Pleosporales - CBS - KNAW

Fungal Diversity
spores are actually the disarticulated segments of eight 4-
celled ascospores, thus assigned it under Preussia (Sporormiaceae).
After detailed study, Thompson and Backus
(1966) confirmed that the so-called “eight 4-celled ascospores”
do not exist in the development of the asci in both
P. dispersa and P. multisporum. Thus, Pycnidiophora was
assigned to Eurotiaceae (Eurotiales) (Thompson and
Backus 1966).
Phylogenetic study
Phylogenetic study based on the ITS-nLSU rDNA
sequences indicated that Pycnidiophora dispersa nested
within clade of Westerdykella (including the generic type,
W. ornata) (Kruys and Wedin 2009). Morphologically, both
genera have cleistothecioid ascomata, asci with short or
without pedicels and ascospores 1-celled and no germ slits.
Thus, Pycnidiophora is treated as a synonym of Westerdykella
(Kruys and Wedin 2009).
Concluding remarks
Although the pleosporalean status of Pycnidiophora is
verified, morphological characters such as the cleistothecioid
ascomata and irregularly arranged asci, which do not
show typical bitunicate or fissitunicate characters, absence
of pseudoparaphyses as well as the ascospores separating
into partspores very early all challenge the traditional
concept of Pleosporales (Zhang et al. 2009a). Obviously,
most of these morphological characters overlap with those
of the Eurotiales.
Sporormiella Ellis & Everh., N. Amer. Pyren.: 136 (1892).
(Sporormiaceae)
Current name: Preussia Fuckel, Hedwigia 6: 175
(1867) [1869–70].
Generic description
Habitat terrestrial, saprobic (coprophilous). Ascomata
medium-sized, solitary, scattered, or in small groups,
semi-immersed to nearly superficial, globose, subglobose,
black, coriaceous, ostiolate, periphysate. Peridium thin,
composed of small heavily pigmented cells of textura
angularis, apex cells smaller and walls thicker. Hamathecium
of dense, septate, cellular pseudoparaphyses, embedded
in mucilage. Asci 8-spored, bitunicate, fissitunicate,
cylindro-clavate, with a narrowed, furcate pedicel. Ascospores
cylindrical with rounded ends, brown, 3-septate,
deeply constricted at each septa, with sigmoid germ slit in
each cell.
Anamorphs reported for genus: none.
Literature: Ahmed and Cain 1972; Ellis and Everhart
1892; Khan and Cain 1979a, b; Luck-Allen and Cain 1975.
Type species
Sporormiella nigropurpurea Ellis & Everh., N. Amer.
Pyren.: 136 (1892). (Fig. 100)
Current name: Preussia nigropurpurea (Ellis & Everh.)
Kruys, Syst. Biod. 7: 476.
Ascomata 314–528 μm high×(250-)357–500 μm diam.,
solitary, scattered, or in small groups, immersed, semiimmersed
to nearly superficial, globose, subglobose, wall
black, coriaceous, smooth, papillate, papilla 43–115 μm long,
72–157 μm broad, ostiolate, ostiole filled with periphyses
(Fig. 100a and b). Peridium 20–28 μm thick laterally, up to
40 μm thick at the apex, composed of small heavily pigmented
cells of textura angularis, cells 5–8 μm diam., cell wall
1–3 μm thick, apex cells smaller and walls thicker
(Fig. 100c). Hamathecium of dense, long, septate, cellular
pseudoparaphyses, 1.5–2 μm broad, embedded in mucilage.
Asci (70-)110–158×9–12.5(−15) μm (x ¼ 114:3 11:1mm, n=
10), 8-spored, bitunicate, fissitunicate, cylindrical to cylindroclavate,
with a narrowed, furcate pedicel, 13–38 μm long,
ocular chamber apparent (Fig. 100d and e). Ascospores 15–
20×4–5.5 μm (x ¼ 17:3 4:9mm, n=10), obliquely uniseriate
and partially overlapping to biseriate, shortly cylindrical
with rounded ends, brown, 3-septate, deeply constricted at
each septum, with sigmoid germ slit in each cell, smoothwalled
(Fig. 100f and g).
Anamorph: none reported.
Material examined: USA, New field, New Jersey:
Gloucester Co., on cow dung, Mar. 1891 (NY, holotype).
Notes
Morphology
Sporormiella was formally established by Ellis and
Everhart (1892) based on the single species, Sporormiella
nigropurpurea, which is characterized by its “immersed to
semi-immersed, papillate ascomata, cylindrical to cylindroclavate
asci with a pedicel, three to multi-septate ascospores
with elongated germ slits through the whole cell” (Ahmed
and Cain 1972; Khan and Cain 1979a, b). Barr (1990a) has
indicated that Sporormiella might be a synonym of
Ohleriella, while Sporormiella is assigned to Sporormiaceae
as a separate genus (Eriksson 2006; Lumbsch and
Huhndorf 2007). Currently, about 90 species are included
in this genus (http://www.mycobank.org).
Phylogenetic study
The phylogenetic analysis based on ITS-nLSU rDNA,
mtSSU rDNA and ß-tubulin sequences indicated that Sporormiella
nested in Preussia,andaSporormiella–Preussia complex
is formed (Kruys and Wedin 2009). Thus, Sporormiella was
assigned under Preussia (Kruys and Wedin 2009).