Journal Articles: 2016-2011

Truncospora wisconsinensis sp. nov., a new poroid wood-inhabiting species, is proposed based on a combination of molecu- lar and morphological data. this species demonstrates a unique combination of characters including: annual habit; pileate basidiomata with a white pileus and pore surface; a dimitic hyphal system with non- to slightly dextrinoid, cyanophilous skeletal hyphae; and ellipsoid, truncate, slightly thick-walled, strongly dextrinoid basidiospores. Phylogenetic analyses us- ing ItS and partial tef1-α support the position of this new species as a sister clade of T. ohiensis.

Hesperomyces virescens is a fungal ectoparasite (Laboulbeniales) that infects adult ladybirds. Research has recently focused on this parasite due to the discovery of its prevalence on the globally invasive harlequin ladybird Harmonia axyridis and for its potential use in studies of co-evolution and pathogen spread. We collected adults from ten species of ladybirds in the Western Cape Province, South Africa, and screened for the presence of H. virescens. Infections with H. virescens were found in the samples of two species, H. axyridis and the native Cheilomenes propinqua. This marks the first record of H. virescens on H. axyridis from the African continent and the first record on Cheilomenes worldwide.

The harlequin ladybird, Harmonia axyridis (Pallas) (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae), is native to Asia but has been intentionally introduced to many countries as a biological control agent of pest insects. In numerous countries, however, it has been introduced unintentionally. The dramatic spread of H. axyridis within many countries has been met with considerable trepidation. It is a generalist top predator, able to thrive in many habitats and across wide climatic conditions. It poses a threat to biodiversity, particularly aphidophagous insects, through competition and predation, and in many countries adverse effects have been reported on other species, particularly coccinellids. However, the patterns are not consistent around the world and seem to be affected by many factors including landscape and climate. Research on H. axyridis has provided detailed insights into invasion biology from broad patterns and processes to approaches in surveillance and monitoring. An impressive number of studies on this alien species have provided mechanistic evidence alongside models explaining large-scale patterns and processes. The involvement of citizens in monitoring this species in a number of countries around the world is inspiring and has provided data on scales that would be otherwise unachievable. Harmonia axyridis has successfully been used as a model invasive alien species and has been the inspiration for global collaborations at various scales. There is considerable scope to expand the research and associated collaborations, particularly to increase the breadth of parallel studies conducted in the native and invaded regions. Indeed a qualitative comparison of biological traits across the native and invaded range suggests that there are differences which ultimately could influence the population dynamics of this invader. Here we provide an overview of the invasion history and ecology of H. axyridis globally with consideration of future research perspectives. We reflect broadly on the contributions of such research to our understanding of invasion biology while also informing policy and people.

Rommelaarsia avovirens gen. et sp. nov. is proposed. This inoperculate discomycete is known only from two collections in Western Europe, fruiting in spring on dead stems of Equisetum arvensis. An a - liation with the family Hyaloscyphaceae is suggested by the presence of short hairs on the super cially gro- wing apothecium. The species is associated with an unusual, likewise unknown asexual state with large multiguttulate, holoblastic phragmoconidia formed in sporodochia. Phylogenetic analyses of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) and large subunit (LSU) ribosomal DNA show that Rommelaarsia has an uncertain position within the Helotiales. Our analyses consistently show a close relationship to Cistella and Psilachnum, but there is no support for this placement. Bayesian analysis moderately supports the Cistella + Psilachnum+ Rommelaarsia clade, which hints at the placement of Rommelaarsia within Hyaloscyphaceae. This agrees with the morphological data.

Cookeina kor i (Ascomycetes, Pezizales, Sarcoscyphaceae) is described from the Philippines. Ascospores are smooth, smaller than Cookeina tricholoma (Mont.) Kuntze, and hairs are more exuous than in C. tricholoma. Analyses of the ITS region shows it to be close to Cookeina tricholoma and Cookeina sinensisZ. Wang.

Richard Korf is an important gure in the study of discomycetes. His contribution as teacher and scholar in relationship to Boudier’s masterwork, the Icones Mycologicae, is commented upon particularly in regard to the classi cations used for the Pezizaceae. Although it has been common practice to recognize a single genus Peziza for most of the species in the Pezizaceae, molecular phylogenetic studies have shown that the genus Peziza is diverse and is not monophyletic. Boudier’s classi cation shows a more accurate pic- ture of the diversity within the family than later classi cations. Comments on the Icones and Cooke’s Myco- graphia are included as they relate to graduate training and opportunities o ered by Richard Korf in his long career as a teacher.

