The genus Preussia (Sporormiaceae, Pleosporales) represents one of the most diverse and metabolically active groups of ascomycetes. The genus is characterized by a complex taxonomic history involving the genera Sporormiella and Spororminula, which some authors consider synonyms of Preussia. However, the circumscription of these genera remains controversial, and the status of numerous species is unresolved. The present study aims to characterize strains of Preussia s.l. recovered during diversity surveys on marine and xerophytic substrates, explore their secondary metabolite profiles, and improve our understanding of the diversity within this group. The obtained strains, as well as strains from the CBS culture collection and exsiccata from different fungaria, were characterized morphologically, and molecular phylogenetic analyses were conducted on strains available in culture. Metabolite profiles were developed for representative strains using mass spectrometry data (MS/MS). Molecular alignments comprised the nuclear ribosomal subunits, consisting of partial sequences for the 18S small subunit (SSU) nrDNA, the internal transcribed spacer regions and intervening 5.8S nrDNA (ITS), as well as partial sequences for the 28S large subunit (LSU) nrDNA. Additional regions within protein-encoding genes were used, including the DNA-directed RNA polymerase II second-largest subunit (rpb2) and translation elongation factor 1-α (tef1-α) regions. These data were used to reconstruct a robust phylogenetic framework for Preussia s.l. and to delineate lineage structure and generic boundaries. Ten well-supported lineages were resolved and integrated with metabolite profiles to inform taxonomic decisions. Our results support the recognition of Preussia and Sporormiella as distinct genera, the re-establishment of Spororminula, and the introduction of four new genera, 11 new species, 18 new combinations, and one new name. Moreover, epi- and lectotypes have been designated to stabilize the taxonomy of some recognized species. This study provides a comprehensive framework for future taxonomic, phylogenetic, and chemical investigations within Sporormiaceae. Taxonomic novelties: New genera: Chaetosporormiella Guerra-Mateo, Gené & Cano, Pleosporormiella Guerra-Mateo, Gené & Cano, Sporormyces Guerra-Mateo, Gené & Cano, Spororvela Guerra-Mateo, Cano & Gené. New species: Chaetosporormiella monodictyoides Guerra-Mateo, Gené & Cano, Pleosporormiella aculeata Guerra-Mateo, Gené & Cano, Pleosporormiella compacta Guerra-Mateo, González-Menéndez, Gené & Cano, Pleosporormiella polyspora Guerra-Mateo, González-Menéndez, Gené & Cano, Pleosporormiella suttonii Guerra-Mateo, Gené & Cano, Preussia gypsicola Guerra-Mateo, González-Menéndez, Cano & Gené, Sporormiella jejuensis H. Noh, H.U. Cho & S.H. Kim ex Guerra-Mateo, Gené & Cano, Sporormiella koreensis H. Noh, H.U. Cho & S.H. Kim ex Guerra-Mateo, Gené & Cano, Sporormiella solicola Guerra-Mateo, Cano & Gené, Spororminula irregularis Guerra-Mateo, Cano & Gené, Sporormyces anthraquinoniformans Guerra-Mateo, González-Menéndez & Cano. New combinations: Chaetosporormiella pilosella (Cain) Guerra-Mateo, Gené & Cano, Pleosporormiella citrullina (R.M.F. Silva et al.) Guerra-Mateo, Gené & Cano, Pleosporormiella polymorpha (Asgari & Zare) Guerra-Mateo, Gené & Cano, Pleosporormiella terricola (Cain) Guerra-Mateo, Gené & Cano, Sporormiella aegilopis (M. Mehrabi et al.) Guerra-Mateo, Gené & Cano, Sporormiella africana (Arenal et al.) Guerra-Mateo, Gené & Cano, Sporormiella bezerrensis (Ferreira-Sá et al.) Guerra-Mateo, Gené & Cano, Sporormiella elegans (D.C. Sandberg & A.E. Arnold) Guerra-Mateo, Gené & Cano, Sporormiella