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Sydowia 68 (2016) 87
DOI 10.12905/0380.sydowia68-2016-0087
Lopadostoma taeniosporum
revisited and a new species
of
Coniochaeta
Gernot Friebes1, Walter M. Jaklitsch2,3,*, Susana García4, Hermann Voglmayr3
1 Centre of Natural History, Botany, Universalmuseum Joanneum, Weinzöttlstraße 16, 8045 Graz, Austria
2 Institute of Forest Entomology, Forest Pathology and Forest Protection, Dept. of Forest and Soil Sciences, BOKU-University of
Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Hasenauerstraße 38, 1190 Vienna, Austria
3 Division of Systematic and Evolutionary Botany, Department of Botany and Biodiversity Research, University of Vienna,
Rennweg 14, 1030 Wien, Austria
4 San Nicolas 34, 31698 Larrasoaña, Navarra, Spain
* e-mail: walter.jaklitsch@univie.ac.at
Friebes G., Jaklitsch W.M., García S. & Voglmayr H. (2016) Lopadostoma taeniosporum revisited and a new species of Coni-
ochaeta. Sydowia 68: 87–97.
Phylogenetic analyses of ITS-LSU rDNA sequence data revealed that Anthostoma taeniosporum, currently classied as Lo-
padostoma taeniosporum, does not belong to Xylariales but to the genus Coniochaeta (Coniochaetales), in which it is formally
combined. Anthostoma taeniosporum is epitypied with a recent specimen for which sequence data are available. Coniochaeta
taeniospora differs macro-morphologically from most other species of Coniochaeta in the immersed habit of ascomata. Further-
more, this species is well dened by its light brown, obtuse hairs, green peridium in KOH, and relatively large, ellipsoid to ovoid
ascospores. A Spanish specimen initially identied as Coniochaeta taeniospora turned out to be phylogenetically distinct from
the other two accessions sequenced, and is described as the new species Coniochaeta navarrae. This species differs morphologi-
cally from C. taeniospora in ascomatal habit, lack of clearly developed hairs on the peridium, colour of the peridium in KOH, and
size of the ascospores, which are slightly larger and sometimes show a hyaline sheath in C. navarrae.
Keywords: Ascomycota, Coniochaetaceae, phylogenetic analysis, pyrenomycetes, Sordariomycetes.
In a monographic revision of the genus Lopado-
stoma, Jaklitsch et al. (2014) briey redescribed L.
taeniosporum based on its type extant in PAD. Sub-
sequently fresh specimens were collected, which
match or nearly match this taxon morphologically.
Micromorphology and phylogenetic analyses based
on LSU and ITS-LSU rDNA matrices revealed that
L. taeniosporum belongs to the genus Coniochaeta
(Coniochaetaceae). Coniochaeta is characterised by
black, usually supercial, perithecial, sometimes
cleistothecial, solitary or aggregated, typically se-
tose ascomata, a paraphysate centrum, unitunicate,
cylindrical to clavate, thin-walled asci with a small
inamyloid apical ring, and by 1-celled, usually dark
brown, often laterally compressed ascospores with
a germ slit (García et al. 2006). Its asexual morphs
are hyphomycetous, phialidic, with the phialide of-
ten reduced to a collarette lateral on a hyphal cell
(Lecythophora). The genus occurs on wood and
bark, dung or in soil and is primarily saprobic; how-
ever, some species are also known as pathogens of
woody plants (Damm et al. 2010) or can cause seri-
ous opportunistic infections in animals or humans
(Drees et al. 2007, Hoog et al. 2000, Perdomo et al.
2011, Taniguchi et al. 2009, Troy et al. 2013). Re-
markably, Coniochaeta species have also been
shown to produce potent antibiotics (Segeth et al.
2003) or have a high potential of biological detoxi-
cation of lignocellulosic biomass (López et al.
2004).
