Multilocus-phylogeny of the lichen-forming genus Bacidia s. str. (Ramalinaceae, Lecanorales) with special emphasis on the Russian Far East

To clarify deep relationships among species lineages within Bacidia s. str., and to investigate the robustness of the deeper branches, we combined data from three traditionally used RNA-coding genes (nrITS, nrLSU and mtSSU) with two protein-coding genes (RPB1 and RPB2). The multigene phylogeny contained 48 newly generated sequences from the Russian Far East and all Bacidia s. str. sequences from GenBank (131 sequences). We subjected the alignments for the single and concatenated data sets to Bayesian inference (BI) and two maximum likelihood (ML) analyses (RAxML and IQ-TREE). The topologies of phylogenetic trees recovered from BI and ML analyses were highly concordant. The multilocus phylogeny of Bacidia s. str. was congruent with previous results based on nrITS sequences from the Russian Far East but with considerably higher support values for most of the deeper branches. A correlation between the recovered clades and apothecial pigments in the upper part of the hymenium and lateral exciple was observed. Based on morphological and molecular evidence, Bacidia obtecta is described as new to science. It was recovered as the sister lineage of B. elongata. The two species are alike in having up to four enlarged lumina cells along the exciple edge, but B. obtecta differs in the abundant crystals found in the upper hymenium and lateral exciple, and by having spores with fewer septa.

A new lineage of mazaediate fungi in the Eurotiomycetes: Cryptocaliciomycetidae subclass. nov., based on the new species Cryptocalicium blascoi and the revision of the ascoma evolution

The class Eurotiomycetes (Ascomycota, Pezizomycotina) comprises important fungi used for medical, agricultural, industrial and scientific purposes. Eurotiomycetes is a morphologically and ecologically diverse monophyletic group. Within the Eurotiomycetes, different ascoma morphologies are found including cleistothecia and perithecia but also apothecia or stromatic forms. Mazaediate representatives (with a distinct structure in which loose masses of ascospores accumulate to be passively disseminated) have evolved independently several times. Here we describe a new mazaediate species belonging to the Eurotiomycetes. The multigene phylogeny produced (7 gene regions: nuLSU, nuSSU, 5.8S nuITS, mtSSU, RPB1, RPB2 and MCM7) placed the new species in a lineage sister to Eurotiomycetidae. Based on the evolutionary relationships and morphology, a new subclass, a new order, family and genus are described to place the new species: Cryptocalicium blascoi. This calicioid species occurs on the inner side of loose bark strips of Cupressaceae (Cupressus, Juniperus). Morphologically, C. blascoi is characterized by having minute apothecioid stalked ascomata producing mazaedia, clavate bitunicate asci with hemiamyloid reaction, presence of hamathecium and an apothecial external surface with dark violet granules that becomes turquoise green in KOH. The ancestral state reconstruction analyses support a common ancestor with open ascomata for all deep nodes in Eurotiomycetes and the evolution of closed ascomata (cleistothecioid in Eurotiomycetidae and perithecioid in Chaetothyriomycetidae) from apothecioid ancestors. The appropriateness of the description of a new subclass for this fungus is also discussed.

Multigene phylogeny and taxonomic revision of American shrimps of the genus Cryphiops Dana, 1852 (Decapoda, Palaemonidae) implies a proposal for reversal of precedence with Macrobrachium Spence Bate, 1868

The freshwater shrimp genus Cryphiops Dana, 1852 has a disjunct distribution in North (Mexico) and South (Brazil, Chile) America, and is composed of only six species. The current classification of genera in the Palaemonidae is controversial, based on variable morphological characters, and still far from a clear definition. Cryphiops differs from the speciose genus Macrobrachium Spence Bate, 1868 only by the absence of the hepatic spines on the carapace. Previous studies with a limited dataset suggested the necessity to link morphology and phylogeny to create an internal rearrangement in the genus to resolve the paraphyletic status. Through a molecular phylogenetic approach, the evolutionary relationships are inferred based on four (mitochondrial and nuclear) genes, among all recognized species of Cryphiops and, in combination with a taxonomic revision, a rearrangement in the systematics of the genus is suggested. The absence of hepatic spines on the carapace, the only character used to separate the genus Cryphiops, is subjective and should be considered as a homoplasy. This implies that Cryphiops and Macrobrachium are subjective synonyms and, because the latter genus is much more diverse and widely known, with several economically important species, to avoid confusion and disturbance in nomenclatural stability and keep universality, a proposal for the priority of the older synonym (Cryphiops) to be partially suppressed in favor of maintaining the prevailing use of the younger synonym (Macrobrachium) is presented. As the species of Cryphiops should be accommodated in the genus Macrobrachium, new names to replace three preoccupied specific names that, by this action, resulted to be secondary homonyms are offered.

