scholarly journals Identification of fungi from soil and sediment in Jefriz Cave; the first survey in a cave from Iran

2021 ◽  
Vol 83 (2) ◽  
pp. 71-77
Author(s):  
Azadeh Habibi ◽  
Banafsheh Safaiefarahani

The aim of this study was to characterize the mycobiota in soil and sediment samples of Jefriz cave in Kerman, Iran. During 2018−2019, the culturable mycobiota from several sites within the Jefriz cave, resulted in 82 fungal isolates. Morphological characteristics of the isolates, as well as molecular sequence data, were used for species identifications. The fungi were identified as species of Fusarium, Fusicolla, Geomyces (Pseudogymnoascus), Humicola, Chalastospora, Penicillium, Aspergillus, Epiciccum, Podospora and Mucor. The most prevalent was Aspergillus spelunceus, followed by Geomyces pannorum and Humicola grisea. The majority of these species have been reported as cave residents in previous studies of cave environments. Our data showed that the fungal community composition varied between the samples from the entrance and less visited sites deeper in the cave. This study is the first cave mycological investigation in Iran, and one of the identified species is reported for the first time from a cave.

2015 ◽  
Vol 282 (1804) ◽  
pp. 20142953 ◽  
Author(s):  
Prashant P. Sharma ◽  
Rosa Fernández ◽  
Lauren A. Esposito ◽  
Edmundo González-Santillán ◽  
Lionel Monod

Scorpions represent an iconic lineage of arthropods, historically renowned for their unique bauplan, ancient fossil record and venom potency. Yet, higher level relationships of scorpions, based exclusively on morphology, remain virtually untested, and no multilocus molecular phylogeny has been deployed heretofore towards assessing the basal tree topology. We applied a phylogenomic assessment to resolve scorpion phylogeny, for the first time, to our knowledge, sampling extensive molecular sequence data from all superfamilies and examining basal relationships with up to 5025 genes. Analyses of supermatrices as well as species tree approaches converged upon a robust basal topology of scorpions that is entirely at odds with traditional systematics and controverts previous understanding of scorpion evolutionary history. All analyses unanimously support a single origin of katoikogenic development, a form of parental investment wherein embryos are nurtured by direct connections to the parent's digestive system. Based on the phylogeny obtained herein, we propose the following systematic emendations: Caraboctonidae is transferred to Chactoidea new superfamilial assignment ; superfamily Bothriuroidea revalidated is resurrected and Bothriuridae transferred therein; and Chaerilida and Pseudochactida are synonymized with Buthida new parvordinal synonymies .


Zootaxa ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 4312 (1) ◽  
pp. 194 ◽  
Author(s):  
ANNIKA PIETERSE ◽  
ANTOINETTE P. MALAN ◽  
LAURA M. KRUITBOS ◽  
WILLEM SIRGEL ◽  
JENNA L. ROSS

A survey of nematodes that use terrestrial slugs as definitive hosts, was conducted in canola fields and ornamental nurseries located in the Western Cape province of South Africa. A total of 3290 slugs were collected from 22 different sites. On the identification of the slugs, they were vivisected and examined for internal nematodes. After identifying the nematodes found, on the basis of their morphological characteristics, their identity was confirmed using molecular sequence data for the internal transcribed spacer (ITS-1, 5.8S, ITS-2), D2-D3 expansion segments of the large subunit (LSU or 28S) and small subunit (SSU or 18S) ribosomal DNA. Of the 22 sites investigated, 13 had nematodes present, with 8 % of the slugs being found to be infected with nematodes. Seven nematode species were confirmed, including Agfa flexilis, Angiostoma margaretae, Angiostoma sp. (SA1), Caenorhabditis elegans, mermithid sp. (SA1), Phasmarhabditis sp. (SA3) and Phasmarhabditis sp. (SA4). In addition, several Angiostoma spp. were also isolated, but could only be identified to genus level due to limited material. Of the seven confirmed species, four were previously undescribed. This is the first record of A. margaretae associating with Deroceras panormitanum, Deroceras reticulatum, Lehmannia valentiana and Oopelta polypunctata. Also, this is the first time that a mermithid has been found associating with molluscs in South Africa. 


