Marasmius haematocephalus forms a distinctive pan-tropical species complex. While it has been confirmed that M. haematocephalus s. s. occurs only in the neotropics, morphologically similar taxa across the world continue to be attributed to this species. Phylogenies utilising nrITS, nrLSU and TEF1, were constructed to identify relationships within the complex, and morphological data used to document and explore the taxa endemic to Australia and those which co-occur in Asia, Madagascar and the USA. Seven new species found in Australia are described and illustrated - M. campaniformis sp. nov., M. pervagatus sp. nov., M. porphyrocephalus sp. nov., M. purpureospadiceus sp. nov., M. vinaceus sp. nov., M. wianwian sp. nov. and M. wunga sp. nov. A key to Australian species of the M. haematocephalus complex is provided. Historic records and observational data (iNaturalist and Atlas of Living Australia) were used to indicate potential distributions of all species within the complex that occur in Australia and explore biogeographic relationships more broadly. Citation: Guard FE, Dearnaley J, Lebel T (2025). Purple Pinwheel and more: The Marasmius haematocephalus complex (Marasmiaceae) in Australia. Fungal Systematics and Evolution 16: 283-305. doi: 10.3114/fuse.2025.16.16.
In a 2023 survey evaluating conifers with Rosellinia infections, five Pestalotiopsis fungal strains were isolated from plant samples obtained from Maine, New Hampshire, and Ohio. Based on a multi locus phylogenetic analysis (ITS, TUB, TEF), species-specific base pair substitutions, and morphological characterization, the five isolates were determined to constitute two novel species within the genus Pestalotiopsis. These two new species are introduced here as Pestalotiopsis maineana and Pestalotiopsis neohantoniensis. Pestalotiopsis maineana shares close phylogenetic affinity to P. fusiformis, P. brachiata, and P. hispanica, while P. neohantoniensis shares affinity with P. daliensis, P. chamaeropis, and P. hainanensis. Both new species described herein differ from close relatives based on various morphological characters including the number of basal appendages of the conidia. Further, species-specific base pair substitutions are provided for the TEF locus which had the most resolution when compared to the ITS and TUB loci. To our knowledge, P. maineana is the first species of Pestalotiopsis to be isolated and reported from white spruce (Picea glauca) while P. neohantoniensis is the first species to be isolated and reported from Serbian spruce (Picea omorika) and eastern hemlock (Tsuga canadensis). Overall, this study provides insight into the microfungi associated with conifers in the United States. Citation: Miller ST, Salgado-Salazar CS, Munck I, Castlebury LA (2025). Two novel species of Pestalotiopsis on Picea and Tsuga from temperate forests in the United States. Fungal Systematics and Evolution 16: 265-281. doi: 10.3114/fuse.2025.16.15.
Ophiocordyceps serves as a key model for studying cryptic fungal diversity and behavioural manipulation of hymenopterous insects. Here, we describe Ophiocordyceps acanthoponerae, a newly discovered species infecting Acanthoponera mucronata (Heteroponerini: Formicidae) in a Brazilian Atlantic rainforest-Cerrado ecotone. Morphological analyses revealed mixed traits characteristic of Ophiocordyceps lineages associated with ants and wasps, including leaf biting behaviour manipulation, dark brown ascostromata covering 360º of the stalk, ascospores producing capilliconidia and hirsutelloid asexual morphs. Phylogenetic analyses based on four genomic regions (SSU, LSU, TEF and RPB1) placed this species outside the traditional myrmecophilous hirsutelloid clades O. unilateralis and O. kniphofioides, and within a novel clade closely related to the wasp pathogen O. humbertii. This discovery represents the first record of Ophiocordyceps infecting Heteroponerini and highlights an unexplored lineage of manipulative fungi. Our findings expand the known host range for myrmecophilous Ophiocordyceps and underscore the importance of studying fungal diversity in under-sampled ecological niches. Citation: Lima-Santos SJ, Araújo JPM, Feitosa RM, Mendes-Pereira T, Elliot SL, Evans HC (2025). There is gold in the graveyard: a new lineage of zombie-ant fungi in the genus Ophiocordyceps (Ophiocordycipitaceae: Hypocreales) from Minas Gerais, Brazil. Fungal Systematics and Evolution 16: 243-264. doi: 10.3114/fuse.2025.16.14.
A fresh collection of a Hohenbuehelia from Turku, Finland was determined through phylogenetic analyses of sequences of the nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region, large ribosomal subunit (nLSU), translation elongation factor 1-alpha (TEF-1α), and RNA polymerase II second largest subunit (RPB2) genes to be conspecific with ex-type cultures of Hohenbuehelia subreniformis, originally described from Ontario, Canada. No sexual morph was known; it is a member of the broad H. atrocoerulea clade. We provide a detailed description of the macro- and micromorphology of this species, which resembles pale forms of H. grisea but differs in having a more spathulate pileus and broader spores. Of the fifteen valid species formerly classified in the anamorph genus Nematoctonus, all but three are now linked to conspecific or closely related sexual morphs in Hohenbuehelia. Citation: Thorn RG, Consiglio G, Setti L, Kekki T, Daigneault BC, O'Nille EST (2025). The sexual morph of Hohenbuehelia subreniformis (Pleurotaceae) discovered in Finland. Fungal Systematics and Evolution 16: 307-316. doi: 10.3114/fuse.2025.16.17.
The genus Lycogala was historically considered a small, morphologically uniform group of myxomycetes, with its classification remaining largely unchanged for most of the 20th century. However, recent molecular studies have revealed exceptional cryptic diversity within the genus, challenging its traditional species delimitations. This study continues the taxonomic reassessment of Lycogala, integrating three-gene phylogenies and morphological analyses of 716 specimens from four continents. A total of 706 nucSSU, 273 mtSSU, and 130 COI sequences were analysed to delimit species within the genus using recombination test and distance-based delimitation. As a result, 716 specimens were assigned to 93 nucSSU ribogroups, which were further grouped into 63 putative morphological species. Of these, only 20 had been formally described prior to this study. Herein, we describe an additional 24 species, significantly expanding the known diversity of the genus. Phylogenetic analyses suggest the division of Lycogala into five major clades, which correspond to distinct morphological traits, supporting the proposal of five new sections within the genus. The study also confirms that L. epidendrum s. str. exhibits significant genetic polymorphism, with at least 29 subgroups detected. However, species delimitation within L. epidendrum remains challenging due to conflicting results from genetic markers and the presence of recombined genotypes. The study underscores the necessity of integrating molecular and morphological approaches for resolving Lycogala taxonomy and highlights the potential for further discoveries in myxomycete diversity. Citation: Leontyev D, Ishchenko Y, Leontieva M, Yatsiuk I, Shchepin O, Song W-L, Chen SL, Moroz E, Schnittler M (2025). Expanding Lycogala: twenty-four new species, their morphology and phylogenetic relationships. Fungal Systematics and Evolution 16: 93-146. doi: 10.3114/fuse.2025.16.7.
