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This article is a personal impression of the key scientists who contributed to the study of marine mycology over past 174 years, especially those the author met during his career studying this unique group of fungi. Marine mycology has been a journey of discovery from a few species to nearly 2000 taxa in nine fungal phyla. Techniques for their study have advanced from morphological observations, to the use of scanning and transmission electron microscopy, to the development of high-throughput sequencing technology and the unravelling of the genomes of selected species. Thoughts on the conservation of marine fungi, their adaptation to climate change and potential role in the decomposition of plastics are briefly considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Early research on marine fungi was mostly descriptive, with an emphasis on their diversity and taxonomy, especially of those collected at rocky shores on seaweeds and driftwood. Subsequently, further substrata (e.g. salt marsh grasses, marine animals, seagrasses, sea foam, seawater, sediment) and habitats (coral reefs, deep-sea, hydrothermal vents, mangroves, sandy beaches, salt marshes) were explored for marine fungi. In parallel, research areas have broadened from micro-morphology to ultrastructure, ecophysiology, molecular phylogenetics, biogeography, biodeterioration, biodegradation, bioprospecting, genomics, proteomics, transcriptomics and metabolomics. Although marine fungi only constitute a small fraction of the global mycota, new species of marine fungi continue to be described from new hosts/substrata of unexplored locations/habitats, and novel bioactive metabolites have been discovered in the last two decades, warranting a greater collaborative research effort. Marine fungi of Africa, the Americas and Australasia are under-explored, while marine Chytridiomycota and allied taxa, fungi associated with marine animals, the functional roles of fungi in the sea, and the impacts of climate change on marine fungi are some of the topics needing more attention. In this article, currently active marine mycologists from different countries have written on the history and current state of marine fungal research in individual countries highlighting their strength in the subject, and this represents a first step towards a collaborative inter- and transdisciplinary research strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study introduces two new marine microfungal species, Paraloratospora marina (Phaeosphaeriaceae) and Tremateia phragmitis (Didymosphaeriaceae) based on morphological comparisons and multi-gene phylogenetic analyses. They were collected on decaying woody stems of Phragmites australis at Cardiff Bay Nature Reserve in Wales, United Kingdom. Paraloratospora marina sp. nov. is characterized by immersed, globose to subglobose ascomata with a papillate and periphysate ostiole, cylindrical to subcylindrical, thick-walled, sessile to subsessile asci, fusiform, hyaline to pale brown, 3-septate, guttulate ascospores. Tremateia phragmitis sp. nov. is characterized by semi-immersed to immersed, globose ascomata with a protruding periphysate ostiole, clavate, pedicellate, asci and ascospores that are ellipsoidal to broadly fusiform, 4–6 transversely septate, with 1–2 vertical septa, muriform, golden brown to pale brown ascospores. Dichotomopilus funicola and Pseudofusicoccum ardesiacum are recorded for the first time from marine habitats. Furthermore, based on morphological characteristics and multigene phylogenetic analyses, Phaeosphaeria spartinae was transferred to Septoriella. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The number of marine fungi documented has increased along with the publication of these special issues from 1206 in 2017 (www.marinefungi.org) to 1257 species in 539 genera, 74 orders, 168 families, 20 classes and five phyla ([6]). First and foremost, we dedicate this special issue to three colleagues who have made an invaluable contribution to our knowledge of marine mycology: Frank H. Gleason, Jørgen Koch and Jan Kohlmeyer who passed away in recent years. New marine fungal taxa are continued to be described, and a recent figure of 486 species associated with different salt marsh plant hosts suggests that salt marsh ecosystems are a treasure trove for marine fungi ([3]). Culturing true marine zoosporic fungi will continue to be one of the many challenges in the study of marine fungi. [Extracted from the article]