isabellae (Arenal et al.) Guerra-Mateo, Gené & Cano, Sporormiella japonica (Udagawa, K. Tominaga & Hamaoka) Guerra-Mateo, Gené & Cano, Sporormiella lignicola (W. Phillips & Plowr.) Guerra-Mateo, Gené & Cano, Sporormiella mediterranea (Arenal et al.) Guerra-Mateo, Gené & Cano, Sporormiella persica (Asgari & Zare) Guerra-Mateo, Gené & Cano, Sporormiella procaviae (Crous) Guerra-Mateo, Gené & Cano, Sporormiella procaviicola (Crous) Guerra-Mateo, Gené & Cano, Spororminula subticinensis (Mouton) Guerra-Mateo, Cano & Gené, Sporormyces septenarius (S.I. Ahmed & Cain) Guerra-Mateo, Gené & Cano, Spororvela tela (S. Jakob & M.J. Richardson) Guerra-Mateo, Cano & Gené. New names: Sporormiella isopartis Guerra-Mateo, Gené & Cano. New synonyms: Preussia apgariae Y.P. Tan et al., Preussia arizonica D.C. Sandberg & A.E. Arnold, Preussia crataegi Eisvand & M. Mehrabi, Preussia cylindricalis F. Liu et al., Preussia flanaganii Boylan, Preussia isomera Cain, Preussia mariae D.C. Sandberg & A.E. Arnold, Preussia mayoae Y.P. Tan et al., Preussia pianica Eisvand & M. Mehrabi, Preussia pistaciae Eisvand & M. Mehrabi, Preussia tenerifae (Arx & Aa) Kruys. Typification (basionyms): Epitypification: Perisporium funiculatum Preuss; Lectotypification: Sporormia intermedia Auersw. Citation: Guerra-Mateo D, González-Menéndez V, Gené J, Crous PW, Bensch K, Genilloud O, Cano-Lira JF (2026). Novel insights into the phylogenetic and metabolic diversity of preussia-like fungi. Studies in Mycology 114: 437-486. doi: 10.3114/sim.2026.114.03.
Hyperparasitic fungi associated with hypocrealean entomopathogens play a pivotal yet underexplored role in regulating fungal-arthropod interaction networks. Despite their frequent occurrence in nature, the taxonomic diversity and evolutionary relationships of these hyperparasites remain poorly resolved. In this study, we conducted an integrative taxonomic investigation of hyperparasites associated with hypocrealean entomopathogenic fungi, together with their closely allied entomopathogenic taxa. Multilocus phylogenetic analyses based on LSU, ITS, SSU, tef-1α, rpb1, and rpb2 were employed to reconstruct phylogenetic relationships, and molecular clock analyses were conducted independently to infer evolutionary timescales of families within Hypocreales. Morphological examinations were used to corroborate species delimitation and generic circumscription. Our results substantially expand the known diversity of this group, revealing one novel family, Chlorocilliaceae fam. nov., two new genera (Paralecanicillium gen. nov. and Neodingleyomyces gen. nov.), and 18 new species. In addition, three new combinations, seven new host, geographic, or asexual morph records, and two previously described species are documented, comprising a total of 30 species distributed across 18 genera and six families. Chlorocilliaceae is proposed to accommodate Albacillium, Chlorocillium, Fiorinimazzantia, Husseyia, Neoaraneomyces, Paraneoaraneomyces, Rousseaua, Speluncomyces and Subuliphorum. Updated descriptions and emended generic concepts of Fiorinimazzantia and Husseyia are provided based on newly collected material. This study advances our understanding of the taxonomy, evolutionary history, and hidden diversity of hyperparasitic fungi allied to hypocrealean entomopathogens, and provides a robust framework for elucidating tripartite host-pathogen-hyperparasite interactions in fungal ecology. Taxonomic novelties: New family: Chlorocilliaceae D.P. Wei & T.C. Wen. New genera: Neodingleyomyces D.P. Wei, Z.L. Liu & T.C. Wen, Paralecanicillium D.P. Wei & T.C. Wen. New species: Ascopolyporus sanduensis D.P. Wei & T.C. Wen, Calcarisporium