Funiliomycetaceae fam. nov. (Amphisphaeriales, Ascomycota) accommodating Funiliomyces, including F. jiangxiensis sp. nov. from Tetradium ruticarpum and ten new combinations

Abstract

The genus Dactylaria has long been recognized as polyphyletic. In this study, phylogenetic analyses based on LSU sequences indicate that Dactylaria is widely distributed across six different classes within Pezizomycotina. Further analyses using combined LSU, ITS, and RPB 2 sequence data revealed that Funiliomyces biseptatus, ten previously described “ Dactylaria ” species, and our newly isolated strains form a distinct lineage (SH-aLRT / UFB / BPP = 99.9 / 94 / 0.99) within Amphisphaeriales, sister to Nothodactylariaceae.

Interfamily genetic differences provide additional evidence for recognizing this lineage as an independent family-level clade. Accordingly, a new family, Funiliomycetaceae fam. nov., is proposed to accommodate this lineage. The majority of species in this family are saprobes, endophytes, or epiphytes, occurring on a wide range of plant hosts across tropical to temperate regions.

The sexual morph of Funiliomycetaceae is characterized by black, subglobose ascomata; cylindrical asci with an IKI-negative apical apparatus; and pale brown, torpedo-shaped, 2 - septate ascospores bearing two hyaline mucilaginous appendages. The asexual morph is characterized by macronematous conidiophores and integrated, sympodial conidiogenous cells that exhibit remarkable diversity in denticle morphology, ranging from large cylindrical or geniculate forms to entirely absent, producing hyaline to pale smoky, septate conidia of variable dimensions.

The diversity of Funiliomycetaceae is expanded here by the addition of one new species, Funiliomyces jiangxiensis sp. nov., and the transfer of ten previously described species to Funiliomyces as new combinations (F. acaciae comb. nov., F. bisepatus comb. nov., F. calliandrae comb. nov., F. fragilis comb. nov., F. hwasunensis comb. nov., F. mavisleverae comb. nov., F. monticola comb. nov., F. retrophylli comb. nov., F. sparsus comb. nov., and F. zapatensis comb. nov.).

Information on asexual morphology, lifestyle, host associations, and distribution of Funiliomyces species is provided to facilitate species identification.