During a survey of saprophytic microfungi on decomposing woody, herbaceous debris and soil from different regions in Southern Europe, a wide range of interesting species of asexual ascomycetes were found. Phylogenetic analyses based on partial gene sequences of SSU, LSU and ITS proved that most of these fungi were related to Sordariomycetes and Dothideomycetes and to lesser extent to Leotiomycetes and Eurotiomycetes. Four new monotypic orders with their respective families are proposed here, i.e. Lauriomycetales, Lauriomycetaceae; Parasympodiellales, Parasympodiellaceae; Vermiculariopsiellales, Vermiculariopsiellaceae and Xenospadicoidales, Xenospadicoidaceae. One new order and three families are introduced here to accommodate orphan taxa, viz. Kirschsteiniotheliales, Castanediellaceae, Leptodontidiaceae and Pleomonodictydaceae. Furthermore, Bloxamiaceae is validated. Based on morphology and phylogenetic affinities Diplococcium singulare, Trichocladium opacum and Spadicoides atra are moved to the new genera Paradiplococcium, Pleotrichocladium and Xenospadicoides, respectively. Helicoon fuscosporum is accommodated in the genus Magnohelicospora. Other novel genera include Neoascotaiwania with the type species N. terrestris sp. nov., and N. limnetica comb. nov. previously accommodated in Ascotaiwania; Pleomonodictys with P. descalsii sp. nov. as type species, and P. capensis comb. nov. previously accommodated in Monodictys; Anapleurothecium typified by A. botulisporum sp. nov., a fungus morphologically similar to Pleurothecium but phylogenetically distant; Fuscosclera typified by F. lignicola sp. nov., a meristematic fungus related to Leotiomycetes; Pseudodiplococcium typified by P. ibericum sp. nov. to accommodate an isolate previously identified as Diplococcium pulneyense; Xyladictyochaeta typified with X. lusitanica sp. nov., a foliicolous fungus related to Xylariales and similar to Dictyochaeta, but distinguished by polyphialidic conidiogenous cells produced on setiform conidiophores. Other novel species proposed are Brachysporiella navarrica, Catenulostroma lignicola, Cirrenalia iberica, Conioscypha pleiomorpha, Leptodontidium aureum, Pirozynskiella laurisilvatica, Parasympodiella lauri and Zanclospora iberica. To fix the application of some fungal names, lectotypes and/or epitypes are designated for Magnohelicospora iberica, Sporidesmium trigonellum, Sporidesmium opacum, Sporidesmium asperum, Camposporium aquaticum and Psilonia atra.

We report the identification of a fungus, a member of the genus Neoscytalidium which is associated with human keratitis. Phylogenetic analysis and morphological observations on conidiogenous cells, which occur only in arthric chains in aerial mycelium and the coelomycetous synasexual morph is absent, identified a new species, Neoscytalidium oculus sp. nov. The fungus formed biofilm at a concentration of 1 × 10 conidia/mL, during 96 hours of incubation at 37°C, and also manifested haemolysis and melanin production. This is the first report in Latin America of a new species of Neoscytalidium from a clinical isolate has been identified.

Several new species belonging to the anamorph genera Bactrodesmiastrum and Bactrodesmium, collected from plant debris in Spain, are described and illustrated. Bactrodesmiastrum pyriforme, sp. nov. is characterized by large, pyriform conidia. Bactrodesmiastrum obovatum comb. nov. is proposed to accommodate janetia obovata, and the Spanish specimen of B. obscurum. the type species of the genus, represents the second known collection of the species worldwide. Analyses of rDNA sequences confirm the distinction between B. obovatum and B. pyriforme, and reveal their relationships with the Savoryellales (Sordariomycetes). Bactrodesmium diver-sum sp. nov. is distinguished from the other species of the genus by its large, pale brown conidia with a conspicuous pore at each septum.

In this contribution, 18 species of synnematous microfungi associated with plant debris are registered for the first time to the Mexican mycobiota. In addition, an account of the current state of knowledge of the synnematous species registered to date is presented. The taxonomic determination was carried out by morphological analysis of the specimens growing in natural substrate incubated in damp chambers. Arthrobotryum stilboideum, Blastocatena pulneyensis, Coremiella cubispora, Menisporopsis multisetula and Phaeoisaria clavulata are new records for the Neotropical region. Blastocatena pulneyensis, Menisporopsis anisospora and Roigiella lignicola, which have not been recorded since their original descriptions were also determined. Including the records of this study, a total of 40 species belonging to 28 genera of synnematous microfungi have been registered for Mexico. No information was found for most of the states in the country. For the 18 species recorded in the present study, descriptions, illustrations and information about their substrates and geographical distribution are provided. Reference material was deposited in the Herbarium of the Instituto de Ecología A.C. (XAL) in Xalapa, Veracruz, Mexico.

Diplococcium dimorphosporum sp. nov., D. racemosum sp. nov., D. singulare sp. nov. and D. pulneyense Subram. & Sekar collected from plant debris in natural areas of Spain are described and illustrated. The first species is characterized principally by the production of branched conidiophores and short chains of conidia. Diplococcium singulare has unbranched conidiophores, and conidia produced usually at the tip of conidiophores and from lateral spherical conidiogenous cells. In addition, both species develop a Selenosporella synanamorph with narrow falcate conidia. Diplococcium racemosum produces branched, verrucose conidiophores, and verrucose conidia in long branched chains. Diplococcium pulneyense is the second record, being described for first time on the natural substratum and re-described in pure culture. A key to currently accepted species of Diplococcium is provided.

Two interesting fungi belonging to the genus Cordana have been isolated recently in Spain from plant debris. Both are proposed here as new species, described and illustrated. Cordana mercadiana sp. nov. produces 0-1-septate conidia, with a prominent basal scar. Cordana verruculosa sp. nov. differs from the other species of the genus by its unique combination of aseptate, verruculose and small conidia. Both species are compared morphologically with other species of Cordana and their identities supported by the analysis of rDNA sequences. LSU sequence analysis revealed the congeneric relationship of Cordana and Pseudobotrytis; the members of both genera are in a well supported monophyletic lineage that appears to be related to the Coniochaetales but remains incertae sedis within the Sordariomycetes. To establish nomenclatural stability of the genus Cordana, an isolate of C. pauciseptata is designed here as epitype and the two species of Pseudobotrytis are transferred to Cordana. A dichotomous key is provided to identify the currently accepted species of Cordana.

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Abstract:Four new species of Sporidesmium complex collected on plant debris in different protected areas of the Iberian Peninsula are described and illustrated. Penzigomyces basiacutus is characterized by its obclavate to rostrate conidia with a narrowly obconictruncate basal cell and verruculose apical cell. Sporidesmium corniculatum is distinguished from other species of the genus by its occasional furcate and only transversely septate conidia and Sporidesmium tunicatum by its obclavate to rostrate, verrucose conidia with an apical mucilaginous sheath tunica. Stanjehughesia obclavorostrata is distinguished by its obclavate to rostrate conidia with the basal cell sometimes darker than the rest.