Systematics of the Cosmospora viliuscula species complex

Abstract

The genus Cosmospora includes nectrioid fungi that grow on polypores and xylariaceous fungi. The collections growing on xylariaceous fungi have been identified recently as Cosmospora viliuscula. In this paper the phylogeny and taxonomy of C. viliuscula are investigated. A phylogeny was generated with maximum likelihood and Bayesian inference methods applied to a three-partition dataset (ITS, 28S, MCM7-RPB1-TUB2). Based on these results, we demonstrate that Cosmospora viliuscula represents a diverse species complex comprising more than 10 species. Seven new species are described, including three single-strain lineages, and the sexual states of C. arxii and C. khandalensis are described for the first time. The sexual states of these fungi tend to have a high degree of morphological homoplasy, making it difficult to differentiate among them based on morphological characters alone. However, the apparent host specificity of species in this complex aide in the diagnosis of these fungi. In addition, the RPB1 marker provides sufficient resolution to distinguish these fungi.

A new species of Cosmospora and the first record of sexual state of C. lavitskiae

“…The methods used by Luo and Zhuang (2010b) and Herrera et al (2015) were generally followed for morphological observation. 3 % KOH and 100 % lactic acid (LA) were used to test ascomatal wall reactions.…”

“…Combining molecular data with morphological evidences, Gräfenhan et al (2011) restricted Cosmospora in a much narrower sense to include only the species growing on polypores and xylariaceous fungi and having acremonium-like or verticillium-like asexual states. About 19 species are currently accepted in the genus (Zhuang and Zhang 2002;Gräfenhan et al 2011;Herrera et al 2015). The remaining cosmospora-like fungi were transferred to Chaetopsina Rambelli, Cylindrocladiella Boesew., Dialonectria, Fusicolla Bonord., Macroconia (Wollenw.)…”

“…Members of the genus are distributed worldwide, presumed to have a higher diversity in warm temperate and tropical regions, and tend to occur on other fungi, sometimes in soil (Herrera et al 2015).…”

“…Cosmospora is characterized by orange red to bright red, pyriform perithecia that are superficial, non-stromatic and solitary to gregarious on substrates; asci are cylindrical to narrowly clavate and eight-spored; while ascospores are ellipsoidal, bicellular, constricted at the septum, verrucose or tuberculate, and yellow-brown at maturity; conidia are ellipsoidal, oblong, clavate or allantoid and aseptate (Gräfenhan et al 2011;Herrera et al 2015). Members of the genus are distributed worldwide, presumed to have a higher diversity in warm temperate and tropical regions, and tend to occur on other fungi, sometimes in soil (Herrera et al 2015).…”

Ascomicetos de los guaduales en la reserva natural La Montaña del Ocaso, departamento del Quindío, Colombia

“…En el laboratorio se realizaron preparaciones temporales en alcohol al 70% y KOH al 5%, para observar y describir el tamaño, forma, color de las ascas, ascosporas, células estériles, así como la disposición de hifas o células del excipulo medular y ectal del apotecio, o paredes de los peritecios o pseudotecios. Los ejemplares se determinaron con las obras de Breintenbach y Kränzlin (1984), San Martín y Rogers (1989Rogers ( , 1995, Ju y Rogers (1996) Chaverri (2015). De las especies estudiadas, se indica con (*) a los nuevos registros para el departamento del Quindío y se da su distribución en Colombia, mientras que con (**) las especies que se citan por primera vez para Colombia y se incluye su descripción y distribución en el mundo.…”