Eurotiomycetes, Ascomycota). Certain species, such as Chrysosporium keratinophilum, are pathogenic for animals, including humans, but are also a source of proteolytic enzymes (mainly keratinases) potentially useful in bioremediation. However, only a few studies have been published regarding bioactive compounds, of which the production is mostly unpredictable due to the absence of high-quality genomic sequences. During the development of our study, the genome of the ex-type strain of Chrysosporium keratinophilum, CBS 104.66, was sequenced and assembled using a hybrid method. The results showed a high-quality genome of 25.4 Mbp in size spread across 25 contigs, with an N50 of 2.0 Mb, 34,824 coding sequences, 8002 protein sequences, 166 tRNAs, and 24 rRNAs. The functional annotation of the predicted proteins was performed using InterProScan, and the KEGG pathway mapping using BlastKOALA. The results identified a total of 3529 protein families and 856 superfamilies, which were classified into six levels and 23 KEGG categories. Subsequently, using DIAMOND, we identified 83 pathogen-host interactions (PHI) and 421 carbohydrate-active enzymes (CAZymes). Finally, the analysis using AntiSMASH showed that this strain has a total of 27 biosynthesis gene clusters (BGCs), suggesting that it has a great potential to produce a wide variety of secondary metabolites. This genomic information provides new knowledge that allows for a deeper understanding of the biology of C. keratinophilum, and offers valuable new information for further investigations of the Chrysosporium species and the order Onygenales.

A new endophytic species of Microthecium (Melanosporales, Sordariomycetes, Pezizomycotina, Ascomycota) from Mallorca (Balearic Islands, Spain).

BACKGROUND: The genus Microthecium contains 31 species worldwide distributed. Most of them are saprobic on soil and plant debris, but a few have been reported as mycoparasites on hypocrealean fungi. By contrast, this genus has never been reported as phytopathogenic, nor endophytic. AIMS: To isolate and identify endophytic fungi from Mediterranean herbaceous plants and trees in order to contribute to the knowledge of the hosts and their geographical location. The present work has been focused on the study of endophytic fungi of hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna). METHODS: The following steps were taken: i, isolation of the fungal strain from living stems of C. monogyna; ii, cultural and micro-morphological study, and iii, sequence comparison of different genetic markers by BLAST search with sequences deposited in GenBank. RESULTS: At the present work we describe a new species of the genus, Microthecium pleomorphosporum, isolated from living stems of C. monogyna in Mallorca (Balearic Islands, Spain). This fungus is characterized by the production of non-ostiolate perithecia and two sorts of ascospores (some smooth-walled, others delicately reticulated) bearing a germ pore at each end which are frequently ornamented by a surrounding donut-like structures, and a phialidic asexual morph and bulbils. The morphologically closest related species is Microthecium tenuissimum, which has bigger ascospores and lacks asexual reproduction. Phylogenetically, M pleomorphosporum is close-related to other species of the genus, although no genetic marker that discriminates this new species from other phylogenetically closer ones could be elucidated as a gold standard. CONCLUSIONS: M. pleomorphosporum, order Melanosporales, is reported here as the first endophytic species of C. monogyna.

Novel Freshwater Ascomycetes from Spain.

Freshwater ascomycetes are a group of fungi of great ecological importance because they are involved in decomposition processes and the recycling of organic matter in aquatic ecosystems. The taxonomy of these fungi is complex, with representatives in several orders of the phylum Ascomycota. In the present study, we collected ninety-two samples of plant debris submerged in freshwater in different locations in Spain. The plant specimens were placed in wet chambers and developed several fungi that were later isolated in pure culture. A main phylogenetic tree using the nucleotide sequences of D1-D2 domains of the 28S nrRNA gene (LSU) was built to show the taxonomic placement of all our fungal strains, and, later, individual phylogenies for the different families were built using single or concatenated nucleotide sequences of the most suitable molecular markers. As a result, we found a new species of Amniculicola that produces a coelomycetous asexual state, a new species of Elongatopedicellata that produces an asexual state, a new species of Neovaginatispora that forms both sexual and asexual states in vitro, and the sexual states of two species of Pyrenochaetopsis, none of which have been reported before for these genera. In addition, we describe a new species of Pilidium characterized by the production of copper-colored globose conidiomata, and of Pseudosigmoidea, which produces well-developed conidiophores.

Two Novel Genera, Neostemphylium and Scleromyces (Pleosporaceae) from Freshwater Sediments and Their Global Biogeography.

