Spider-pathogenic fungi within Hypocreales (Ascomycota): their current nomenclature, diversity, and distribution Abstract Spider-pathogenic fungi are widely distributed in the world. Our review shows at least eighty six spider- and harvestman-pathogenic fungi that are currently accommodated in genera Akanthomyces Lebert, Beauveria Vuill., Clonostachys Corda, Cordyceps Fr., Engyodontium de Hoog, Gibellula Cavara, Hevansia Luangsa-ard et al., Hirsutella Pat., Hymenostilbe Petch, Lecanicillium W. Gams & Zare, Ophiocordyceps Petch, Purpureocillium Luangsa-ard et al., and Torrubiella Boud. within Hypocreales. Akanthomyces neoaraneogenum (W.H. Chen, Y.F. Han, J.D. Liang, Z.Q. Liang & D.C. Jin) W.H. Chen, Y.F. Han & Z.Q. Liang, comb. nov. is also proposed here. Among the genera, Gibellula, Hevansia, Torrubiella, and Akanthomyces are exclusively or dominantly spider pathogens. Gibellula pulchra, G. leiopus, P. atypicola, A. aranearum, and T. aranicida are some of the cosmopolitan spider-pathogenic fungi. A total of twenty spider families and two harvestman families are known to be parasitized by hypocrealean fungi. Spider-pathogenic fungi are known from diverse areas of Europe, and Central and South America, but are only known from limited parts in Asia and Africa. However, east and southeast Asia shows the highest richness of spider-pathogenic fungi. Among three entomogenous families within Hypocreales, we show that the majority of the spider pathogens are distributed in Cordycipitaceae while a few in Ophiocordycipitaceae, but none in the family Clavicipitaceae. Through this review, we show that spiders constitute one of the major host groups of arthropod-associated fungi and hope a continuous interest will be generated to utilize such fungal resources through in vitro growth and extraction of useful bio-active secondary metabolites (extrolites).

Two new species of Eutypella and a new combination in the genus Peroneutypa (Diatrypaceae) Abstract We describe two new species of Eutypella, E. persica from dead branch of Alnus sp. in Guilan province and E. quercina from dead branch of Quercus sp. in East Azerbaijan province of Iran, using morphological and molecular data. Eutypella persica has large stromata with 20–70 perithecia in a valsoid arrangement, sulcate to smooth ostioles, and produces an asexual structure on both natural substrate and culture media. Eutypella quercina, lacking the asexual structure, is characterized by mostly circular stromata with 10–50 perithecia in a valsoid arrangement and smooth ostioles. Phylogenetic relationships of Eutypella with other genera of the Diatrypaceae are here inferred using maximum parsimony and neighbor-joining analyses of the ITS rDNA and partial β-tubulin gene. The new combination, Peroneutypa iranica, is proposed based on morphological features.

Diversity and bioactivity of Armillaria sesquiterpene aryl ester natural products Abstract Species of the basidiomycete genus Armillaria produce bioactive small molecule natural products, referred to as melleolides. With more than 70 described members, this class of natural products is a prime example for diversity-oriented biosynthesis. Chemically, they represent hybrid molecules, composed of a tricyclic, chiral sesquiterpene protoilludene alcohol, esterified with the tetraketide orsellinic acid or its derivatives. In this review article, we summarize the melleolide’s structural diversity and present—to the extent elucidated—the enzymatic basis how their backbone structures are biosynthesized and modified. We also highlight the current knowledge on their antimicrobial, phytotoxic, and cytotoxic bioactivities, along with a view on the molecular targets of the melleolides, their unparalleled structure-activity relationships, and their modes of action.

Two new species of Clavulina (Cantharellales) from southwestern China based on morphological and molecular evidence Abstract Two new species of Clavulina (Clavulinaceae, Cantharellales, Basidiomycota) from southwestern China are substantiated based on morphological evidence and molecular phylogenetic analyses. Both are consistent with the generic properties of Clavulina that include coralloid, branched basidiomata, amphigenous hymenia, basidia with two cornuted sterigmata, and postpartal septa. The first new species, Clavulina flava, is unique for Clavulina in having bright yellow basidiomata, and the second, Clavulina purpurascens, has pale purple basidiomata. The two new species are described in detail, illustrated with line drawings and photographs, and compared with similar species. Intrageneric relationships were examined with phylogenetic analyses based on the sequences of the second largest subunit of DNA-dependent RNA polymerase II (RPB2) and the large subunit of nuclear ribosomal RNA gene (LSU). A key is provided for the known Clavulina species in China.