Coniochaeta, typied by C. ligniaria, is a large
genus. Many species have been described, but there
are mostly morphological studies and keys to spe-
cies (Asgari et al. 2007, Checa et al. 1988, Romero et
al. 1999). First molecular studies on the Coni-
ochaetaceae (Coniochaetales) were published by
Weber et al. (2002), who emphasised the connection
of Coniochaeta with the asexual morph genus Le-
cythophora, by Huhndorf et al. (2004), who showed
the family as an integral part of the Sordariomy-
cetes, and by García et al. (2006), who detected that
the Coniochaetaceae were polyphyletic. They deter-
mined that Coniochaetidium, Ephemeroascus and
Poroconiochaeta are synonyms of Coniochaeta and
transferred two species to the new genera Conioces-
sia (see also Asgari & Zare 2011) and Coniolariella
88 Sydowia 68 (2016)
Friebes et al.: Lopadostoma taeniosporum revisited
(see also Checa et al. 2008, Zare et al. 2010) in the
Xylariales. Other genera of the Coniochaetaceae are
Barrina and possibly Synaptospora. The latter was
recently proposed to belong to the Helminthospha-
eriaceae, based on DNA data of a non-type species
(Miller et al. 2014). The fungicolous genus Immersi-
sphaeria (Jaklitsch 2007), which is only known from
an old herbarium specimen and matches Coni-
ochaeta except for a hyaline peridium, may also be-
long to the family. Raja et al. (2012) added a new
species occurring in freshwater to Coniochaeta. The
most recent contribution was published by Vázquez-
Campos et al. (2014). Unfortunately for most species
only LSU and, to a lesser extent, ITS sequences are
available, which is most probably insufcient for
satisfactory resolution at the species level.
Materials and methods
Isolates and specimens
All newly prepared isolates used in this study
originated from ascospores of fresh specimens.
Numbers of strains including NCBI GenBank ac-
cession numbers of gene sequences used to compute
the phylogenetic trees are listed in Tab. 1. Isolates
have been deposited at the CBS-KNAW Fungal Bi-
odiversity Centre, Utrecht, The Netherlands (CBS).
Details of the specimens used for morphological in-
vestigations are listed in the Taxonomy section un-
der the respective descriptions. Specimens have
been deposited in the Herbarium of the Institute of
Botany, University of Graz (GZU).
Culture preparation, growth rate determination
and phenotype analysis
Cultures were prepared and maintained as de-
scribed previously (Jaklitsch 2009). Microscopic ob-
servations were made in tap water except where
noted. Morphological analyses of microscopic char-
acters were carried out as described earlier (Jak-
litsch 2009). Methods of microscopy included stere-
omicroscopy using Nikon SMZ 1500 and Euromex
Novex RZ 65.560, light microscopy using Euromex
XHR MIC 625 and Nomarski differential interfer-
ence contrast (DIC) using the compound microscope
Nikon Eclipse E600. Images and data were gathered
using Nikon Coolpix 4500, Nikon DS-U2, and
Nikon D90 digital cameras and measured directly
with the microscope or with NIS-Elements D v. 3.0.
Measurements are reported as maximum and mini-
mum in parentheses and the mean plus and minus
the standard deviation of a number of measure-
ments given in parentheses.
DNA extraction and sequencing methods
The extraction of genomic DNA was performed
as reported previously (Voglmayr & Jaklitsch 2011,
Jaklitsch et al. 2012) using the DNeasy Plant Mini
Kit (QIAgen GmbH, Hilden, Germany). The follow-
ing loci were amplied and sequenced: the complete
internally transcribed spacer region (ITS1-5.8S-
ITS2) and a c. 900 bp fragment of the large subunit
nuclear ribosomal DNA (nLSU rDNA), amplied
and sequenced as a single fragment with primers
V9G (Hoog & Gerrits van den Ende 1998) and LR5
(Vilgalys & Hester 1990); a c. 1.2 kb fragment of the
RNA polymerase II subunit 2 (rpb2) with primers
fRPB2-5f and fRPB2-7cr (Liu et al. 1999); and a c.
1.3 kb fragment of the translation elongation factor
1-alpha (tef1) with primers EF1-728F (Carbone &
Kohn 1999) and TEF1LLErev (Jaklitsch et al. 2005).
PCR products were puried using an enzymatic
PCR cleanup (Werle et al. 1994) as described in
Voglmayr & Jaklitsch (2008). DNA was cycle-se-
quenced using the ABI PRISM Big Dye Terminator
Cycle Sequencing Ready Reaction Kit v. 3.1 (Ap-
plied Biosystems, Warrington, UK) with the same
primers as in PCR; in addition, primers ITS4 (White
et al. 1990) and LR3 (Vilgalys & Hester 1990) were
used for the ITS-LSU region. Sequencing was per-
formed on an automated DNA sequencer (3730xl
Genetic Analyzer, Applied Biosystems).