Although the Pleosporaceae is one of the species-richest families in the Pleosporales, research into less-explored substrates can contribute to widening the knowledge of its diversity. In our ongoing survey on culturable Ascomycota from freshwater sediments in Spain, several pleosporacean specimens of taxonomic interest were isolated. Phylogenetic analyses based on five gene markers (ITS, LSU, gapdh, rbp2, and tef1) revealed that these fungi represent so far undescribed lineages, which are proposed as two novel genera in the family, i.e., Neostemphylium typified by Neostemphylium polymorphum sp. nov., and Scleromyces to accommodate Scleromyces submersus sp. nov. Neostemphylium is characterized by the production of phaeodictyospores from apically swollen and darkened conidiogenous cells, the presence of a synanamorph that consists of cylindrical and brown phragmoconidia growing terminally or laterally on hyphae, and by the ability to produce secondary conidia by a microconidiation cycle. Scleromyces is placed phylogenetically distant to any genera in the family and only produces sclerotium-like structures in vitro. The geographic distribution and ecology of N. polymorphum and Sc. submersus were inferred from metabarcoding data using the GlobalFungi database. The results suggest that N. polymorphum is a globally distributed fungus represented by environmental sequences originating primarily from soil samples collected in Australia, Europe, and the USA, whereas Sc. submersus is a less common species that has only been found associated with one environmental sequence from an Australian soil sample. The phylogenetic analyses of the environmental ITS1 and ITS2 sequences revealed at least four dark taxa that might be related to Neostemphylium and Scleromyces. The phylogeny presented here allows us to resolve the taxonomy of the genus Asteromyces as a member of the Pleosporaceae.

First Report of an Invasive Infection by Cephalotrichum gorgonifer in a Neutropenic Patient with Hematological Malignancy under Chemotherapy.

The etiological agents of infrequent invasive fungal infections (IFI) are difficult to identify on the species level using classic morphological examination. We describe the first case of an IFI caused by Cephalotrichum gorgonifer in a neutropenic patient with a hematological malignancy and put it on the map as a new causative agent of IFI. Case report, microbiological findings and description of the etiological agent. A 60-year-old man was diagnosed with mantle cell lymphoma. A CT scan confirmed the presence of lung infiltrates located at the right upper lobe. Histological examination of one of the nodules showed a large number of narrow septate hyphae with acute-angle branching and irregular round cell morphology; vessels walls appeared infiltrated, proving an angioinvasive pulmonary IFI. Sample culture resulted positive and molecular identification proved the presence of Cephalotrichum gorgonifer. Voriconazole was used for 12 months and the patient did not report any complications or side effects. Complete remission of lymphoma was achieved later by the time chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and radioimmunotherapy consolidation were completed. We recommend the inclusion of Cephalotrichum gorgonifer in the list of opportunistic pathogens causing mycoses in neutropenic hematological patients with suspected mould-related IFI.

New Dothideomycetes from Freshwater Habitats in Spain.

The Dothideomycetes are a class of cosmopolitan fungi that are present principally in terrestrial environments, but which have also been found in freshwater and marine habitats. In the present study, more than a hundred samples of plant debris were collected from various freshwater locations in Spain. Its incubation in wet chambers allowed us to detect and to isolate in pure culture numerous fungi producing asexual reproductive fruiting bodies (conidiomata). Thanks to a morphological comparison and to a phylogenetic analysis that combined the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region of the nrDNA with fragments of the RNA polymerase II subunit 2 (rpb2), beta tubulin (tub2), and the translation elongation factor 1-alpha (tef-1) genes, six of those strains were identified as new species to science. Three belong to the family Didymellaceae: Didymella brevipilosa, Heterophoma polypusiformis and Paraboeremia clausa; and three belong to the family Phaeosphaeriaceae:Paraphoma aquatica, Phaeosphaeria fructigena and Xenophoma microspora. The finding of these new taxa significantly increases the number of the coelomycetous fungi that have been described from freshwater habitats.

A revision of malbranchea-like fungi from clinical specimens in the United States of America reveals unexpected novelty.

The fungi of the order Onygenales can cause important human infections; however, their taxonomy and worldwide occurrence is still little known. We have studied and identified a representative number of clinical fungi belonging to that order from a reference laboratory in the USA. A total of 22 strains isolated from respiratory tract (40%) and human skin and nails (27.2%) showed a malbranchea-like morphology. Six genera were phenotypically and molecularly identified, i.e. Auxarthron/Malbranchea (68.2%), Arachnomyces (9.1%), Spiromastigoides (9.1%), and Currahmyces (4.5%), and two newly proposed genera (4.5% each). Based on the results of the phylogenetic study, we synonymized Auxarthron with Malbranchea, and erected two new genera: Pseudoarthropsis and Pseudomalbranchea. New species proposed are: Arachnomyces bostrychodes, A. graciliformis, Currahmyces sparsispora, Malbranchea gymnoascoides, M. multiseptata, M. stricta, Pseudoarthropsis crassispora, Pseudomalbranchea gemmata, and Spiromastigoides geomycoides, along with a new combination for Malbranchea gypsea. The echinocandins showed the highest in vitro antifungal activity against the studied isolates, followed by terbinafine and posaconazole; in contrast, amphotericin B, fluconazole, itraconazole and 5-fluorocytosine were less active or lacked in vitro activity against these fungi.