ophiocordycipiticola D.P. Wei & T.C. Wen, Chlorocillium aschersoniae D.P. Wei & T.C. Wen, Chlorocillium coccidiicola D.P. Wei & T.C. Wen, Chlorocillium cordycipiticola D.P. Wei, Z.L. Liu & T.C. Wen, Chlorocillium gibellulae D.P. Wei & T.C. Wen, Chlorocillium globiceps D.P. Wei & T.C. Wen, Chlorocillium houqiaoense D.P. Wei, Q. F. Huang & T.C. Wen, Chlorocillium menghaiense D.P. Wei & T.C. Wen, Chlorocillium puerense D.P. Wei, Z.L. Liu & T.C. Wen, Chlorocillium sanduense D.P. Wei & T.C. Wen, Chlorocillium taiyangheense D.P. Wei & T.C. Wen, Chlorocillium tengchongense D.P. Wei, N.Y. Liu & T.C. Wen, Husseyia ramosissima D.P. Wei & T.C. Wen, Neodingleyomyces tengchongensis D.P. Wei, N.Y. Liu & T.C. Wen, Ophiocordyceps shimenxiaensis D.P. Wei & T.C. Wen, Paralecanicillium yunnanense D.P. Wei & T.C. Wen, Pleurocordyceps simaoensis D.P. Wei & T.C. Wen. New combinations: Calcarisporium andense (Flakus et al.) D.P. Wei & T.C. Wen, Calcarisporium agaricicola (Berk.) D.P. Wei & T.C. Wen, Torrubiellomyces sessilis (Kaitsu et al.) D.P. Wei, T.C. Wen. New records: Albacillium hingganense M.M. Ding & L.J. Xu, Chlorocillium neolepidopterorum (W.H. Chen et al.) W.H. Chen et al., Fiorinimazzantia elisabettae Y.P. Tan et al., Pleurocordyceps heilongtanensis Y.B. Wang et al., Pleurocordyceps parvicapitata Y.P. Xiao et al., Pleurocordyceps neoagarica Yu Yang & Yuan Pin Xiao, Paradingleyomyces lepidopterorum Y. Wang tris & T.C. Wen. Replacement names: Torrubiellomyces J.P.M. Araújo & de Bekker. Citation: Wei DP, Gentekaki E, Luangsa-ard JJ, Wijayawardene NN, Wanasinghe DN, Liu ZL, Huang QF, Liu NY, Xie SW, Kang JC, Wen TC (2026). Taxonomy, phylogeny and diversity of hyperparasites and their allied entomopathogens in Hypocreales. Studies in Mycology 114: 370-436. doi: 10.3114/sim.2026.114.02.
Hypocreales, a highly diverse fungal order, encompasses numerous families with genera exhibiting pathogenicity towards invertebrates. Our research compiles a comprehensive survey of invertebrate-pathogenic hypocrealean fungi collected in Thailand over the last two decades, representing over two hundred species. For each species, we provide detailed descriptions of macro-and microscopic morphological features, high-resolution photographic documentation, host and habitat information, and geographical distribution within Thailand. To gain a comprehensive understanding of their phylogenetic relationships, molecular phylogenetic data using combined SSU, LSU, rpb1, rpb2, and tef1 sequences were used to validate species identifications and establish phylogenetic context. Taxonomic novelties: New species: Ophiocordyceps camponoti-leonardi Kobmoo, Mongkols., Tasan., Thanakitp. & Luangsa-ard, Ophiocordyceps camponoti-saundersi Kobmoo, Mongkols., Tasan., Thanakitp. & Luangsa-ard, Ophiocordyceps polyrhachidis-furcatae Kobmoo, Mongkols., Tasan., Thanakitp. & Luangsa-ard, Petchiella hymenopterorum Mongkols., Noisrip., Jangs. & Luangsa-ard. New combinations: Hypocrella minutispora (Hywel-Jones & Mongkols.) Mongkols. & Luangsa-ard, Hypocrella narathiwatensis (Mongkols. et al.) Mongkols. & Luangsa-ard, Ophiocordyceps petchabunensis (Hywel-Jones et al.) Thanakitp., Mongkols. & Luangsa-ard, Petchiella siamensis (Thanakitp. et al.) Thanakitp., Mongkols. & Luangsa-ard, Petchiella mantidicola (Kobayasi & Shimizu) Thanakitp., Mongkols. & Luangsa-ard. Replacement name: Petchiella Thanakitp., Mongkols. & Luangsa-ard. Citation: Luangsa-ard JJ, Thanakitpipattana D, Mongkolsamrit S, Tasanathai K, Kobmoo N, Khonsanit A, Noisripoom W, Tanticharoen M (2026). Atlas of hypocrealean invertebrate-pathogenic fungi of Thailand. Studies in Mycology 114: 1-369. doi: 10.3114/sim.2026.114.01.