Analysis of sequence data
NCBI nucleotide BLAST searches of the ITS and
LSU revealed Coniochaeta as closest matches (98%
and 99% sequence identities for ITS and LSU, re-
spectively). For the majority of Coniochaeta species,
only partial LSU rDNA are available; for compara-
tively few also ITS rDNA. Therefore, phylogenetic
analyses were only possible with these two markers.
Based on critical inspection of the sequence data
available in GenBank, we decided to produce an
LSU and a combined ITS-LSU matrix, if available
from the same strains, for further phylogenetic
analyses. No ITS matrix was produced, because for
only few Coniochaeta species reliably labelled se-
quences are available in GenBank, as most are ei-
ther inaccurately identied or unidentied (see e.g.
also the ITS tree g. 2 of Raja et al. 2012). ITS and
LSU sequences of a representative selection of Co-
niochaeta species were downloaded from GenBank,
preferably from ex-type cultures; for rooting the
trees, two Chaetosphaeria species (C. innumera
AF178551, C. pygmaea AF178545) were included.
For the LSU matrix, the GenBank accession num-
bers are given in the tree, for the ITS-LSU matrix in
Sydowia 68 (2016) 89
Friebes et al.: Lopadostoma taeniosporum revisited
Tab. 1. All alignments were produced with the serv-
er version of MAFFT (www.ebi.ac.uk/Tools/mafft),
checked and rened using BioEdit version 7.0.4.1
(Hall 1999). For phylogenetic analyses, an LSU and
a combined ITS-LSU matrix were produced con-
taining 474 and 1105 nucleotide characters, respec-
tively.
Maximum likelihood (ML) analyses were per-
formed with RAxML (Stamatakis 2006) as imple-
mented in raxmlGUI 1.3 (Silvestro & Michalak
2012), using the ML + rapid bootstrap setting and
the GTRGAMMAI substitution model with 1000
bootstrap replicates.
Maximum parsimony (MP) analyses were per-
formed with PAUP v. 4.0a142 (Swofford 2002), using
1000 replicates of heuristic search with random ad-
dition of sequences and subsequent TBR branch
swapping (MULTREES option in effect, steepest
descent option not in effect). All molecular charac-
ters were unordered and given equal weight; analy-
ses were performed with gaps treated as missing
data; the COLLAPSE command was set to MAX-
BRLEN. Bootstrap analyses with 1000 replicates
were performed in the same way, but using 5 rounds
of random sequence addition and subsequent
branch swapping during each bootstrap replicate;
in addition, each replicate was limited to 1 million
rearrangements in the analyses of the LSU matrix.
Results
Of the 474 characters of the LSU matrix, 74 were
parsimony informative. Figure 1 shows the phylo-
gram of the best ML tree (lnL = -1873.2991) ob-
tained by RAxML. MP analysis revealed one tree of
length 229, which is similar to the ML tree except
for minor topological differences at the basal nodes
of the tree (not shown). Most of the tree topologies
are unsupported in both ML and MP analyses. In
both ML and MP analyses, Coniochaeta taeniospora
and C. navarrae are embedded within Coniochaeta
and form a clade with medium support, but the two
species are not resolved. A sister group relationship
of the C. taeniospora - C. navarrae clade to the clade
containing C. savoryi, C. punctulata and C. ornata
is also revealed in both ML and MP analyses but
does not receive signicant internal support.
Tab. 1. Strains and NCBI GenBank accessions used in the phylogenetic analyses of the combined ITS-LSU rDNA matrix. Se-
quences in bold were generated during the present study.
