María N. Blanco

Fatty acid composition and taxonomic status of Ganoderma australe from southern chile

Over 75 % of the free fatty acids in Ganoderma fruit-bodies are 18-carbon unsaturated acids. Whereas the percentages of oleic and linoleic acid found in Ganoderma australe were similar, the latter acid was more abundant in G. applanatum. The Ganoderma species, which causes extensive wood delignification in the Chilean rain forest and was formerly identified as G. applanatum, showed a fatty acid pattern similar to that found in European G. australe.

Wood and humus decay strategies by white-rot basidiomycetes correlate with two different dye decolorization and enzyme secretion patterns on agar plates.

During several forays for ligninolytic fungi in different Spanish native forests, 35 white-rot basidiomycetes growing on dead wood (16 species from 12 genera) and leaf litter (19 species from 10 genera) were selected for their ability to decolorize two recalcitrant aromatic dyes (Reactive Blue 38 and Reactive Black 5) added to malt extract agar medium. In this study, two dye decolorization patterns were observed and correlated with two ecophysiological groups (wood and humus white-rot basidiomycetes) and three taxonomical groups (orders Polyporales, Hymenochaetales and Agaricales). Depending on the above groups, different decolorization zones were observed on the dye-containing plates, being restricted to the colony area or extending to the surrounding medium, which suggested two different decay strategies. These two strategies were related to the ability to secrete peroxidases and laccases inside (white-rot wood Polyporales, Hymenochaetales and Agaricales) and outside (white-rot humus Agaricales) of the fungal colony, as revealed by enzymatic tests performed directly on the agar plates. Similar oxidoreductases production patterns were observed when fungi were grown in the absence of dyes, although the set of enzyme released was different. All these results suggest that the decolorization patterns observed could be related with the existence of two decay strategies developed by white-rot basidiomycetes adapted to wood and leaf litter decay in the field.

Two new species of Thyronectria from Mediterranean Europe

Two new species of Thyronectria growing in Mediterranean vegetation are described from southern Spain; they are T. giennensis from Quercus ilex ssp. rotundifolia and T. pistaciae from Pistacia lentiscus. Both species are characterized by morphology of sexual and asexual morphs and by DNA data. They have olivaceous to green-brown muriform ascospores and are closely related to T. asturiensis and T. roseovirens, as determined by multigene phylogenetic analyses of a matrix containing six loci (ITS and 28S regions of nuc rDNA, ACT1, RPB1, RPB2, TEF1 and TUB2 genes). We also report that Cucurbitaria bicolor is a synonym of Thyronectria rhodochlora, the type species of Thyronectria.

Taxonomic position of the genus Bicornispora and the appearance of a new species Bicornispora seditiosa

The discovery of a second species of Bicornispora in Spain, B. seditiosa, which is closely related to B. exophiala but has smaller ascospores, narrower asci and different ecology, gave us the opportunity to culture and sequence the fungus. Phylogenetic analyses of rDNA regions including partial nuc 28S rDNA (28S) and ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 (ITS) supported a close relationship with species of the genus Lambertella (Rutstroemiaceae), placing Bicornispora, previously ascribed to Coryneliales, within Helotiales. This result confirmed an evolutionary linkage between certain inoperculate discomycetes such as Lambertella palmeri and derived cleistothecial forms (Bicornispora spp.). Based on analyses of morphological study and molecular phylogenetic analyses, a new combination Rutstroemia asphodeli is proposed for Ciboria asphodeli.

Amplistroma longicollis, a new species and its anamorph state described and sequenced from Europe

The new species Amplistroma longicollis is described. It is characterized by pale to dark brown stromata covered with white mucilaginous exudates and rostrate long-necked perithecia, which also present mucilaginous exudates at the base. Its relationship with other species of the genera Amplistroma in the Amplistromataceae is studied with morphological, cultural and molecular sequence data of large subunit ribosomal DNA (28S rDNA) and elongation factor 1-alpha gene (ef1-alpha).

A preliminary account of the Cucurbitariaceae

Fresh collections, type studies and molecular phylogenetic analyses of a multigene matrix of partial nuSSU-ITS-LSU rDNA, rpb2, tef1 and tub2 sequences were used to evaluate the boundaries of Cucurbitaria in a strict sense and of several related genera of the Cucurbitariaceae. Two species are recognised in Cucurbitaria and 19 in Neocucurbitaria. The monotypic genera Astragalicola, Cucitella, Parafenestella, Protofenestella, and Seltsamia are described as new. Fenestella is here included as its generic type F. fenestrata (= F. princeps), which is lecto- and epitypified. Fenestella mackenzei and F. ostryae are combined in Parafenestella. Asexual morphs of Cucurbitariaceae, where known, are all pyrenochaeta- or phoma-like. Comparison of the phylogenetic analyses of the ITS-LSU and combined matrices demonstrate that at least rpb2 sequences should be added whenever possible to improve phylogenetic resolution of the tree backbone; in addition, the tef1 introns should be added as well to improve delimitation of closely related species.

Amplistroma erinaceum, a new species and its anamorph from Panama

The new species Amplistroma erinaceum, collected on wood of Anacardium excelsum, is characterized by light cream-coloured, rostrate to spinose stromata, and immersed perithecia and long ostiolar necks. Its relationship to other Amplistroma species within the Amplistromataceae (incertae sedis, Ascomycota) are studied based on morphological, cultural, and molecular sequence data of the large subunit ribosomal DNA (28S rDNA).

Bicornispora exophiala, a new genus and species of the Coryneliales and its black yeast anamorph

Bicornispora, gen. nov. based on B. exophiala sp. nov., is described and tentatively included in the Coryneliales (Ascomycotina). The most noteworthy features of this taxon are its bicornute ascospores, massive unitunicate asci, and non-ostiolate ascomata. An Exophiala anamorph obtained from monoascosporic cultures provides evidence for the occurrence of black-yeast anamorphs in ascomycetes outside of the loculoascomycetes. Relationships of the new genus to other members of Coryneliales and to some members of the bitunicate ascomycetes are discussed.