MycoKeys ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 81 ◽  
pp. 69-138
Author(s):  
Yalemwork Meswaet ◽  
Ralph Mangelsdorff ◽  
Nourou S. Yorou ◽  
Meike Piepenbring

Cercosporoid fungi (Mycosphaerellaceae, Mycosphaerellales, Ascomycota) are one of the largest and most diverse groups of hyphomycetes causing a wide range of diseases of economically important plants as well as of plants in the wild. Although more than 6000 species are known for this group, the documentation of this fungal group is far from complete. Especially in the tropics, the diversity of cercosporoid fungi is poorly known. The present study aims to identify and characterise cercosporoid fungi collected on host plants belonging to Fabaceae in Benin, West Africa. Information on their morphology, host species and DNA sequence data (18S rDNA, 28S rDNA, ITS and tef1) is provided. DNA sequence data were obtained by a simple and non-culture-based method for DNA isolation which has been applied for cercosporoid fungi for the first time in the context of the present study. Among the loci used for the phylogenetic analysis, tef1 provided the best resolution together with the multigene dataset. Species delimitation in many cases, however, was only possible by combining molecular sequence data with morphological characteristics. Based on forty specimens recently collected in Benin, 18 species are presented with morphological descriptions, illustrations and sequence data. Among these, six species in the genus Cercospora and two species in Pseudocercospora are proposed as species new to science. The newly described species are Cercospora (C.) beninensis on Crotalaria macrocalyx, C. parakouensis on Desmodium tortuosum, C. rhynchophora on Vigna unguiculata, C. vignae-subterraneae on Vigna subterranea, C. tentaculifera on Vigna unguiculata, C. zorniicola on Zornia glochidiata, Pseudocercospora sennicola on Senna occidentalis and Pseudocercospora tabei on Vigna unguiculata. Eight species of cercosporoid fungi are reported for Benin for the first time, three of them, namely C. cf. canscorina, C. cf. fagopyri and C. phaseoli-lunati are new for West Africa. The presence of two species of cercosporoid fungi on Fabaceae previously reported from Benin, namely Nothopassalora personata and Passalora arachidicola, is confirmed.


2017 ◽  
Vol 49 (4) ◽  
pp. 321-332 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthias SCHULTZ

AbstractMorphological characteristics and analyses of molecular sequence data (ITS, mtSSU) indicate that the austral-marine lichenLichina pygmaeavar.intermediais distinct from the chiefly European marine speciesL. confinisandL. pygmaea. It is thus proposed to treat var.intermediaas a separate species.Lichina intermediadiffers fromL. confinischiefly in the distinctly corticated branches, and deviates fromL. pygmaeain the shorter and thinner branches. Diagnostic differences between the three species are summarized and distribution patterns discussed.


2021 ◽  
Vol 95 ◽  
Author(s):  
N.Q.-X. Wee ◽  
S.C. Cutmore ◽  
T.H. Cribb

Abstract Of over 250 species of Monorchiidae Odhner, 1911, just four are known from gerreid fishes. Here, we report adult specimens of a new species infecting Gerres oyena (Forsskål) and Gerres subfasciatus Cuvier from off Heron Island and North Stradbroke Island, Queensland, Australia. The species is morphologically most similar to the concept of Lasiotocus Looss, 1907, which currently comprises eight species, in the possession of an unspined genital atrium, bipartite terminal organ, round oral sucker and unlobed ovary. However, phylogenetic analyses of the 28S ribosomal DNA gene region shows the species to be distantly related to the two sequenced species of Lasiotocus – Lasiotocus mulli (Stossich, 1883) Odhner, 1911 and Lasiotocus trachinoti Overstreet & Brown, 1970 – and that it clearly requires a distinct genus; thus, we propose Gerricola queenslandensis n. g., n. sp. Morphologically, G. queenslandensis n. g., n. sp. differs significantly from L. mulli and L. trachinoti only in the possession of distinctly longer caeca, which terminate in the post-testicular region, and in the absence of a distinct gap in the terminal organ spines. The remaining species of Lasiotocus possess caeca that also terminate in the post-testicular region, which might warrant their transfer to Gerricola n. g. However, doubt about their monophyly due to a combination of significant morphological variation, a lack of information on some features and infection of a wide range of hosts, lead us to retain these taxa as species of Lasiotocus until molecular sequence data are available to better inform their phylogenetic and taxonomic positions. Sporocysts and cercariae of G. queenslandensis n. g., n. sp. were found in a lucinid bivalve, Codakia paytenorum (Iredale), from Heron Island. Sexual adult and intramolluscan stages were genetically matched with the ITS2 ribosomal DNA and cox1 mitochondrial DNA regions. This is the second record of the Lucinidae as a first intermediate host for the Monorchiidae. Additionally, we report sporocysts and cercariae of another monorchiid infection in a tellinid bivalve, Jactellina clathrata (Deshayes), from Heron Island. Molecular sequence data for this species do not match any sequenced species and phylogenetic analyses do not suggest any generic position.


