Backusella
Backusella is the sole genus of zygote fungi in the family Backusellaceae, which is classified in the order Mucorales. Members of this genus have been often isolated from plant litter, from locations around the world.
Taxonomy
C. W. Hesseltine and J. J. Ellis recognised the uniqueness of a new species, B. circina, warranted its classification in a new genus; in 1969 they established Backusella, named in honour of Professor M. P. Backus. Since then, several species previously placed in the archetypal mucoralean genus Mucor were reassessed, found to be close relatives of B. circina, and combined into Backusella as additional Backusella species, while other species were discovered and classified outright as Backusella. K. Voigt & P.M. Kirk established the family Backusellaceae to include Backusella in 2012, as they likewise recognised the uniqueness of the genus and the need to classify it within a distinct family.
Accepted species
The genus consists of the following 27 accepted species:Backusella australiensis Urquhart & DouchBackusella azygospora T.R.L. Cordeiro et al.Backusella chlamydospora Hyang B. Lee & T.T.T. NguyenBackusella circina J.J. Ellis & Hesselt. – generic type speciesBackusella constricta D.X. Lima et al.Backusella dispersa Urquhart & DouchBackusella gigacellularis J.I. Souza et al.Backusella granulispora L.S. Loh & Kuthub.Backusella indica Walther & de HoogBackusella koreana Hyang B. Lee et al.Backusella lamprospora Benny & R.K. Benj. Backusella liffmaniae Urquhart & DouchBackusella locustae Hyang B. Lee et al.Backusella luteola Urquhart & DouchBackusella macrospora Urquhart & DouchBackusella mclennaniae Urquhart & DouchBackusella morwellensis Urquhart & DouchBackusella oblongielliptica Walther & de HoogBackusella oblongispora Walther & de HoogBackusella parvicylindrica Urquhart & DouchBackusella psychrophila Urquhart & DouchBackusella recurva Walther & de HoogBackusella tarrabulga Urquhart & DouchBackusella thermophila Hyang B. Lee et al.Backusella tuberculispora G. Walther & de HoogBackusella variabilis G. Walther & de HoogBackusella westeae Urquhart & Douch
Former species
The following species was at one point considered by some authorities to be in the genus Backusella, although this is no longer so:Mucor ctenidius Pidopl. & Milko ex Benny & R.K. Benj.