Taxon Strain Type ITS LSU
Coniochaeta africana
C. canina
C. cateniformis
C. decumbens
C. fasciculata
C. fodinicola
C. gigantospora
C. hoffmannii
C. lignicola
C. luteorubra
C. luteoviridis
C. mutabilis
C. polymorpha
C. prunicola
C. prunicola
C. velutina
C. velutina
C. taeniospora
C. taeniospora
C. navarrae
CBS 120868
UAMH 11702
CBS 131709
CBS 153.42
CBS 205.38
CBS 136963
ILLS 60816
CBS 245.38
CBS 267.33
CBS 131710
CBS 206.38
CBS 157.44
CBS 132722
CBS 120875
CBS 121445
CBS 120874
CBS 121444
LTA
LTA 1
LTA 3
ex-type
ex-type
ex-type
ex-type
ex-type
ex-type
ex-type
ex-type
ex-type
ex-type
ex-type
ex-type
ex-type
ex-type
ex-type
ex-type
GQ154539
NR_120211
NR_111517
HE610337
HE610336
JQ904603
JN684909
HE610332
NR_111520
HE610330
HE610333
NR_111519
HE863327
GQ154540
GQ154541
GQ154542
GQ154544
KU762324
KU762325
KU762326
GQ154601
NG_042720
HE610329
AF353597
AF353598
KF857172
JN684909
AF353599
AF353601
HE610328
AF353603
NG_042382
HE863327
GQ154602
GQ154603
GQ154604
GQ154605
KU762324
KU762325
KU762326
90 Sydowia 68 (2016)
Friebes et al.: Lopadostoma taeniosporum revisited
Fig. 1. Phylogram of the best maximum likelihood tree (lnL = -1873.2991) revealed by RAxML from an analysis of the LSU rDNA
matrix of Coniochaeta, showing the phylogenetic position of C. taeniospora and C. navarrae. ML and MP bootstrap support above
50% are given above or below the branches. GenBank accession numbers are given following the taxon names. The tree was
rooted with 2 species of Chaetosphaeria.
Sydowia 68 (2016) 91
Friebes et al.: Lopadostoma taeniosporum revisited
Of the 1105 characters of the ITS-LSU matrix, 215
were parsimony informative. Figure 2 shows the phy-
logram of the best ML tree (lnL = -4506.09195) ob-
tained by RAxML. MP analysis revealed three trees of
length 609, which differed from the ML tree in many
nodes of the tree lacking bootstrap support (not
shown). Coniochaeta taeniospora and C. navarrae are
phylogenetically clearly distinct and placed in a high-
ly supported clade together with C. decumbens and C.
polymorpha; however, the phylogenetic relationships
within this clade remain unresolved due to lack of
signicant internal support. Sister group relationship
of Coniochaeta gigantospora to this clade is moder-
ately supported only in the ML analysis.
Taxonomy
Coniochaeta taeniospora
(Sacc.) Friebes, Jaklitsch
& Voglmayr, comb. nov. – Fig. 3.
MycoBank no.: MB 815856
Basionym. – Anthostoma taeniosporum Sacc., Atti Soc.
Veneto-Trentino Sci. Nat. Padova 2: 143. 1873.
Synonym. – Lopadostoma taeniosporum (Sacc.) Tra-
verso, Fl. Ital. Crypt., Pars 1: Fungi. Pyrenomycetae, Xylari-
aceae, Valsaceae, Ceratostomataceae 1, 1: 171. 1906.
Holotype. – ITALY, Montello, on corticated branches of
Quercus robur (given as Quercus pedunculata), without date,
P. Saccardo (PAD).
Epitype of Anthostoma taeniosporum, here designated.
– AUSTRIA, Niederösterreich, Krems, Egelsee, on corticated,
Fig. 2. Phylogram of the best maximum likelihood tree (lnL = -4506.09195) revealed by RAxML from an analysis of the ITS-LSU
rDNA matrix of Coniochaeta, showing the phylogenetic position of C. taeniospora and C. navarrae. ML and MP bootstrap sup-
port above 50% are given above or below the branches. Strain numbers are given following the taxon names. The tree was rooted
with 2 species of Chaetosphaeria.
92 Sydowia 68 (2016)
Friebes et al.: Lopadostoma taeniosporum revisited
Fig. 3. Coniochaeta taeniospora. a, b. ascomata in face view; c, e. vertical section of a perithecium; d. perithecia in transverse
section; f. ostiole in section; g. asci; h, i. peridium in section (i in 3% KOH); j. ascospores and paraphyses; k, o. ascospores; l, p.
ascospores showing germ slits (l in Congo Red); m, n. hairs; q, r: ascus apex in Congo Red. (a, b, g–i, l, q, r. GZU000313628 (LTA);
c–f, j, k, m, n. GZU000313629 (LTA1); o, p. holotype). Scale bars: a, b, d = 500 µm; c = 300 µm; e = 200 µm; f, g, j = 20 µm; h, i =
50 µm; k–o, q, r = 10 µm; p = 5 µm.
