Globoramichloridium delicatum and Heteroconium simile spp. nov. from southern China

Two new anamorphic fungi, Globoramichloridium delicatum and Heteroconium simile, collected from dead branches of unidentified broadleaf trees in Jiangxi Province, China, are described and illustrated. Globoramichloridium delicatum is characterized by unicellular, subglobose to narrow subnapiform, yellowish-green conidia. Heteroconium simile is distinguished by its monoblastic, integrated, terminal, determinate conidiogenous cells that produce acrogenous, blastocatenate, dimorphic, 0–1-septate, smooth conidia.

Taxonomic and phylogenetic studies on anamorphic ascomycota associated with plant debris

The division Ascomycota(Fungi) contains a large number of taxa known to reproduce only asexually by the formation of conidia or other non-motile propagules produced by mitotic cellular devisions. They are called anamorphic, mitosporic, asexual or conidial fungi and ecologically, they are often found associated with plant debris in different stages of decay. In general, saprobic anamorphs of ascomycetous affinities are poorly studied and their outstanding diversity is currently underexplored. Phylogenetic relationships are unknown for many of them and they are still largely underrepresented in the current phylogenetic classification system of Fungi, with many morphologically defined anamorphic taxa still awaiting taxonomic reassessment in the light of molecular approaches. The increasing usage of molecular markers combined with robust statistical methods has allowed their phylogenetic affinities to be revealed and to gradually incorporate many of them into the different taxonomic groups of the division Ascomycota. However, the phylogenetic placement and taxonomic status of a large number of saprobic taxa remain unresolved due to the lack of DNA sequence data. The present dissertation aims to explore the rich but understudied diversity of those anamorphic fungi traditionally known as hyphomycetes that inhabit dead plant debris. It consists of five publications in which a polyphasic approach integrating morphological, developmental, cultural and molecular data was used to incorporate novel or incertae sedis taxa within Ascomycota and to make more sound decisions regarding their taxonomic status. Specific objectives include: 1. the collection, isolation and morphological characterization of selected anamorphic fungi representing putative new or interesting taxa of uncertain phylogenetic placement; 2. the generation of novel DNA sequence data to infer their phylogenetic relationships and to resolve their taxonomic affinities within Ascomycota; 3. the testing of any previously available morphologically based hypotheses on their putative position, generic placement or relationships with teleomorphic, pleomorphic or other anamorphic taxa; and 4. the determination of their generic validity, monophyly and taxonomic boundaries using molecular data and phylogenetic analyses methods. Materials studied in these five projects consisted of specimens collected during field work carried out by the author or collaborators in different countries including USA, the Czech Republic and Panama between the years 2014 and 2017. The target substrates were dead leaves of different palm trees, dead wood and bark of pines and twigs or stems of unknown shrubs and woody vines that are all known to harbor a rich saprobic mycobiota. Putative novelties or anamorphic taxa with unknown or poorly studied phylogenetic affinities were selected for further morphological and molecular investigation. Micromorphological studies were based on fungal structures observed on natural substrate, herbarium specimens and in culture. DNA was extracted from cultures and PCR amplification followed by Sanger sequencing was carried out using relevant molecular markers employed in fungal phylogenetic studies. Newly obtained DNA sequence data were analyzed following a standard phylogenetic analysis pipeline and phylogenetic relationships were reconstructed using character-based methods such as Maximum Likelihood and Bayesian inference. Conclusion is that anamorphic Ascomycota inhabiting dead plant debris represents a largely untapped source of biodiversity and information still in need of further exploration. A new capnodiaceous genus Castanedospora, seven new species named Taeniolella sabalicola, Hermatomyces bifurcatus, H. constrictus, H. megasporus, H. sphaericoides, H. verrucosus and Septonema lohmanii, and two new combinations, Castanedospora pachyanthicola and H. reticulatus, are proposed based on morphological and DNA sequence data. Molecular phylogenetics was confirmed as the tool of choice for the inference of relationships in novel or incertae sedis anamorphic fungi that are otherwise difficult to assess in the absence of a teleomorphic state. They were first resolved or revisited for several saprobic species such as Ernakulamia cochinensis, H. sphaericus, H. tucumanensis or Septonema fasciculare in a suitable framework for phylogenetic hypothesis testing. Molecular data allowed to fully incorporate all these taxa in Ascomycota, particularly within the classes Dothideomycetes and Sordariomycetes, and to provide a foundation for better taxonomic decisions on their classification. Large and polyphyletic genera such as Taeniolella, Sporidesmium and Septonema, partially treated in this work and containing mostly saprobic species of obscure affinities, remained in need of further investigation.

Blodgettia chinensis and Nigrolentilocus saprophyticus spp. nov., and a first record of Anapleurothecium botulisporum from southern China

Two new anamorphic fungi, Blodgettia chinensis sp. nov. and Nigrolentilocus saprophyticus sp. nov., are described and illustrated from specimens collected on dead branches of unidentified plants in southern China. Blodgettia chinensis is characterized by monoblastic, integrated, terminal conidiogenous cells that produce broadly ellipsoidal, 5-euseptate, smooth conidia with darkened and thickened bands at the septa. Nigrolentilocus saprophyticus is distinguished by its polyblastic, sympodially extending, terminal and intercalary, integrated conidiogenous cells with conspicuous, lenticular conidiogenous loci and ellipsoidal to fusiform, 3-euseptate, versicolored conidia. A key to Nigrolentilocus species is provided. Anapleurothecium botulisporum is recorded for the first time from China.

Checklist of Deuteromycteous Fungi of Bangladesh I1

Eighty three species of anamorphic fungi under 20 genera belonging to Moniliaceae, Tuberculareaceae and Stilbelaceae found in Bangladesh from 1952 till date are enlisted. The alphabetical checklist of the genera is provided herewith. Further updates will be added in the subsequent versions of the publication. Journal of Bangladesh Academy of Sciences, Vol. 43, No. 2, 113-122, 2019

Checklist of Deuteromycetous Fungi of Bangladesh 1

Earlier biodiversity explorations of Bangladesh have led to enumeration of varied flora and fauna. However, fungi being an important biodiversity component, and especially, the mycoflora having potential of impacting human economy and food security, present understanding is needed to make vision for the future. In this regard, past works (1952-2017) on fungi reported from Bangladesh were studied. Two hundred and ten species of anamorphic fungi under 51 genera of the family Dematiaceae are enlisted. The alphabetical checklist of the genera is provided herewith.Journal of Bangladesh Academy of Sciences, Vol. 41, No. 2, 115-126, 2017