Author(s):  
Azadeh Habibi ◽  
Banafsheh Safaiefarahani

Background and Purposes: Fungal contamination in damp places in buildings has become an increasing problem worldwide. Dampness facilitates the growth of fungi, which can cause adverse effects not only on the buildings but also on their occupants. The aim of this study was to identify indoor mold species in the buildings of Kerman province, Iran. Materials and Methods: In this study, 110 samples were obtained from surfaces of damp indoor areas in buildings randomly selected in Kerman province. The identification of fungal species was based on the macroscopic and microscopic characteristics of the isolates, such as colony morphology, hyphae, conidia, and conidiophores, as well as molecular sequence data. Results: Based on the results, a total of 218 fungal isolates were obtained. Apart from frequently isolated fungi, such as Alternaria, Aspergillus, and Penicillium, 13 species, including Cladosporium sphaerospermum, Cladosporium herbarum, Cladosporium halotolerans, Engyodontium album, Collariella bostrychodes, Stachybotrys xigazenensis, Ramularia eucalypti, Fusarium merismoides, Fusarium solani, Ochroconis musae, Mucor racemosus, Acremonium zonatum, and Acremonium persicinum were identified, and the selected species were described. Among these 13 species, Cladosporium was the most common species (43%) in indoor surfaces, followed by Ochroconis musae (10.8%) and Engyodontium album (7.4%). To the best of our knowledge, Stachybotrys xigazenensis was reported in the present study for the first time in Iran. In addition, E. album and O. musae were isolated for the first time from indoor surfaces in Iran. Conclusion: According to the results, the level of overall fungal richness across indoor surfaces was high. Some of the isolated taxa were clinically significant. It was concluded that the damp residential surfaces were potentially passive collectors of clinically significant molds.


Phytotaxa ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 176 (1) ◽  
pp. 219 ◽  
Author(s):  
ASHA J. DISSANAYAKE ◽  
RUVISHIKA S. JAYAWARDENA ◽  
SARANYAPHAT BOONMEE ◽  
KASUN M. THAMBUGALA ◽  
QING TIAN ◽  
...  

The family Myriangiaceae is relatively poorly known amongst the Dothideomycetes and includes genera which are saprobic, epiphytic and parasitic on the bark, leaves and branches of various plants. The family has not undergone any recent revision, however, molecular data has shown it to be a well-resolved family closely linked to Elsinoaceae in Myriangiales. Both morphological and molecular characters indicate that Elsinoaceae differs from Myriangiaceae. In Elsinoaceae, small numbers of asci form in locules in light coloured pseudostromata, which form typical scab-like blemishes on leaf or fruit surfaces. The coelomycetous, “Sphaceloma”-like asexual state of Elsinoaceae, form more frequently than the sexual state; conidiogenesis is phialidic and conidia are 1-celled and hyaline. In Myriangiaceae, locules with single asci are scattered in a superficial, coriaceous to sub-carbonaceous, black ascostromata and do not form scab-like blemishes. No asexual state is known. In this study, we revisit the family Myriangiaceae, and accept ten genera, providing descriptions and discussion on the generic types of Anhellia, Ascostratum, Butleria, Dictyocyclus, Diplotheca, Eurytheca, Hemimyriangium, Micularia, Myriangium and Zukaliopsis. The genera of Myriangiaceae are compared and contrasted. Myriangium duriaei is the type species of the family, while Diplotheca is similar and may possibly be congeneric. The placement of Anhellia in Myriangiaceae is supported by morphological and molecular data. Because of similarities with Myriangium, Ascostratum (A. insigne), Butleria (B. inaghatahani), Dictyocyclus (D. hydrangea), Eurytheca (E. trinitensis), Hemimyriangium (H. betulae), Micularia (M. merremiae) and Zukaliopsis (Z. amazonica) are placed in Myriangiaceae. Molecular sequence data from fresh collections is required to confirm the relationships and placement of the genera in this family.


Zootaxa ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 4238 (1) ◽  
pp. 58 ◽  
Author(s):  
ATSUSHI MOCHIZUKI ◽  
CHARLES S. HENRY ◽  
PETER DUELLI

The small lacewing genus Apertochrysa comprises species from Africa, Asia and Australia. All lack a tignum, but otherwise resemble distantly related genera. We show that Apertochrysa does not form a monophyletic clade, based on analyses of molecular sequence data and morphological traits such as the presence and shape of the male gonapsis, wing venation, and larval setae. Apertochrysa kichijoi forms a clade with Eremochrysa, Suarius and Chrysemosa, whereas A. albolineatoides belongs to a clade that includes Cunctochrysa. Apertochrysa albolineatoides should become a new combination as Cunctochrysa albolineatoides, while A. kichijoi will have to be transferred to a new genus. The Australian A. edwardsi, the African A. eurydera and the type species of the genus Apertochrysa, A. umbrosa, join the large Pseudomallada group. Relationships of A. umbrosa are less certain, because for it we could amplify only one of the three nuclear genes used in the overall analysis. However, in all morphological traits tested, that species strongly resembles A. edwardsi and A. eurydera and thus is very likely just another exceptional Pseudomallada lacking a tignum. The fate of the genus name Apertochrysa depends on additional molecular and morphological analyses of A. umbrosa. 


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