Sydowia 68 (2016) 93
Friebes et al.: Lopadostoma taeniosporum revisited
0.8–1.1 cm thick twigs of Quercus petraea on the ground, 27.
October 2013, leg. W. Jaklitsch & H. Voglmayr (GZU000313628,
culture LTA = CBS 141014; ex-epitype sequences: ITS-LSU:
KU762324, rpb2: KU762327, tef1: KU762330). MBT 204266.
Description. – Ascomata forming in-
conspicuous groups of 0.5–2 mm diam. in cracks of
bark or erumpent through the bark, more rarely
growing solitarily, often with a brown, amorphous
substance between them rendering a stromatic ap-
pearance. Ascomata immersed or semi-immersed in
the bark, often with only the ostiole visible, perithe-
cial, 200–410 µm high and 200–450 µm wide (n=15),
subglobose to ellipsoid, sometimes pyriform or la-
geniform, black, with smooth to somewhat rough
surface, often with some hyaline hyphae at the base.
P e r i d i u m brittle when dry, softer when rehy-
drated, 20–40 µm thick at the base (n=15), 30–45(–55)
µm near the ostiole (n=23), two-layered. Inner layer
consisting of hyaline to subhyaline, strongly com-
pressed cells, 5–12(17) × 2–5(8) µm (n=25), turning
green in 3% KOH; outer layer consisting of densely
packed, moderately thick-walled, brown cells meas-
uring 4–10(12) × 2–7 µm (n=30), tending to be darker
and more isodiametric towards the outside; near the
ostiole some protruding, thick-walled, elongated,
apically rounded cells and sparse, pale, often api-
cally darker, 0–2-septate hairs, 19–28 × 2.0–3.2 µm
(n=12), present. O s t i o l a r n e c k s papillate to cy-
lindrical, with circular outline, densely lled with
1–1.5 µm wide periphyses (n=15). P a r a p h y s e s
liform, septate, hyaline, 2.5–3.5(4) µm wide (n=25).
A s c i 169–184(196) × 9–14 µm (n=20), cylindrical,
(4–)8-spored (aborted ascospores sometimes visible
in 4-spored asci), with slender stipe, apical appara-
tus inconspicuous, more clearly visible in Congo
Red, inamyloid (Melzer- and IKI-negative). A s -
c o s p o r e s (12.5)15.5–19.2(24.5) × (8.0)9.5–12.3
(14.5) µm, l/w (1.3)1.4–1.8(2.5) (n=106), ellipsoid to
ovoid, slightly laterally compressed, dark brown,
darker in 3% KOH, with a conspicuous, straight
germ slit across the entire length, smooth, multigut-
tulate, without sheath or appendages.
H a b i t a t . – On corticated branches of Quercus
spp.
D i s t r i b u t i o n . – Central and Southern Eu-
rope (Austria, Italy).
Other specimen examined: AUSTRIA, Steier-
mark, Bad Waltersdorf, Leitersdorfberg, on corticated, 0.4 cm
thick twigs of Quercus petraea on the ground, 20. April 2014,
leg. A. Draxler & W. Maurer (GZU000313629, culture LTA1 =
CBS 141015; sequences: ITS-LSU: KU762325, rpb2:
KU762328, tef1: KU762331).
N o t e s . – Apart from two gaps in the ITS, the
two collections have identical ITS-LSU sequences.
However, the rpb2 and tef1 sequences differ in 20
and 26 nucleotide substitutions, respectively, which
may indicate that actually two cryptic species are
involved. Sequence data from additional strains are
necessary to clarify this.
Coniochaeta navarrae
Friebes, Jaklitsch, S. García
& Voglmayr, sp. nov. – Fig. 4.
MycoBank no.: MB 815857
Holotype. – SPAIN, Navarra, Sarasibar, elev. 590 m, on
bark of Ulmus sp., 3. April 2015, leg. S. García (GZU000313630,
culture LTA3 = CBS 141016; ex-holotype sequences: ITS-
LSU: KU762326, rpb2: KU762329, tef1: KU762332).