Jørgen Koch introduced mycologists to a unique habitat for marine fungi, namely the sand dunes of Grønhøj, Jutland, Denmark. The high diversity of marine fungi obtained from the site provided abundant sporulating structures for a number of research areas in marine mycology including ecological surveys, ultrastructure examination of ascospore appendage development, spore attachment studies and phylogeny. This review highlights the key observations in these areas. Also, a list of 102 species of marine fungi documented for Denmark is provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Neocamarosporium aquaticum, collected from a drift dead stem of a halophyte at the Kench Nature Reserve, Hayling Island, UK, is described as a new species in the family Neocamarosporiaceae, Dothideomycetes. Multi-locus analyses based on LSU, SSU, ITS rDNA, and EF1-α placed the new fungus as a distinct species in the genus Neocamarosporium, a sister to Neocamarosporium aesturinum isolated from seawater. The new species is characterized by the asexual morph with pycnidial conidiomata, doliiform, enteroblastic, annellidic conidiogenous cells, and conidia that are initially hyaline, aseptate, with longitudinal and transverse septa when matured, muriform, and turning brown to dark brown on maturity. Neocamarosporium aquaticum and Ne. aesturinum differ in the colour of the conidia, degree of septation, and conidial measurements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper documents six new saprobic marine fungi and one new genus based on morphology and multi-gene phylogenies. Three Dothideomycetes, and members of the Pleosporales, are introduced: Pseudomassariosphaeria triseptata sp. nov. was recognized as a mangrove species in Amniculicolaceae, and Salsuginea phoenicis sp. nov. was discovered as a second member of Salsugineaceae. A new genus Raghukumaria with Raghukumaria keshaphalae sp. nov., recovered from mangroves, is phylogenetically sister to Halomassarina and nests in the Trematosphaeriaceae. Three new species are referred to the Sordariomycetes: Coniochaeta marina (Coniochaetales, Coniochaetaceae) on driftwood; Fusicolla bharatavarshae (Hypocreales, Nectriaceae) is introduced with asexual and sexual morphs, on decayed mangrove wood of Avicennia marina; and Fusarium sedimenticola (Hypocreales, Nectriaceae) is new to the Fusarium solani species complex (FSSC) from deep-sea sediment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Halosphaeriaceae is a monophyletic group that shares a common ancestor with Microascaceae and, along with the families Graphiaceae, Ceratocystidiaceae, Chadefaudiellaceae and Gondwanamycetacea, is referred to the order Microascales. It constitutes the largest family in Microascales with 63 genera (166 species) and differs from other families in that most species are aquatic (predominantly marine) and characterised by perithecial ascomata, centrum tissue comprising catenophyses, clavate to fusiform asci that generally deliquesce early, hyaline, unicellular to many times septate ascospores usually with appendages. Although approximately 75% of halosphaeriaceous species have been sequenced, their phylogenetic grouping based on morphological features is not supported. This indicates that certain characters have evolved and been lost several times. New sequences have been generated in this study; a phylogenetic analysis based on the 18S and 28S rDNA was run to determine phylogenetic relationships between genera, and pairwise distance of the partial 28S rDNA was calculated. Arenariomyces is a monophyletic genus, which suggests that its ascospore appendage is a good delineating character for the genus. The genus Aniptodera is shown to be polyphyletic; Aniptodera lignatilis is referred to Aniptosporopsis gen. nov. and Aniptodera longispora is referred to Paraaniptodera gen. nov. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aquatic hyphomycete genus Sigmoidea, with freshwater and marine representatives, is re-examined at the morphological and molecular levels. Currently six species are accepted, four from freshwater habitats ( S. prolifera, S. aurantiaca, S. contorta, S. praelonga) and two marine species ( S. marina, S. luteola). Phylogenetic analyses of the ribosomal small subunit rRNA gene sequences of freshwater and marine Sigmoidea species indicate that the marine species are distantly placed from the freshwater species, S. prolifera and Pseudosigmoidea cranei. The latter species are placed in the Dothideomycetes, in sister clades, with 81% bootstrap support. The phylogenetic placement of both marine Sigmoidea species, inferred from large subunit rRNA gene sequences, was within the genus Corollospora (Halosphaeriales, Sordariomycetes, Pezizomycotina). An undescribed Sigmoidea species isolated from the Baltic Sea and one previously incorrectly identified as S. marina from Japan ( S. parvula sp. nov.) formed a clade together with Corollospora quinqueseptata and Varicosporina ramulosa, and were located in a sister group to S. luteola and S. marina. Based on morphological and phylogenetic evidence, Halosigmoidea gen. nov. is proposed to accommodate the three marine Sigmoidea