Laboulbeniales is one of the most peculiar oders of Ascomycota. These fungi are characterized by an ectoparasitic life-style on arthropods, determinate growth, lack of an asexual stage, high species richness, and intractability to culture. The order Laboulbeniales, sister to Pyxidiophorales, has only recently been assigned a separate class, the Laboulbeniomycetes, based on very fewribosomal DNA sequences. So far, DNA isolations and PCR ampli cations have proven dif cult. Here,we provide details of isolation techniques and the application of commercially available kits that enableef cient and reliable genetic analyses of these fungi. We provide 43 newly generated Laboulbenialesribosomal DNA sequences, among which are the rst published sequences for species in the generaGloeandromyces, Herpomyces, Laboulbenia, Monoicomyces, and Polyandromyces. DNA extractions were possible using from 1 to 30 thalli from hosts preserved in ethanol (70–100 %). In two cases, we successfully isolated DNA from thalli on dried insect collections. Laboulbeniales molecular systematics could be substantially enhanced through these improved methods by allowing more complete sampling of both taxa and gene regions.

This paper, based on a recent comprehensive sampling of insects, is the rstreport of Laboulbeniales from the New England region since the 1930s. We present 7 new records of laboulbenialean parasites on Staphylinidae (rove beetles) and Coccinellidae (lady beetles) from the Boston Harbor Islands National Recreation Area. These are Clonophoro- myces nipponicus Terada & I.I. Tav., Hesperomyces virescens Thaxt., Ilyomyces cf. maireiF. Picard, Laboulbenia philonthi Thaxt., Peyritschiella protea Thaxt., Stichomyces conoso- matis Thaxt., and Teratomyces actobii Thaxt. One of these parasite species, C. nipponicus, has not been found previously outside of its type locality in Japan. Examination of Roland Thaxter’s 1891–1932 slides led to the designation of lectotypes for L. philonthi, P. protea,S. conosomatis, and T. actobii. The following synonymy is established: Teratomyces brevi- caulis Thaxt. = T. actobii. In addition, we discovered new localities for H. virescens (from Canada, Cuba, Guatemala, and Japan) and L. philonthi (from Canada, Grenada, Panama, Trinidad, and Venezuela).

A new species of the genus Strobiloscypha, S. cupressina, is described from collections made in Montenegro. is species, like the other species in the genus, S. keliae, occurs on rotting leaves and cones of Cupressaceae. e genus had been assigned to the Sarcosomataceae but molecular phylogenetic analysis shows that it falls outside that family with no resolved placement elsewhere. Morphologically it is perhaps most close to theChorioactidaceae.

This study intended to find data on obligate ec- toparasitic Laboulbeniales (Fungi, Ascomycota) on ChineseHarmonia axyridis (Coleoptera, Coccinellidae). After having screened over four thousand dried specimens of H. axyridisand close relatives, we present the first (historical) record of Chinese H. axyridis infected with Hesperomyces virescens. We suggest that H. virescens is a historically globally dis- tributed species and hypothesize that (native) infection was lost when H. axyridis was introduced in North America.

This study intended to find data on obligate ec- toparasitic Laboulbeniales (Fungi, Ascomycota) on ChineseHarmonia axyridis (Coleoptera, Coccinellidae). After having screened over four thousand dried specimens of H. axyridisand close relatives, we present the first (historical) record of Chinese H. axyridis infected with Hesperomyces virescens. We suggest that H. virescens is a historically globally dis- tributed species and hypothesize that (native) infection was lost when H. axyridis was introduced in North America.

Peziza emileia Cooke and P. howsei Roze & Boud. are compared here; they are morphologically very similar, but the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) sequence is unique for each of the two species. Furthermore, since the holotype of P. emileia deposited in Kew (K) contains an unidentified fungus and the holotype of P. howsei in Paris (PC) no longer exists, we provide lectotypification and epitypification for both taxa.

Background - Laboulbeniales (Fungi, Ascomycota) are microscopic ectoparasites of Arthropoda. Since many Laboulbeniales are known to be host-specific, wet tropical areas with high arthropod diversity are likely to house a high diversity of Laboulbeniales, as well. In this paper, we reveal the presence of the genus Diphymyces I.I.Tav. in Malaysian Borneo. After fieldwork in disturbed and pristine tropical rainforest in Borneo, representatives of this genus were discovered that did not match the description of any of the fourteen known species.Methods - Insects were collected with dry pitfall traps baited with Limburger cheese. Fungal material was studied and described using morphology-based methods.Key results - A new species, Diphymyces sabahensis Haelew. & Pfister, is described and illustrated. Hosts for this species are recently described taxa in Ptomaphaginus Portevin, 1914 (Coleoptera, Leiodidae, Cholevinae, Ptomaphagini), representing a new host genus for Diphymyces. Other, morphologically distinctive records of Diphymyces were found; on one host specimen they co-occur with D. sabahensis. These divergent thalli are remarkable in their restricted occurrence on the metatibiae, and thus may represent a morphological variant of D. sabahensis. A review of all described species of Diphymyces, with hosts and geographical distribution, is also presented in tabulated form.