Apophysomyces variabilis, an emerging and worrisome cause of primary cutaneous necrotizing infections in India.

In India, Apophysomyces species complex is the second common agent of mucormycosis mainly affecting immunocompetent hosts unlike other Mucorales. It is frequently involved in causing necrotizing cutaneous infections. The present two-year study was planned to investigate the causative role of Apophysomyces spp. in cutaneous necrotizing infections. The tissue samples were processed using standard techniques and in five out of 65 patients, Apophysomyces variabilis was the etiological agent. Diabetes mellitus and trauma were common risk factors and despite appropriate treatment only one patient could be survived. Apophysomyces variabilis is emerging as agent of necrotizing infections which invariably result in poor patient outcomes.

New Coelomycetous Fungi from Freshwater in Spain.

Coelomycetous fungi are ubiquitous in soil, sewage, and sea- and freshwater environments. However, freshwater coelomycetous fungi have been very rarely reported in the literature. Knowledge of coelomycetous fungi in freshwater habitats in Spain is poor. The incubation of plant debris, from freshwater in various places in Spain into wet chambers, allowed us to detect and isolate in pure culture several pycnidia-producing fungi. Fungal strains were phenotypically characterized, and a phylogenetic study was carried out based on the analysis of concatenated nucleotide sequences of the D1-D2 domains of the 28S nrRNA gene (LSU), the internal transcribed spacer region (ITS) of the nrDNA, and fragments of the RNA polymerase II subunit 2 (rpb2) and beta tubulin (tub2) genes. As a result of these, we report the finding of two novel species of Neocucurbitaria, three of Neopyrenochaeta, and one of Pyrenochaetopsis. Based on the phylogenetic study, we also transferred Neocucurbitaria prunicola to the genus Allocucurbitaria. This work makes an important contribution to the knowledge of the mycobiota of plant debris in freshwater habitats.

New Xerophilic Species of Penicillium from Soil.

Soil is one of the main reservoirs of fungi. The aim of this study was to study the richness of ascomycetes in a set of soil samples from Mexico and Spain. Fungi were isolated after 2% w/v phenol treatment of samples. In that way, several strains of the genus Penicillium were recovered. A phylogenetic analysis based on internal transcribed spacer (ITS), beta-tubulin (BenA), calmodulin (CaM), and RNA polymerase II subunit 2 gene (rpb2) sequences showed that four of these strains had not been described before. Penicillium melanosporum produces monoverticillate conidiophores and brownish conidia covered by an ornate brown sheath. Penicillium michoacanense and Penicillium siccitolerans produce sclerotia, and their asexual morph is similar to species in the section Aspergilloides (despite all of them pertaining to section Lanata-Divaricata). P. michoacanense differs from P. siccitolerans in having thick-walled peridial cells (thin-walled in P. siccitolerans). Penicillium sexuale differs from Penicillium cryptum in the section Crypta because it does not produce an asexual morph. Its ascostromata have a peridium composed of thick-walled polygonal cells, and its ascospores are broadly lenticular with two equatorial ridges widely separated by a furrow. All four new species are xerophilic. Despite the genus Penicillium containing more than 480 known species, they are rarely reported as xerophilic.

A new pleosporalean fungus isolated from superficial to deep human clinical specimens.

Human infections by pleosporalean fungi (class Dothideomycetes, phylum Ascomycota) are rarely reported. Because their identification is challenging using morphological characterization, several phylogenetic markers must be sequenced for an accurate identification and taxonomical placement of the isolates. Three isolates of clinical origin were phenotypically characterized, but due to the absence of relevant morphological traits, D1-D2 domains of the 28S nrRNA gene (LSU), the internal transcribed spacer region (ITS) of the nrRNA, and fragments of the RNA polymerase II subunit 2 (rpb2) and translation elongation factor 1-alpha (tef1) genes were sequenced to allow a phylogenetic analysis that would solve their phylogenetic placement. That analysis revealed that these isolates did not match any previously known pleosporalean genera, and they are proposed here as the new fungal genus, Gambiomyces. Unfortunately, the isolates remained sterile, which, consequently, made the morphological description of the reproductive structures impossible. Future studies should try to understand the behaviour of this fungus in nature as well as its characteristics as an opportunistic fungal pathogen. Molecular identification is becoming an essential tool for proper identification of Dothideomycetes of clinical origin. LAY ABSTRACT: We describe a new pleosporalen pathogenic fungus, Gambiomyces profunda, found in superficial to deep samples from a human patient. Because all strains remained sterile, the fungus was finally identified following a phylogenetic analysis by using four different molecular markers.

