Emended Neodactylariales (Dothideomycetes): Szaferohypha gen. nov. and phylogenetically related genera.

Abstract

Epiphytic fungi evolved several times in Dothideomycetes, particularly within the orders Asterinales, Capnodiales, Microthyriales, and Zeloasperisporiales, but also in other, less obvious lineages. In this study, a new genus and species, Szaferohypha and S.enigmatica, isolated from the sooty mould community on the leaves of Symphoricarposalbus in Poland, are described based on morphology and phylogenetic analysis using sequences of four DNA loci (LSU, ITS, SSU, and rpb2). Due to single isolation, it is unclear whether Szaferohyphaenigmatica represents a very rare or accidental inhabitant of sooty mould communities. Szaferohypha is assigned to the poorly known family Neodactylariaceae and order Neodactylariales, together with Beaucarneamyces, Neodactylaria, and Pseudoarthrographis. The order and family were originally circumscribed based on the features of the genus Neodactylaria. Therefore, they are emended by characters of Beaucarneamyces, Pseudoarthrographis, and Szaferohypha.