Description. – Ascomata solitary to gre-
garious, with bases immersed in bark, not forming
pustulate groups, non-stromatic, globose to pyri-
form, 200–450 µm high and 120–320 µm wide (n=15),
with black, somewhat roughened surface. P e r i d -
i u m brittle when dry, softer when rehydrated, 33–
45(60) µm thick (n=30), two-layered. Inner layer
composed of hyaline to subhyaline, strongly com-
pressed cells measuring 7–12 × 1–4 µm (n=20), faint-
ly turning greenish in 3% KOH; outer textura angu-
laris consisting of compressed to isodiametric,
thick-walled, dark brown cells measuring 3–13 ×
2–4 µm (n=25), encrusted with a dark brown sub-
stance, more elongate towards the ostiole and some-
times slightly protruding; surface clothed with in-
conspicuous, scattered to densely grouped, short,
thick-walled, dark brown, seta-like cells. O s t i -
o l e s inconspicuous to papillate, with circular out-
line, lled with 1–1.5 µm wide periphyses (n=12).
P a r a p h y s e s liform, 2.5–4 µm wide (n=20), lled
with droplets. A s c i 165–189 × (14–)16–20 µm
(n=20), cylindrical, (4–)8-spored, ascospores unise-
riate, with short but distinct, sometimes twisted
stipe, apical apparatus inamyloid (Melzer-negative),
faintly visible in Melzer and Congo Red. A s -
c o s p o r e s (17)18–20(20.5) × (10)11–13.5(16) µm,
l/w (1.2)1.4–1.7(1.9) (n=32), ellipsoid to broadly el-
lipsoid, sometimes ovoid, dark brown when mature,
with a conspicuous, straight germ slight across the
entire spore length, smooth, sometimes with a hya-
line sheath, usually lled with one or two bigger
and several smaller droplets, turning almost black
in 3% KOH.
E t y m o l o g y . – For its occurrence in Navarra.
H a b i t a t . – On bark of Ulmus.
D i s t r i b u t i o n . – Spain, only known from the
holotype.
Discussion
The main objective of this work was to clarify
the phylogenetic position of Lopadostoma taenio-
94 Sydowia 68 (2016)
Friebes et al.: Lopadostoma taeniosporum revisited
Fig. 4. Coniochaeta navarrae (Holotype GZU000313630). a. ascomata in face view; b, e. vertical section of a perithecium; c. trans-
verse section of a perithecium; d. ostiole in section; f, g. peridium in section (g in 3% KOH); h. paraphyses; i, j. ascus apex in
Congo Red; k. asci with ascospores; l, p, q. ascospores with sheath; m. immature ascospores; n. ascus; o. ascospores showing germ
slits. Scale bars: a = 500 µm; b = 125 µm; c = 150 µm; e = 100 µm; f, g, k, n = 20 µm; d, h–j, l, m, o–q = 10 µm.
Sydowia 68 (2016) 95
Friebes et al.: Lopadostoma taeniosporum revisited
sporum. Phylogenetic analyses of ITS and LSU
rDNA data clearly place this taxon in Coniochaeta,
which requires a generic transfer. The Spanish
specimen was revealed as closely related to L. tae-
niosporum, but the ITS sequence clearly separated
it from the latter, which was also corroborated by
morphological differences (see below). However, the
LSU data are insufcient to elucidate the detailed
phylogenetic relationships within Coniochaeta. The
combined ITS-LSU matrix revealed better resolu-
tion; however, ITS sequences are available for only
a few Coniochaeta species. In addition, many of the
ITS sequences deposited at GenBank are unidenti-
ed or require critical taxonomic revision. It is
therefore urgently needed to sequence the ITS for
additional well documented strains for which the
LSU is already available, and additional markers
with higher resolution like the rpb2, tef1 or tub2
should be sequenced for reliable delimitation of
closely related Coniochaeta species.
Coniochaeta taeniospora is an untypical repre-
sentative of the genus due to its immersed ascoma-
ta, which tend to be clustered in groups with stro-
matic appearance. Also the relatively large, non-
appendiculate, ellipsoid to ovoid ascospores, as well
as peridial cells, which show a green reaction to
KOH, and sparse, obtuse, light brown hairs on the
peridium characterise this species well. Most ligni-
colous Coniochaeta species have more or less super-
cial ascomata on the natural substrate; however,
immersed ascomata have been reported for C. renis-
pora (Crane & Shearer 1995), which differs from C.
taeniospora in having much smaller, kidney-shaped
ascospores. Coniochaeta myricariae is described as
having glabrous, gregarious ascomata, which de-
velop under the bark and nally become erumpent,
in a similar fashion as C. taeniospora, but the for-
mer species has much smaller and laterally com-
pressed ascospores (Arx & Müller 1954).