Phylogenomic Analysis of a 55.1-kb 19-Gene Dataset Resolves a Monophyletic Fusarium that Includes the Fusarium solani Species Complex.

Scientific communication is facilitated by a data-driven, scientifically sound taxonomy that considers the end-user's needs and established successful practice. In 2013, the Fusarium community voiced near unanimous support for a concept of Fusarium that represented a clade comprising all agriculturally and clinically important Fusarium species, including the F. solani species complex (FSSC). Subsequently, this concept was challenged in 2015 by one research group who proposed dividing the genus Fusarium into seven genera, including the FSSC described as members of the genus Neocosmospora, with subsequent justification in 2018 based on claims that the 2013 concept of Fusarium is polyphyletic. Here, we test this claim and provide a phylogeny based on exonic nucleotide sequences of 19 orthologous protein-coding genes that strongly support the monophyly of Fusarium including the FSSC. We reassert the practical and scientific argument in support of a genus Fusarium that includes the FSSC and several other basal lineages, consistent with the longstanding use of this name among plant pathologists, medical mycologists, quarantine officials, regulatory agencies, students, and researchers with a stake in its taxonomy. In recognition of this monophyly, 40 species described as genus Neocosmospora were recombined in genus Fusarium, and nine others were renamed Fusarium. Here the global Fusarium community voices strong support for the inclusion of the FSSC in Fusarium, as it remains the best scientific, nomenclatural, and practical taxonomic option available.

New Taxa of the Family Amniculicolaceae (Pleosporales, Dothideomycetes, Ascomycota) from Freshwater Habitats in Spain.

With the exception of the so-called Ingoldian fungi, the diversity and distribution of the freshwater aero-aquatic or facultative fungi are not well known in Spain. In view of that, we collected and placed into wet chambers 105 samples of submerged and decomposing plant debris from various places in Spain, looking for individuals belonging to these latter two morpho-ecological groups of fungi. As a result, we found and isolated in pure culture several fungi, the morphology of some of them belonging to the family Amniculicolaceae (order Pleosporales, class Dothideomycetes). After a careful phenotypic characterization and a phylogenetic tree reconstruction using a concatenated sequence dataset of D1-D2 domains of the 28S nrRNA gene (LSU), the internal transcribed spacer region (ITS) of the nrDNA, and a fragment of the translation elongation factor 1-alpha (tef1) gene, we report the finding of three new species of the genus Murispora: Murispora navicularispora, which produces cinnamon-colored, broadly fusiform to navicular ascospores; Murispora fissilispora, which has as a remarkable characteristic the production of both sexual and asexual morphs in vitro; and Murispora asexualis, the unique species of the genus that lacks a sexual morph. As a consequence of the phylogenetic study, we introduce the new aero-aquatic genus Fouskomenomyces, with a new combination (Fouskomenomyces cupreorufescens, formerly Spirosphaera cupreorufescens as the type species of the genus) and a new species, Fouskomenomyces mimiticus; we propose the new combinations Murispora bromicola (formerly Pseudomassariosphaeria bromicola) and Murispora triseptata (formerly Pseudomassariosphaeria triseptata); and we resurrect Massariosphaeria grandispora, which is transferred to the family Lopiostomataceae.

No to Neocosmospora: Phylogenomic and Practical Reasons for Continued Inclusion of the Fusarium solani Species Complex in the Genus Fusarium.

This article is to alert medical mycologists and infectious disease specialists of recent name changes of medically important species of the filamentous mold FusariumFusarium species can cause localized and life-threating infections in humans. Of the 70 Fusarium species that have been reported to cause infections, close to one-third are members of the Fusarium solani species complex (FSSC), and they collectively account for approximately two-thirds of all reported Fusarium infections. Many of these species were recently given scientific names for the first time by a research group in the Netherlands, but they were misplaced in the genus Neocosmospora In this paper, we present genetic arguments that strongly support inclusion of the FSSC in Fusarium There are potentially serious consequences associated with using the name Neocosmospora for Fusarium species because clinicians need to be aware that fusaria are broadly resistant to the spectrum of antifungals that are currently available.

Re-Evaluation of the Order Sordariales: Delimitation of Lasiosphaeriaceae s. str., and Introduction of the New Families Diplogelasinosporaceae, Naviculisporaceae, and Schizotheciaceae.

The order Sordariales includes the polyphyletic family Lasiosphaeriaceae, which comprises approximately 30 genera characterized by its paraphysate ascomata, asci with apical apparati, and mostly two-celled ascospores, which have a dark apical cell and a hyaline lower cell, frequently ornamented with mucilaginous appendages[...].