E. B. G. Jones

Phylogenetic diversity of endophyte assemblages associated with the tropical seagrass Enhalus acoroides in Thailand

Seagrasses are flowering plants inhabiting coastal and marine environments, with a worldwide distribution. They serve as feeding, breeding and nursery grounds for economically important marine organisms including endangered species. The tropical seagrass Enhalus acoroides was collected from Had Khanom-Mu Ko Thale Tai National Park, southern Thailand. The objectives of this study were to investigate for the presence of endophyte assemblages in E. acoroides, as well as to describe the diversity of endophytes based on LSU, ITS1, 2, 5.8S rDNA sequence analyses. Forty-two fungal assemblages were isolated and identified through molecular data. This resulted in a diversity of fungal groups of Ascomycota (98%) and Basidiomycota (2%). Three major Ascomycota classes including the Sordariomycetes (36%), Eurotiomycetes (33%) and Dothideomycetes (24%) were determined. The predominant ascomycete orders were the Hypocreales, followed by the Eurotiales and the Capnodiales, respectively. Additionally one taxon belonged to the Russulales, Basidiomycota and was possibly mycorrhiza. This study confirms that E. acoroides harbors a wide diversity of fungal endophytes, and provides a baseline for further studies on fungal-host plant interactions.

Relationship of the genus Cordyceps and related genera, based on parsimony and spectral analysis of partial 18S and 28S ribosomal gene sequences

A molecular phylogenetic study of selected species of three sub-genera of the genusCordyceps was undertaken, along with representatives of the generaAkanthomyces, Aschersonia, Gibellula, Hymenostilbe, Hypocrella, Nomuraea andTorrubiella, to examine their inter-relationship. Phylogenetic analyses of the data indicated that the Clavicipitaceae form a monophyletic group within the Hypocreales, while the monophyly ofCordyceps was not supported. Four clades were identified:Cor. militaris/Cor. pseudomilitaris; Cor. iranginesis/Cor. sphecocephala; Cor. intermedia/Cor. capitata; andCor. cylindrica/Nom. atypicola. The sub-genusNeocordyceps was shown to be monophyletic while the sub-generaEucordyceps andOphiocordyceps do not form monophyletic groups. The genusHypocrella appeared monophyletic, and radiated after the formation of the generaCordyceps, andTorrubiella. Akanthomyces arachnophilus andGi. pulchra, anamorphs ofTorrubiella species, formed a distinct clade that was separate from one formed by the scale insect pathogens,To. luteorostrata andPaecilomyces cinnamomeus, suggesting that this genus may be polyphyletic.

Novel Species of Colletotrichum Revealed by Morphology and Molecular Analysis

Abstract Colletotrichum species are widely known as key anthracnose pathogens of several economic plants. In this study, Colletotrichum species associated with leaf anthracnose isolated from various plants in Thailand were subjected to morphological and molecular analyses. The ITS rDNA regions of these strains were sequenced and aligned with those of type strains in the genus in order to establish if they can be assigned to any known species. Strains that could not be identified were further sequenced for partial actin (ACT), &bgr;-tubulin (TUB2) and glyceraldehydes-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) genes and employed in a phylogenetic analysis to reveal their relationships with other closely related taxa. The multilocus sequence analysis, together with a critical examination of the phenotypic characters, revealed three new species. These are introduced as C. brevisporum, C. tropicicola and C. thailandicum and formally described, illustrated and compared with similar taxa.

Massarina armatispora sp. nov., a new intertidal ascomycete from mangroves

Massarina armatispora sp. nov. is described from dead intertidal mangrove wood collected in India and Hong Kong. The new taxon is compared with other Massarina species, and its placement in the genus Massarina is discussed

Biodiversity of marine fungi in Malaysian mangroves

Abstract Senescent and decaying substrata were collected in selected Malaysian mangroves (prop roots, pneumatophores, overhanging branches and twigs of mangrove trees, driftwood) to study the diversity of marine mangrove fungi. One hundred and thirty-nine marine fungi were fully identified to specific level (115 Ascomycota, 2 Basidiomycota, 22 anamorphic taxa). Based on percentage of occurrence, the most common species were Lignincola laevis (16.8%), Verruculina enalia (13.3%), Trichocladium achrasporum (12.1%), Savoryella lignicola (11.8%), Dictyosporium pelagicum (11.2%), Halocyphina villosa (11.0%) and Lulworthia grandispora (10.9%). Among the samples, 84.2% supported an average number of 2.8 fungal species per sample. Of the 139 fungi identified in this study, circa 84% (117 species) are only found in the tropics/subtropics, mostly as mangrove species. Factors affecting the distribution and abundance of mangrove fungi are discussed, including: substrate specificity, sampling frequency and intensity, vertical distribution and geographical locations.