Multigene Phylogeny Reveals Haploanthostomella elaeidis gen. et sp. nov. and Familial Replacement of Endocalyx (Xylariales, Sordariomycetes, Ascomycota)

During our investigation of palm fungi in Thailand, two interesting taxa from Elaeis guineensis and Metroxylon sagu (Arecaceae) were collected. Based on phylogenetic analyses of a combined dataset of ITS, LSU, rpb2, and tub2 nucleotide sequences as well as unique morphological characteristics, we introduce the new genus Haploanthostomella within Xylariales, and a new species Endocalyx metroxyli. Additionally, in our study, the genus Endocalyx is transferred to the family Cainiaceae based on its brown conidia and molecular phylogenetic evidence.

Endophytic Diaporthe Associated With Citrus grandis cv. Tomentosa in China

Diaporthe species are associated with Citrus as endophytes, pathogens, and saprobes worldwide. However, little is known about Diaporthe as endophytes in Citrus grandis in China. In this study, 24 endophytic Diaporthe isolates were obtained from cultivated C. grandis cv. “Tomentosa” in Huazhou, Guangdong Province in 2019. The nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacer (ITS), partial sequences of translation elongation factor 1-α (tef1), β-tubulin (tub2), and partial calmodulin (cal) gene regions were sequenced and employed to construct phylogenetic trees. Based on morphology and combined multigene phylogeny, eleven Diaporthe species were identified including two new species, Diaporthe endocitricola and D. guangdongensis. These are the first report of D. apiculata, D. aquatica, D. arecae, D. biconispora, D. limonicola, D. masirevicii, D. passifloricola, D. perseae, and D. sennae on C. grandis. This study provides the first intensive study of endophytic Diaporthe species on C. grandis cv. tomentosa in China. These results will improve the current knowledge of Diaporthe species associated with C. grandis. The results obtained in this study will also help to understand the potential pathogens and biocontrol agents and to develop a platform in disease management.

Multigene phylogeny and morphology reveal a new species, Ophiocordyceps vespulae, from Jilin Province, China

Ophiocordyceps is entomopathogenic and is the best studied genus in Ophiocordycipitaceae. Members of Ophiocordyceps and ants form sophisticated interactions. However, taxonomy and evolutionary relationships of this group of pathogens remain unclear. During a survey in Changbai Mountains, Jiling Province, China, a new entomogenous species, Ophiocordyceps vespulae sp. nov. was found as a parasite on wasps (Hymenoptera). The new species is introduced with evidence from morphology and molecular analysis. This species is distinguished from closely related species by white to faint yellow stromata, shorter ascomata and asci, and smaller ascospores. We provide a phylogeny for Ophiocordyceps based on combined LSU, ITS, TEF1α and RPB2 DNA sequence data and the taxonomic status of the species is briefly discussed.

Revision of the higher taxonomy of Neotropical freshwater crabs of the family Pseudothelphusidae, based on multigene and morphological analyses

A new classification for the freshwater crabs of the Americas, the superfamily Pseudothelphusoidea¸ is presented based on a multigene phylogeny complemented by morphological analyses. We propose that the superfamily Pseudothelphusoidea be composed of two families, the Epiloboceridae and the Pseudothelphusidae, with the subsequent reorganization of the latter into eight subfamilies, of which five (Hypolobocerinae, Kingsleyinae, Potamocarcininae, Pseudothelphusinae, Strengerianinae) represent previously recognized tribes. We erect three new subfamilies: Guinotiinae, Ptychophallinae and Raddausinae, to reflect relationships that have become clear with the new analyses. The new classification scheme has a high level of congruence with the geographical distribution of species and genera. A divergence time estimate suggests that the Pseudothelphusoidea originated in the late Cretaceous around 68 Mya. Subsequent divergence events can be correlated with emergent landmasses throughout the range of the superfamily. There is high concordance among several elements of our proposal: (1) the main morphological types of male gonopods correspond to well defined clades obtained with molecular analyses; (2) the geographic distribution of the subfamilies has a structured pattern; and (3) the estimated times of divergence of each group can be associated to the geological history of each region. The combination of these elements results in a robust new classification scheme.