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Graphium species form a well-supported monophyletic lineage within the Microascales (Ascomycota). Members of this genus can be found in association with bark beetles, as well as on tree wounds and in soils. During surveys of bark and ambrosia beetle–associated fungi and cavities made by woodpeckers on hardwood trees in Poland, many isolates with an affinity to Graphium were recovered. They were identified based on their morphological characters and sequence data for the internal transcribed spacer (ITS), 28S rDNA, β-tubulin (TUB2), and translation elongation factor 1-α (TEF1) gene regions. The results revealed five new species, described here as G. brachiatum, G. longistipitatum, G. polonicum, G. radicatum, and G. trypophloei. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sporothrix (Sordariales, Ascomycota) is a well-supported monophyletic lineage within the Ophiostomatales, species of which occur in a diverse range of habitats including on forest trees, in the soil, associated with bark beetles and mites as well as on the fruiting bodies of some Basidiomycota. Several species have also been reported as important human and animal pathogens. During surveys of insect- and wound-associated Ophiostomatales from hardwood trees in Poland, many isolates with affinity to Sporothrix were recovered. In the present study, six undescribed Sporothrix spp. collected during these surveys are characterized based on their morphological characteristics and multi-locus phylogenenetic inference. They are described as Sporothrix cavum, Sporothrix cracoviensis, S. cryptarchum, S. fraxini, S. resoviensis, and S. undulata. Two of the Sporothrix spp. reside in the S. gossypina-complex, while one forms part of the S. stenoceras-complex. One Sporothrix sp. is a member of lineage F, and two other species grouped outside any of the currently defined species complexes. All the newly described species were recovered from hardwood habitats in association with sub-cortical insects, wounds or woodpecker cavities. These species were morphologically similar, with predominantly asexual states having hyaline or lightly pigmented conidia, which produce holoblastically on denticulate conidiogenous cells. Five of the new taxa produce ascomata with necks terminating in long ostiolar hyphae and allantoid ascospores without sheaths. The results suggest that Sporothrix species are common members of the Ophiostomatales in hardwood ecosystems of Poland. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During surveys of insect-associated mycobiomes in Norway, Poland, and Russia, isolates with affinity to Graphilbum (Ophiostomatales, Ascomycota) were recovered. In this study, eight known Graphilbum species as well as the newly collected isolates were compared based on morphology and DNA sequence data for four gene regions. The results revealed seven new species, described here as G. acuminatum, G. carpaticum, G. curvidentis, G. furuicola, G. gorcense, G. interstitiale, and G. sexdentatum. In addition to these species, G. crescericum and G. sparsum were commonly found in Norway. All new species were recovered from conifers in association with bark beetles, cerambycid beetles, and weevils and were morphologically similar, predominantly with pesotum-like asexual morphs. Where sexual morphs were present, these were small ascomata with short necks and rod-shaped ascospores having hyaline sheaths. The results suggest that Graphilbum species are common members of the Ophiostomatales in conifer ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous phylogenetic studies based on ITS sequence data have shown that Ophiostoma species with Sporothrix anamorphs include several species complexes. Isolates from oak in Poland and Hungary, which have previously been referred to as O. stenoceras, as well as isolates morphologically similar to S. inflata formed the basis of this study. Identification was based on sequences for the ITS region of rDNA operon and partial beta-tubulin gene. Analyses showed that isolates from Poland and Hungary reside in a well resolved clade, separate from those in the O. stenoceras-complex. The morphology of these isolates was compared with those of strains in the O. stenoceras complex and S. inflata. Morphological differences in teleomorph and anamorph structures were found between the isolates from Poland and Hungary and those in the O. stenoceras-complex. Growth characteristics and the presence of the teleomorph in culture could be used to separate this fungus from isolates in the S. inflata-complex. The fungus from Poland and Hungary is described here as O. dentifundum sp. nov. It is phylogenetically most closely related to isolates of S. inflata, which represent four well defined groups based on morphology and DNA sequence phylogeny.