Tylopilus griseiolivaceus sp. nov. and T. leucomycelinus (Boletaceae) revisited from the Dominican Republic within a comprehensive phylogeny of Tylopilus s. str. Abstract The genus Tylopilus s. str. in the Dominican Republic is investigated. Tylopilus griseiolivaceus is introduced as a novel species based on material recorded in a neotropical montane pine woodland but also known to occur in temperate coniferous forests in southeastern USA. The Central American species T. leucomycelinus is also re-evaluated and its geographical range expanded. A detailed morphological description is provided for both species and accompanied by colour images of fresh basidiomes in habitat, line drawings of the main anatomical features and molecular support relying on a multilocus phylogenetic inference (nrITS, nrLSU (28S), rpb2 datasets). In addition, DNA was successfully isolated from the type material of T. leucomycelinus and compared with the genetic material obtained from additional neotropical samples. The taxonomic placement, ecological requirements and distribution patterns of T. griseiolivaceus and T. leucomycelinus are investigated/reviewed and their relationships with closely allied taxa in Tylopilus s. str. are elucidated and discussed. Epitypification of T. leucomycelinus is proposed herein.

A novel species and a new record of Alternaria isolated from two Solanaceae plants in China Abstract Two Alternaria species were isolated from two Solanaceae plants in China, 2017. Both were determined based on morphological characteristics and multigene sequence analysis of the internal spacer rDNA region (ITS), translation-elongation factor 1 alpha (TEF1), glyceraldehydes-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH), Alternaria major allergen gene (ALT), and RNA polymerase second largest subunit (RPB2). One species from Solanum tuberosum was identified as Alternaria blumeae, and another from Physalis alkekengi was described as a new species. Alternaria blumeae is firstly reported from S. tuberosum in China. The new species was described and illustrated here, as Alternaria physalidis sp. nov. It is clearly distinct from the phylogenetically related species, A. zinniae, in the conidial body length and number of septa.

Lamprospora densireticulata sp. nov., L . dictydiola and L . carbonicola (Pyronemataceae, Pezizales)—three very similar species from very different hosts and habitats Abstract Lamprospora densireticulata sp. nov. is described and illustrated based on fresh collections from Austria, Croatia, Cyprus, France, Germany, Hungary and Spain. Its most important distinguishing characters are subglobose ascospores ornamented with a fine, irregular dense net and the infection on rhizoids of its host moss Aloina ambigua. Two other similar species differing mainly in their host mosses and ecology are also described in detail: these are L. carbonicola infecting Funaria hygrometrica occuring on soil and L. dictydiola growing on Tortula muralis on walls, stones or rocks. Phylogenetic analyses of ITS and LSU rDNA show that the studied collections of all three species form well-supported monophyletic clades exhibiting only very little polymorphism within the individual species. Comparative tables listing other morphologically similar species of Lamprospora and Octospora are provided.

Pseudosclerococcum golindoi gen. et sp. nov., a new taxon with apothecial ascomata and a Chalara -like anamorph within the Sclerococcales (Eurotiomycetes) Abstract Sclerococcales encompasses a heterogeneous group of fungi, with most of the species included in the genus Sclerococcum (= Dactylospora). Species of Sclerococcum are characterized by having apothecial ascomata with asci covered by an external hemiamyloid gelatin and a thick euamyloid apical cap, while lacking an inner amyloid wall thickening. Asexual morphs, known for few species, are sporodochial. In this study, we describe Pseudosclerococcum golindoi as a new genus and species sister to Sclerococcum in a multigene phylogeny (nuITS, nuLSU, nuSSU, mtSSU). The fungus produces ascomata similar to those of Sclerococcum, but differs in having cylindrical asci embedded in an overall hemiamyloid gelatin with a fissitunicate dehiscence. Unlike Sclerococcum, Pseudosclerococcum golindoi produces a Chalara-like asexual morph. A possible symbiotic association of P. golindoi with Ascocoryne cylichnium is discussed. The presence of a hemiamyloid gelatin on lateral wall of asci, so far largely overlooked, is reported for some Sclerococcum species. Based on ascal characters and interpretation of the phylogenetic analyses, 14 names assigned to saprotrophic species, previously placed in Dactylospora, are combined in Sclerococcum.