species ( S. luteola, S. marina, S. parvula sp. nov.). Identification keys to the genera Halosigmoidea, Pseudosigmoidea and Sigmoidea, and Halosigmoidea species are provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We review the occurrence of fungal endophytes in marine organisms, in particular of seaweeds and mangrove plants, and compare them to obligate or marine-derived fungi. The ability of endophytes to produce a wide range of new or novel bioactive compounds is also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A diverse array of bioactive metabolites have been isolated and characterized from fungi isolated from countries surrounding the South China Sea. From extensive studies of marine fungi of the South China Sea, 25 fungal strains (comprising endophytes, obligate and marine-derived fungi) were screened for bioactive compounds. This resulted in the reporting of 42 new or novel compounds and 35 known compounds (data from 1999–2007). Their biological activities, structural and stereochemical assignments and syntheses of some structurally unique natural products are reported. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study extends our knowledge of the marine fungi in the Bahamas Islands (Atlantic Ocean) and of subtropical mangroves in general. Ninety-two fungal taxa have been recorded from seven mangrove sites, of which 81 are new records, bringing the total number of species for the islands to 112. Fungi dominating the community were Lulworthia grandispora, Kallichroma tethys, Leptosphaeria australiensis and Verruculina enalia, all common mangrove species. The fungal community reported is, compared to that of the Atlantic Ocean, one of the least sampled locations for marine fungi. Many new taxa were encountered during the study and further ecological and taxonomical studies on the mangrove fungi of these islands are warranted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Species diversity and collection time variation of marine fungi on Nypa fruticans in Samut Songkhram Province, Thailand were investigated. Eighty-one fungal taxa were recorded between October 1997 and August 1999, with 76 new taxon records for Nypa fruticans, and 22 new taxon records (13 pyrenomycetes, 1 discomycete and 8 anamorphic fungi) for Thailand. Percentage occurrence of the nine most prevalent marine taxa ranged from 34.8 to 8.8%. Trichocladium nypae (34.8%), Linocarpon appendiculatum (34.0%), L. nypae (30.8%), Oxydothis nypae (26.8%) and Astrosphaeriella striatispora (26.4%) were the most common fungi. The study of collection time variation revealed the greatest species diversity in the dry months when rainfall ranged between 19 and 11 millimeters. Species richness in the dry and wet months was 38–40 and 29–30, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses various reports published within the issue including one on bioactive compounds and another on fungal endophytes.

A Lulworthia-like species with affinities to Lulworthia opaca (= Halophiobolus opacus) and L. longirostris (= H. longirostris) was discovered on driftwood collected along the Danish coast and from the northwestern coast of the USA. Examination of the type material of L. opaca and L. longirostris leads to the conclusion that the two species are different at the generic level. Lulworthia longirostris shares several characters in common with the Lulworthia-like species collected in Denmark. A detailed study of the Lulworthia-like species has provided evidence for the erection of a new genus Rostrupiella to accommodate it. The new taxon is characterised by large ascomata that are deeply seated within the wood, with long necks extending through the wood to the surface, a bell-like structure protruding into the centrum, large, melanised bladder cells present in the wood cells and formation of inhibition zones in the host tissue. Partial nuclear LSU ribosomal RNA gene of Rostrupiella was sequenced to determine its phylogenetic relationship with other genera in the Lulworthiales. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Torpedospora and Swampomyces have not been classified into any family or order with certainty. Results, based on individual and combined analyses of the partial small and large subunit rRNA gene sequences, indicate that Torpedospora and Swampomyces form a monophyletic clade and group within the subclass Hypocreomycetidae, Sordariomycetes. Torpedospora is distantly related, morphologically and phylogenetically, to the Halosphaeriales. Swampomyces shows no affinities with the Phyllachorales despite earlier assignment to that order. These findings suggest a new lineage of marine ascomycetes that have invaded the sea. Torpedospora and Swampomyces share few morphological features in common, although clustering in the same clade. Based on morphology and sequence evidence, we suggest their referral as the Hypocreomycetidae incertae sedis, Sordariomycetes, until further information is available. