Sporocadaceae, a family of coelomycetous fungi with appendage-bearing conidia

Abstract

Species of Sporocadaceae are endophytic, plant pathogenic or saprobic, and associated with a wide range of host plants. Recent molecular studies that have attempted to address familial and generic boundaries of fungi belonging to Sporocadaceae were based on a limited number of samples and DNA loci. The taxonomy of this group of fungi is therefore still not fully resolved. The aim of the present study is to provide a natural classification for the Sporocadaceae based on multi-locus phylogenetic analyses, using LSU, ITS, tef-1α , tub2 and rpb2 loci, in combination with morphological data. A total of 30 well-supported monophyletic clades in Sporocadaceae are recognised, representing 23 known and seven new genera. Typifications are proposed for the type species of five genera ( Diploceras , Discosia , Monochaetia , Sporocadus and Truncatella ) to stabilise the application of these names. Furthermore, Neotruncatella and Dyrithiopsis are synonymised under Hymenopleella , and the generic circumscriptions of Diploceras, Disaeta , Hymenopleella , Monochaetia , Morinia , Pseudopestalotiopsis , Sarcostroma , Seimatosporium , Synnemapestaloides and Truncatella are emended. A total of 51 new species, one nomina nova and 15 combinations are introduced.

Fungal Planet description sheets: 951–1041

“…Culture Notes -Monochaetia is characterised by acervular conidiomata, fusoid and transversely septate conidia, with brown median cells and a single cellular apical and basal (when present) appendage (Liu et al 2019a). Monochaetia massachusettsianum is phylogenetically related to M. monochaeta (conidia 4(-5)-septate, 17-23 × 4.5 -7 μm), and M. kansensis (conidia 4-septate, 17.5 -19 × 5.5 -7(-8) μm; Nag Raj 1993), but distinct in having larger conidia.…”

“…On MEA, PDA and OA surface peach, reverse fulvous with patches of sienna. Notes -Millesimomyces resembles the genus Discosia in morphology, having stromatic acervuli, and long, hyaline, subcylindrical or lageniform phialides that give rise to subcylindrical, pale brown, 3-septate conidia with excentric apical and basal appendages (Liu et al 2019a). However, based on phylogenetic inference, the fungus clusters apart from species of Discosia, and hence Millesimomyces is established to accommodate it.…”

Pestalotiopsis pini sp. nov., an Emerging Pathogen on Stone Pine (Pinus pinea L.)

“…Pestalotiopsis is a widely distributed genus of appendage-bearing conidia belonging to the family Sporocadaceae [3]. Fungi within this genus are normally considered secondary pathogens that can be responsible for a variety of plant diseases, including cankers, dieback, leaf spots, needle blight, tip blight, grey blight, severe chlorosis, fruit rots and various post-harvest diseases [4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11].…”

“…Pestalotiopsis is distinguished from other pestalotioid genera in the family Sporocadaceae (Heterotruncatella, Neopestalotiopsis, Pseudopestalotiopsis and Truncatella) by the number of conidium cells and by the pigmentation of its median cells [9]. Pestalotiopsis can be easily identified based on its five-celled, fusoid conidia, with three brown concolourous median cells and hyaline end cells; Neopestalotiopsis can be distinguished from Pestalotiopsis by its five-celled, fusoid conidia, with versicolourous median cells; Pseudopestalotiopsis can be distinguished based on its five-celled, fusoid conidia, with three dark concolourous median cells; Truncatella and Heterotruncatella are easily identified based on their four-celled, fusoid conidia [3,9]. Nevertheless, identification to species level solely based on morphology is difficult, since the morphological characters used to differentiate species are limited, variable and may be influenced by different hosts and environments [10,13].…”

“…Nevertheless, identification to species level solely based on morphology is difficult, since the morphological characters used to differentiate species are limited, variable and may be influenced by different hosts and environments [10,13]. Combined phylogenetic analysis of the internal transcribed spacer of ribosomal DNA (ITS), partial β-tubulin (TUB) and partial translation elongation factor 1-alpha (TEF) DNA sequence data is often required for accurate species identification [3,7,9,10,12].…”