Rare and undersampled dimorphic basidiomycetes Abstract The diversity of yeasts has grown rapidly as the discovery of new species has benefited from intensified sampling and largely improved identification techniques. An environmental study typically reports the isolation of yeast species, some of which are new to science. Rare species represented by a few isolates often do not result in a taxonomic description. Nucleic acid sequences from these undescribed yeasts remain in public sequence databases, often without a proper taxonomic placement. This study presents a constrained phylogenetic analysis for many rare yeasts from unpublished but publicly available DNA sequences and from studies previously conducted by the authors of this work. We demonstrate that single isolates are an important source of taxonomic findings such as including new genera and species. Independent surveys performed during the last 20 years on a large geographic scale yielded a number of single strains, which were proved to be conspecific in the phylogenetic analyses presented here. The following new species were resolved and described: Vustinia terrea Kachalkin, Turchetti & Yurkov gen. nov. et sp. nov.; Udeniomyces caspiensis Kachalkin sp. nov.; Udeniomyces orazovii Kachalkin sp. nov.; Tausonia rosea Kachalkin sp. nov.; Itersonilia diksonensis Kachalkin sp. nov.; Krasilnikovozyma fibulata Glushakova & Kachalkin, Kwoniella fici Turchetti sp. nov.; Heterocephalacria fruticeti f.a. Carvalho, Roehl, Yurkov & Sampaio sp. nov.; Heterocephalacria gelida f.a. Turchetti & Kachalkin sp. nov.; Heterocephalacria hypogea f.a. Carvalho, Roehl, Yurkov & Sampaio sp. nov.; Heterocephalacria lusitanica f.a. Inacio, Carvalho, Roehl, Yurkov & Sampaio sp. nov.; Piskurozyma arborea Yurkov, Kachalkin, Mašínová & Baldrian sp. nov.; Piskurozyma silvicultrix Turchetti, Mašínová, Baldrian & Yurkov sp. nov.; Piskurozyma stramentorum Yurkov, Mašínová & Baldrian sp. nov.; Naganishia nivalis Turchetti sp. nov.; and Yurkovia nerthusi Yurkov & Begerow, sp. nov. In addition, two new combinations were proposed Krasilnikovozyma curviuscula (Babeva, Lisichkina, Reshetova & Danilevich) Yurkov, Kachalkin & Sampaio comb. nov. and Hannaella taiwanensis (F.L. Lee & C.H. Huang) Yurkov comb. nov. The order Cyphobasidiales T. Spribille & H. Mayrhofer is rejected in favor of the older name Erythrobasidiales R. Bauer, Begerow, J.P. Sampaio, M. Weiss & Oberwinkler. Other potential novel species identified in this paper await future description. Phylogenetic placement of yet unpublished sequences is believed to facilitate species descriptions and improve classification of yeasts from environmental sequence libraries.

Annabella australiensis gen. & sp. nov. (Helotiales, Cordieritidaceae) from South Australian mangroves Abstract A new genus of helotialean fungi, Annabella gen. nov. (Cordieritidaceae), is described to accommodate Annabella australiensis sp. nov. This species was collected on attached decaying wood of Avicennia marina, a common mangrove species found in protected waters of southern Australia. Annabella is distinctive among Cordieritidaceae in having relatively small perithecioid hyaline to yellowish apothecia and by the absence of an ionomidotic reaction. The apothecial shape and size of Annabella is most similar to Skyttea. The molecular phylogenetic analysis of a concatenated dataset of three ribosomal nuclear loci confirms the placement of Annabella within Cordieritidaceae, as a sister clade to Skyttea.