Ultrastructure of Asci and Ascospore Sheath of Massarina thalassiae (Loculoascomycetes, Ascomycotina)

Ultrastructure of the marine lignicolous, bitunicate, ascomycete Massarina thalassiae is presented and compared with marine species of the genera Paraliomyces, Pleospora and Nimbospora. Asci of M thalassiae possess a thick endoascus, thin ectoascus and an ocular chamber. The bicelled ascospores are surrounded by an exosporial mucilaginous sheath similar to that of Paraliomyces lentifei-us.

New freshwater species of Ascotaiwania and Savoryella from Taiwan

Four new taxa are described, each having multiseptate ascospores with hyaline end cells; Savoryella limnetica, Ascotaiwania wulai, A. hsilio and A. sawada). Savoryella and Ascotaiwania are evaluated and separated by the following characters: Savoryella has broad, up to 8 μm paraphyses (sparse) that are septate and rounded at their ends, and smaller asci with an apical thickening containing a plugged pore and 3–septate ascospores; Ascotaiwania has narrow, filiform, septate paraphyses up to 2 μm wide, but these deliquesce early and are rarely observed in mature ascomata. Ascotaiwania also has asci with a well-developed apical ring and plugged pore and ascospores generally with more than 3 septa. Ultrastructural studies of A. lignicola showed that the ascopores are covered by a thin mucilaginous sheath and unitunicate asci with the wall comprising an outer, 30–40 nm electron-dense layer and an inner, 420–450 nm, thick, electron-transparent layer. Asci have a well-developed apical apparatus consisting of an electron-dense apical ring with a plug. The plug deliquesces prior to ascospore release. The ascospore wall comprises an electron-dense episporium and a less electron-dense mesosporium. External to the episporium is a fibro-granular sheath.

Ascospore Ultrastructure of Halosphaeria appendiculata (Halosphaeriaceae)

Ultrastructure of the ascospores of Halosphaeria appendiculata is described. Ascospores contained the normal complement of organelles associated with ascomycete cells; the most prominent being a large central spherical lipid body in each cell. Adpressed to the surface of the lipid body were flattened microbody-like structures. The role of these structures is discussed

Phylogenetic revision of Camarosporium (Pleosporineae, Dothideomycetes) and allied genera

A concatenated dataset of LSU, SSU, ITS and tef1 DNA sequence data was analysed to investigate the taxonomic position and phylogenetic relationships of the genus Camarosporium in Pleosporineae (Dothideomycetes). Newly generated sequences from camarosporium-like taxa collected from Europe (Italy) and Russia form a well-supported monophyletic clade within Pleosporineae. A new genus Camarosporidiella and a new family Camarosporidiellaceae are established to accommodate these taxa. Four new species, Neocamarosporium korfii, N. lamiacearum, N. salicorniicola and N. salsolae, constitute a strongly supported clade with several known taxa for which the new family, Neocamarosporiaceae, is introduced. The genus Staurosphaeria based on S. lycii is resurrected and epitypified, and shown to accommodate the recently introduced genus Hazslinszkyomyces in Coniothyriaceae with significant statistical support. Camarosporium quaternatum, the type species of Camarosporium and Camarosporomyces flavigena cluster together in a monophyletic clade with significant statistical support and sister to the Leptosphaeriaceae. To better resolve interfamilial/intergeneric level relationships and improve taxonomic understanding within Pleosporineae, we validate Camarosporiaceae to accommodate Camarosporium and Camarosporomyces. The latter taxa along with other species are described in this study.

Cucullosporella mangrovei, ultrastructure of ascospores and their appendages

The ultrastructure ofCucullosporella mangrovei ascospores is described. Mature ascospores possess two wall layers, an outer electron-dense episporium and an innermost tripartite mesosporium. Episporial elaborations form electrondense spore wall ornamentations from which extend fibrils that may constitute a highly hydrated exosporium which was not visualised at either the scanning electron microscope or light microscope level. Ascospores possess a hamate appendage at each pole which unfolds in seawater to form a long thread. Ultrastructurally the polar appendage comprises folded fibro-granular electron-dense material and fine fibrils. The fibrils form a matrix around and within the fibro-granular appendage and around the entire unreleased ascospore. These fibrils have not been observed associated with the ascospore appendages in other species of the Halosphaeriales and are a discrete and new appendage component. The fibro-granular appendage and fibrils are bounded by the outer delimiting membrane which is absent around released ascospores. The nature of the spore appendage is compared with that of other marine and freshwater ascomycetes and the taxonomic assignment of the species is discussed.