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Twenty-nine fungal isolates collected from tropical and subtropical mangrove/marine habitats were screened for the presence of lignocellulose-degrading enzyme activities in agar media. These fungi were ascomycetes, except for a basidiomycete, Calathella mangrovei, and a mitosporic fungus, Cirrenalia tropicalis. Endoglucanase and xylanase were the most common enzymes produced. However, none of the fungi exhibited an ability to decolourise Poly-R-478 dye, indicating the lack of ligninolytic peroxidases. Three groups of fungi were categorised according to their cellulolytic, xylanolytic, and ligninolytic enzymes. Group I contained 21 isolates (ca. 72% of the test fungi) able to produce the three enzymes: endoglucanase, xylanase and laccase. Group II comprised 2 isolates lacking the ability to utilise filter paper and/or xylan, whereas Group III consisted of 6 isolates (ca. 21%) with no laccase activity. Five laccase-producing isolates selected for growth on artificial seawater (ASW) agar supplemented with 2,2′-azino- bis-3-ethylbenz-thiazoline-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS), a substrate for this enzyme, exhibited no laccase activity. Further testing in ASW liquid medium with Hypoxylon species B and Halorosellinia oceanica showed that laccase activity was detectable from culture supernatants that had been dialysed against distilled water. Therefore, care is required in assessing laccase activity when using an agar plate assay in the presence of ASW. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lignicolous marine ascomycetes can be divided into two major taxonomic groups: the Halosphaeriales in oceanic and coastal waters, both intertidal and submerged, and the Dothideomycetes that occur primarily in mangroves. While some genera of marine Dothideomycetes are well circumscribed (e.g., Leptosphaeria, Phaeosphaeria), others cannot be assigned, based on their morphology, to an appropriate order with certainty (e.g., Aigialus, Paraliomyces). Recently, a number of studies on the molecular phylogeny of the Halosphaeriales have been undertaken, while limited systematic investigation on marine Dothideomycetes is available. In the current study, small subunit ribosomal DNA of Aigialus grandis, A. parvus, Helicascus nypae, Julella avicenniae and Paraliomyces lentiferus was sequenced and subjected to phylogenetic analysis to determine their ordinal affinity. These taxa grouped consistently within the Pleosporales with good statistical support. Relationships of these species with other taxa in the Pleosporales remain unresolved. The monophyly of Aigialus species and Helicascus species implies that they represent good genera in the order, with significant morphological delimitation from other genera. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Six thraustochytrids (Schizochytrium sp. KF-1, Schizochytrium mangrovei KF-2, KF-7, KF-12, Thraustochytrium striatum KF-9 and Ulkenia KF-13), isolated from fallen, senescent leaves of the mangrove tree Kandelia candel in Hong Kong, were identified and characterised in pine pollen seawater culture. Yeast extract peptone glucose seawater broth was used for growth studies. The pH range for growth was from 4 to 9 with optima from 4 to 7 for Schizochytrium species (KF-1, 2, 7, 12) and 5 to 6 for Thraustochytrium striatum KF-9 and Ulkenia sp. KF-13. Temperature and salinity optima for isolates KF-2 and KF-7 were at 25°C and from 22.5–30‰ respectively while isolate KF-12 had a temperature optimum from 20–25°C and salinity optima from 7.5±30‰. Thraustochytrium striatum KF-9 and Ulkenia sp. KF-13 showed strong growth at 25°C and 15–30‰. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A transmission electron microscope investigation of the asci and ascospores of Massarina velatospora was undertaken using material collected from Boracay, Philippines. Our collection agrees with the type material although the ascospores were predominantly 1-septate. It was collected on wood of Sonneratia sp. that had been heavily attacked by molluscan borers. The asci are bitunicate with a thick (2--4 µm), fibrillar endoascus and a narrow ectoascus (100--300 nm) that is thickened at the apex with an ocular chamber in mature asci. Ascospore walls comprise a mesosporium, an electron-dense episporium surrounded by an exosporial mucilaginous sheath and bounded by a delimiting membrane that ruptures in water. A comparison of the ultrastructure of M. velatospora and other aquatic Massarina species is made. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A correction to the article "Marine Fungi on Nypa fruticans in Thailand," that was published in the 2005 issue of the journal.