Genomic-level data have enabled us to infer better resolved phylogenetic estimates and revolutionised ourviews on fungal relationships. Agaricineae is the largest suborder of Agaricales and mainly comprises the brown-and dark-spored Agaricales with thick-walled and pigmented basidiospores. Our study is the most extensive phylogenomic study of the suborder Agaricineae to date including 54 genera and 86 species. For 25 of them, shallow whole genome sequence data were produced in this study from dried fungarium specimens collected between 1997 and 2016. A total of 24 families is recognised including five that are proposed as new: Agrocybaceae, Galerinaceae, Hemipholiotaceae, Kuehneromycetaceae and Phaeocollybiaceae. In addition, Battarreaceae and Chromocyphellaceae are accepted at family level based on previous phylogenetic studies, bringing the total number of accepted families in the suborder Agaricineae to 26. The families are further grouped into eight informal "superfamilies": Agaricacea, Bolbitiacea, Cortinariacea, Galeropsidacea, Inocybacea, Nidulariacea, Psathyrellacea, and Strophariacea. Several families have been emended based on the current study and recent phylogenetic studies and as a result, a total of 190 genera are listed as accepted in suborder Agaricineae.
Gran Canaria is the third island in surface area and altitude of the Canary Islands archipelago (Spain), located in the Atlantic Ocean. Its geomorphology provides a wide range of ecological niches that, together with its geographical isolation, have given rise to numerous endemic species of animals and plants. Despite extensive studies on their flora and fauna, research on microscopic fungi remains limited. Therefore, to assess the biodiversity of geophilic microscopic fungi of Gran Canaria, 12 samples were collected from the topsoil layer in different sites of Finca de Osorio, in Parque Rural de Doramas, at the North of the island. The samples were processed by direct sprinkling onto glycerol 18 % agar (G18) and ascospore agar (AA), by activation of dormant spores using 5 % acetic acid followed by plating onto potato-carrot extract agar (PCA), and by Toma-Karling-Vanbreuseghem (ToKaVa) hair baiting method. Incubation was carried out at 25 °C and 37 °C. The fungi were isolated in pure culture, and the strains were phenotypically characterized and preliminary identified using molecular data by comparing the nucleotide sequences of one or more phylogenetic informative markers using the BLAST search tool. Phylogenetic analysis was conducted when it was necessary. A total of 199 fungal strains were obtained, being assigned to 37 genera and 76 species, including four new genera, 17 new species and three new combinations distributed across the family Chaetomiaceae (12), and the genera Penicillium (2), Spiromastigoides (1), Thermoascus (1) and Westerdykella (1). In conclusion, the volcanic soils of Gran Canaria Island show a high fungal diversity, particularly within the family Chaetomiaceae, highlighting that the Macaronesia is an underexplored geographic region reservoir of micromycetes. Taxonomic novelties: New genera: Catenatispora Sastoque, Cano & Stchigel, Novoallocanariomyces Sastoque, Stchigel & Cano, Novochaetomium Sastoque, Cano & Stchigel, Paraarxotrichum Sastoque, Cano & Stchigel. New species: Allocanariomyces diversisporus Sastoque, Stchigel & Cano, Botryotrichum solisexuale Sastoque, Cano & Stchigel, Canariomyces similis Sastoque, Stchigel & Cano, Catenatispora terrestris Sastoque, Cano & Stchigel, Chaetomium annellidicum Sastoque, Stchigel & Cano, Humicola simplicissima Sastoque, Cano & Stchigel, Novoallocanariomyces verrucisporus Sastoque, Stchigel & Cano, Novochaetomium canariense Sastoque, Cano & Stchigel, Ovatospora phialospora Sastoque, Stchigel & Cano, Paraarxotrichum sterile Sastoque, Cano & Stchigel, Penicillium abortivum Sastoque, Stchigel & Cano, Penicillium doramasicum Sastoque, Cano & Stchigel, Pseudohumicola duospora Sastoque, Stchigel & Cano, Pseudohumicola fragilis Sastoque, Cano & Stchigel, Spiromastigoides globispora Sastoque, Cano & Stchigel, Thermoascus simplicissimus Sastoque, Stchigel & Cano, Westerdykella canariensis Sastoque, Cano & Stchigel. New combinations: Pseudohumicola nivea (De Bert.) Sastoque, Stchigel & Cano, Pseudohumicola repens (De Bert.) Sastoque, Cano & Stchigel, Pseudohumicola sardiniae (De Bert.) Sastoque, Stchigel & Cano. Citation: Sastoque AP, Stchigel AM, Cano-Lira JF (2025). Soil ascomycetes from Spain. XV. New and noteworthy fungi from Gran Canaria Island (Canary Islands archipelago). Studies in Mycology 113: 72-114. doi: 10.3114/sim.2026.113.02.
