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Showing papers by "Conrad L. Schoch published in 2009"


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: A 6-gene, 420-species maximum-likelihood phylogeny of Ascomycota, the largest phylum of Fungi, and a phylogenetic informativeness analysis of all 6 genes and a series of ancestral character state reconstructions support a terrestrial, saprobic ecology as ancestral are presented.
Abstract: We present a 6-gene, 420-species maximum-likelihood phylogeny of Ascomycota, the largest phylum of Fungi. This analysis is the most taxonomically complete to date with species sampled from all 15 currently circumscribed classes. A number of superclass-level nodes that have previously evaded resolution and were unnamed in classifications of the Fungi are resolved for the first time. Based on the 6-gene phylogeny we conducted a phylogenetic informativeness analysis of all 6 genes and a series of ancestral character state reconstructions that focused on morphology of sporocarps, ascus dehiscence, and evolution of nutritional modes and ecologies. A gene-by-gene assessment of phylogenetic informativeness yielded higher levels of informativeness for protein genes (RPB1, RPB2, and TEF1) as compared with the ribosomal genes, which have been the standard bearer in fungal systematics. Our reconstruction of sporocarp characters is consistent with 2 origins for multicellular sexual reproductive structures in Ascomycota, once in the common ancestor of Pezizomycotina and once in the common ancestor of Neolectomycetes. This first report of dual origins of ascomycete sporocarps highlights the complicated nature of assessing homology of morphological traits across Fungi. Furthermore, ancestral reconstruction supports an open sporocarp with an exposed hymenium (apothecium) as the primitive morphology for Pezizomycotina with multiple derivations of the partially (perithecia) or completely enclosed (cleistothecia) sporocarps. Ascus dehiscence is most informative at the class level within Pezizomycotina with most superclass nodes reconstructed equivocally. Character-state reconstructions support a terrestrial, saprobic ecology as ancestral. In contrast to previous studies, these analyses support multiple origins of lichenization events with the loss of lichenization as less frequent and limited to terminal, closely related species.

592 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: A genomic comparison of 6 dothideomycete genomes with other fungi finds a high level of unique protein associated with the class, supporting its delineation as a separate taxon.

507 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: It is concluded that the strictly plant pathogenic, nectrotrophic families evolved from saprobic ancestors (Capnodiaceae), which is the more primitive state.

302 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Both ecological and morphological characters show varying degrees of phylogenetic significance in Pleosporalean taxa.

262 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Specific attention is given to the adaptation of the Dothideomycetes to the marine milieu, new lineages of marine fungi and their host specificity.

200 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The broad phylogenetic amplitude of RIF in Dothideomycetes suggests that total species richness in this class remains underestimated and composition of some RIF-rich lineages suggests that rock surfaces are reservoirs for plant-associated fungi or saprobes, although other data also agree with rocks as a primary substrate for ancient fungal lineages.

191 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: A reappraisal of the phylogenetic integrity of bitunicate ascomycete fungi belonging to or previously affiliated with the Hysteriaceae, Mytilinidiaceae, Gloniaceae and Patellariaceae is presented, based on an analysis of 121 isolates and four nuclear genes.

98 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: It is concluded that the evolution of the hysterothecium occurred multiple times within the Pleosporomycetidae, and alone it is not a synapomorphic character state for the Hysteriaceae.

68 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: A multi-gene phylogeny is evaluated and a novel order and class in Ascomycota is proposed and the continued use of ‘Leotiomyceta’, now as a rankless taxon, is proposed.
Abstract: Featuring a high level of taxon sampling across Ascomycota, we evaluate a multi-gene phylogeny and propose a novel order and class in Ascomycota. We describe two new taxa, Geoglossomycetes and Geoglossales, to host three earth tongue genera: Geoglossum, Trichoglossum and Sarcoleotia as a lineage of 'Leotiomyceta'. Correspondingly, we confirm that these genera are not closely related to the genera Neolecta, Mitrula, Cudonia, Microglossum, Thuemenidum, Spathularia and Bryoglossum, all of which have been previously placed within the Geoglossaceae. We also propose a non-hierarchical system for naming well-resolved nodes, such as 'Saccharo- myceta', 'Dothideomyceta', and 'Sordariomyceta' for supraordinal nodes, within the current phylogeny, acting as rankless taxa. As part of this revision, the continued use of 'Leotiomyceta', now as a rankless taxon, is proposed.

57 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Hypogymnia minilobata is described as a new species of lichenized fungi from the coast of southern California and the Channel Islands that is distinguished from that species by its small size, consistently appressed growth form, slightly smaller and more elongate spores, and distinct ITS and GPD sequences.
Abstract: Hypogymnia minilobata is described as a new species of lichenized fungi from the coast of southern California and the Channel Islands. Previously lumped under H. occidentalis, H. minilobata is distinguished from that species by its small size, consistently appressed growth form, slightly smaller and more elongate spores, and distinct ITS and GPD sequences. So far H. minilobata is known from coastal scrub and woodlands, and is especially common in the Los Osos and Baywood areas of San Luis Obispo County, California.

10 citations


Journal Article
TL;DR: This volume presents a re-evaluation of phylogenetic relationships within the class Dothideomycetes, which is by far the largest and arguably most phylogenetically diverse class within the largest fungal phylum, Ascomycota.