The Ophiostoma clavatum species complex: a newly defined group in the Ophiostomatales including three novel taxa

Two species of blue-stain fungi with similar morphologies, Ophiostoma brunneociliatum and O. clavatum, are associates of bark beetles infesting Pinus spp. in Europe. This has raised questions whether they represent distinct taxa. Absence of herbarium specimens and contaminated or mistakenly identified cultures of O. brunneo-ciliatum and O. clavatum have accentuated the uncertainty regarding their correct identification. The aim of this study was to reconsider the identity of European isolates reported as O. brunneo-ciliatum and O. clavatum by applying DNA-based identification methods, and to provide appropriate type specimens for them. Phylogenetic analyses of the ITS, βT, TEF-1 and CAL gene sequences revealed that the investigated isolates represent a complex of seven cryptic species. The study confirmed that ITS data is insufficient to delineate species in some Ophiostoma species clusters. Lectotypes and epitypes were designated for O. clavatum and O. brunneo-ciliatum, and three new species, O. brunneolum, O. macroclavatum and O. pseudocatenulatum, were described in the newly defined O. clavatum-complex. The other two species included in the complex are O. ainoae and O. tapionis. The results suggest co-evolution of these fungi in association with specific bark beetles. The results also confirm the identity of the fungus associated with the pine bark beetle Ips acuminatus as O. clavatum, while O. brunneo-ciliatum appears to be mainly associated with another pine bark beetle, Ips sexdentatus.The University of Helsinki and the Emil Aaltonen Foundation, Finland; the University of Pretoria, the members of the Tree Protection Co-operative Programme (TPCP) and the THRIP initiative of the Department of Trade and Industry, South Africa; the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Republic of Poland; Ministero dell’Istruzione, dell’Università e della Ricerca (PRIN 200774ENMR ‘Climatic change and Italian pine pests: a model study’), Italy; the European Union’s Seventh Framework Programme FP7/2007–2013 (KBBE 2009-3) under grant agreement 245268 ISEFOR; and the Norwegian Biodiversity Information Centre (pnr. 70184233).http://link.springer.com/journal/104822017-05-31hb2016Microbiology and Plant Patholog

Multigene phylogenies of Ophiostomataceae associated with Monterey pine bark beetles in Spain reveal three new fungal species

Ophiostoma species, some of which cause sapstain in timber and/or are mild pathogens, are common fungal associates of bark beetles (Coleoptera: Scolytinae). Three new Ophiostomataceae from Spain are recognized in the present study based on comparisons of sequence data for three gene regions as well as morphological characteristics. The new taxa are described as Ophiostoma nebulare sp. nov., Ophiostoma euskadiense sp. nov. and Graphilbum crescericum sp. nov.National Research Foundation, members of the Tree Protection Co-operative Programme (TPCP), the Department of Education, Universities and Research of Basque Government, and the NRF/DST Center of Excellence in Tree Health Biotechnology (CTHB).http://www.mycologia.orghb201