Coniochaeta taeniospora has a stromatic ap-
pearance due to a dark amorphous substance be-
tween the ascomata, which is unusual for the typi-
cally non-stromatic genus Coniochaeta. Similarly,
ascomata of C. phalacrocarpa are described as be-
ing glabrous and surrounded by an “amorphous hy-
phal weft” rendering a stromatic appearance (Car-
roll & Munk 1964). This species differs from C. tae-
niospora in supercial ascomata and lenticular,
much smaller ascospores. Some other species of Co-
niochaeta have occasionally been described as hav-
ing more or less well developed stromatic parts to-
wards the basal part of the ascomata, e.g. C. mala-
cotricha and C. niesslii (Arx & Müller 1954), which
also differ in ascospores and other traits.
Most Coniochaeta species have setose ascomata
but in some species setae may occasionally be ab-
sent or very sparse while other species are reported
without setae or hairs. The ascomata of C. taenios-
pora appear smooth under the stereomicroscope
but light microscopy reveals some sparse, light
brown, obtuse hairs, which differ quite clearly from
the stiff, dark brown, pointed setae typically found
in this genus. Some hairs are apically darker and
thus resemble the setae of C. rhopalochaeta (Rome-
ro et al. 1999) even though the latter differ in being
apically inated.
The peridial cells of C. taeniospora show a green
reaction to KOH similar to C. alkalivirens (Checa et
al. 1988). The latter differs in smaller ascospores,
which are subfusiform in side view, as well as in su-
percial ascomata. Furthermore, C. taeniospora is
distinguished from most other species mentioned in
the literature (Asgari et al. 2007, Checa et al. 1988,
Mahoney & LaFavre 1981, Romero et al. 1999) by its
relatively large, ellipsoid to ovoid ascospores with
rounded, non-appendiculate ends. Only few Coni-
ochaeta species possess ascospores with similar
shape and size, e.g. C. niesslii (Arx & Müller 1954)
with narrower ascospores (16–20 × 8–9 µm) and
dark brown setae, and C. sanguinolenta (Checa et
al. 1988) with red peridium and long, pointed hairs.
Coniochaeta caryotae (Rao 1970) and C. gigantos-
pora (Raja et al. 2012) also have large, ellipsoid as-
cospores (measuring 20–24 × 7–10 µm and 23–30 ×
11–13 µm, respectively), which are considerably
longer than those of C. taeniospora.
The newly described C. navarrae shares some
morphological features with C. taeniospora. The
ascomata of both species appear glabrous under
the stereomicroscope and the ascospores are of
similar size and shape, although they are slightly
larger in C. navarrae. Coniochaeta navarrae has
solitary to gregarious ascomata, which do not form
well dened groups and are not covered by sparse,
light brown, obtuse hairs like C. taeniospora. In-
stead, the peridium of C. navarrae is occasionally
covered with short, dark brown, sometimes dense-
ly grouped, setae-like cells. The reaction of the
peridium to KOH is another differentiating char-
acteristic of these species: while the peridium of
C. taeniospora shows a noticeable green reaction,
the peridial cells of C. navarrae react only weakly.
The ascospores of C. navarrae, in addition to being
slightly larger than those of C. taeniospora, are
sometimes surrounded by a hyaline sheath, which
was not observed in C. taeniospora. Hyaline ge-
latinous sheaths are usually found in some copro-
philous Coniochaeta species (Chang & Wang 2011)
96 Sydowia 68 (2016)
Friebes et al.: Lopadostoma taeniosporum revisited
and are more rarely reported from species growing
on wood or other plant material, e.g. C. caryotae
(Rao 1970), C. niesslii (Arx & Müller 1954), and
C. tilakii (Kale 1968). For further comparison of
C.navarrae to other species of Coniochaeta regard-
ing ascospore morphology the above discussion of
C. taeniospora applies.
Acknowledgements
We thank R. Marcucci at PAD for access to the
fungarium and support and C. Scheuer at GZU for
managing collections.
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(Manuscript accepted 1 March 2016; Corresponding Editor: I.
Krisai-Greilhuber)