The article focuses on the topics and issues discussed at the 5th Asia Mycological Congress and 9th International Marine and Freshwater Mycology Symposium held from November 14 to 19, 2004 in Chiang Mai, Thailand. Initially this symposium was concerned only with marine fungi, but it soon became apparent there was an overlap in the organisms occurring in marine and freshwater habitats, while the techniques for their study are often the same. Forty oral presentations were made at the symposium in six sessions, with four devoted to marine fungi: ecological interactions and bioactive compounds, taxonomy and phylogeny of marine fungi, biology of Stramenopiles, and mangrove fungi and their ecology.

A novel species of Morosphaeria, Morosphaeria muthupetensis, saprobic on intertidal mangrove wood of Rhizophora mucronata from Muthupet mangroves on Kaveri River Delta, Tamil Nadu along the East coast of India, is described in this paper. Morosphaeria muthupetensis is characterized by large sub-globose to lenticular ascomata; long cylindrical to clavate, short pedicellate asci; small, fusiform to ellipsoidal ascospores with acute ends when compared to other Morosphaeria species. A multigene phylogeny obtained from a combined nuclear large subunit, small subunit, internal transcribed spacers rDNA and translation elongation factor 1-alpha sequence analysis revealed that M. muthupetensis is phylogenetically distinct and nested in between Morosphaeria velatispora and Morosphaeria ramunculicola and all these species constitute a strongly supported monophyletic clade sister to the genus Helicascus. Detailed descriptions and illustrations of M. muthupetensis are presented and compared with other Morosphaeria species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper documents five new saprobic marine fungi occurring on various substrata in the marine environment. Bacusphaeria nypae gen. et sp. nov. was discovered on bases of fronds of Nypa fruticans in Malaysia and phylogenetically, it belongs to the Tirisporellaceae (Tirisporellales, Diaporthomycetidae, Sordariomycetes) based on 18S and 28S rDNA. Cryptovalsa avicenniae, Ceriosporopsis minuta and Jattaea mucronata also belong to the Sordariomycetes; Cr. avicenniae was saprobic on Avicennia marina collected in Saudi Arabia, J. mucronata on intertidal decaying bark of Rhizophora mucronata while Ce. minuta was found on driftwood collected on a sandy beach in Japan. Phylogeny based on 18S and 28S rDNA placed Cr. avicenniae with other Cryptovalsa species in the Diatrypaceae. Jattaea mucronata groups well in the Calosphaeriales and is closely related to J. algeriensis based on a phylogeny using ITS and 28S rRNA and RPB2 genes. Aegeanispora elanii gen. et sp. nov. is an asexual fungus which produces pycnidia on decaying driftwood collected in the Aegean Sea. Combined 18S and 28S rDNA phylogenetic analyses suggest that it is a member of the Pleosporales, Dothideomycetes. Ceriosporopsis minuta resembles C. capillacea with its tubular, long polar appendages of ascospores but dimensions of ascomata and ascospores for the former species are considerably smaller. Ceriosporopsis is considered the best genus to accommodate C. minuta without support from sequence data. Sammeyersia is established as a new genus to accommodate Lulworthia grandispora, a species unrelated to Lulworthia fucicola, the type species. The diagnostic characteristic for the genus is a melanized region at the base of the neck of the ascomata. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We examined the endophytic fungi associated with the dominant mangrove plant, Kandelia candel, in Mai Po Nature Reserve, Hong Kong. Bark, woody tissue and leaves from four mature healthy trees were sampled for fungal endophytes in April and June, 2001. A total of 880 isolates was obtained, 595 from the June sampling. The highest number of fungal endophytes was cultured from bark (674 isolates) with only 63 from leaves. Three taxa of ascomycetes, 18 of anamorphic fungi and 29 mycelial morphotypes were identified. These results indicate a degree of tissue recurrence with similar endophytic fungal assemblages in bark and wood, and a different assemblage in the leaf samples. Dominant sporulating fungi of K. candel were Phomopsis sp., Pestalotiopsis sp., Guignardia sp. and Xylaria sp., which are cosmopolitan and common endophytic species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]