Conioscypha
Conioscypha is a genus of terrestrial and freshwater fungi in the monotypic family Conioscyphaceae and the monotypic order Conioscyphales. They are found on decayed wood, leaves, or bamboo stems. Except for Conioscypha japonica which was isolated from dog skin fragments and hair in 2017.
History
Austrian mycologist and lichenologist Franz Xaver Rudolf von Höhnel in 1904, created the genus Conioscypha with Conioscypha lignicola as the generic type, which was found on submerged wood of Carpinus sp. in Austria.Then in 1973, American mycologist Carol A.Shearer reviewed and re-described Conioscypha lignicola based on type specimens together with a new of species Conioscypha varia which was found on 2 balsa wood blocks submerged in the Patuxent River, Maryland, USA.
Later, nine more Conioscypha species were recognized: Conioscypha bambusicola, Conioscypha japonica, Conioscypha hoehnelii, Conioscypha fabiformis, Conioscypha dimorpha, Conioscypha taiwaniana, Conioscypha minutispora, while Zelski et al. described Conioscypha peruensis, and Conioscypha gracilis, with their sexual morphs. Most of the previously described species of Conioscypha were described and reported from decaying plant materials derived from terrestrial and aquatic habitats. Conioscypha japonica was isolated from skin scrapings and hair of a male dog.
In 2004, the genus Conioscyphascus was introduced based on Conioscyphascus varius, it was named as the sexual morph of Conioscypha varia.
The Conioscypha clade, based on molecular data, was considered as Ascomycota incertae sedis with genera Conioscypha and Conioscyphascus considered congeneric with Conioscypha accepted as the recommend name under the one name protocol. According to recent changes in the ICN, specifically the new article 59.1, as of January 2013,
Then in a phylogenetic study of the Hypocreomycetidae, Sordariomycetes, Conioscyphales was then proposed as a new order and it was closely related to the Savoryellales order.
Based on in vitro experiments and molecular DNA data, Réblová & Seifert introduced Conioscyphascus, typified by Ca. varius, to accommodate holomorphs with Conioscypha asexual morphs. Another sexual-asexual relationship was established for C. peruviana. Following the abolishment of dual nomenclature and adoption of one fungus, one name, Conioscyphascus was accepted as a synonym of Conioscypha. Although C. gracilis is the only species of the genus known in its sexual state, the presence of typical conidia on the host near ascomata was repeatedly observed. Conioscypha varia Shearer is illustrated for the sexual morph and C. tenebrosa is illustrated for the asexual morph, in this entry.
Description
The fungal genus is characterized dematiaceous, unicellular, thick-walled, globose to subglobose shaped conidia produced from discrete, hyaline, 'cup-shaped' conidiogenous cells which proliferate per currently, and are lacking conidiophores.They have an unusual mode of conidiogenesis which includes aspects of both phialidic and annellidic ontogeny.
Conioscypha is characterized by a unique mode of conidiogenesis with blastic conidia produced at inconspicuous loci along the hyphae. Traditionally, the conidia were thought to be produced from 'phialidic' conidiogenous cells. Shearer & Motta described Conioscypha conidiogenesis to be both 'phialidic' and 'annelidic', but Minter et al. did not agree with this observation. Cole & Samson reported conidial development to be intermediate between the 'phialidic' and 'annelidic' process and after repetitive basipetal conidial secession, the remains of the outer wall of conidia collect centripetally on the conidiogenous cells to form 'collarettes'.
Conidiogenesis occurs at inconspicuous loci along hyphae; a basipetal succession of blastically produced conidia leave behind conspicuous collarettes that are remnants of the initial outer wall of the conidia; these accumulate centripetally to form a multi-layered collarette appearing similar to annellations.
Distribution and habitats
It has a cosmopolitan distribution, worldwide. Including places such as Peru, America the British Isles, Spain, China, Japan, Thailand, and Taiwan.Such as; Conioscypha hoehnelii was found on bark of Eucalyptus sp. as well as the wood, and leaves of Phormium tenax collected in the British Isles. Also Conioscypha peruviana was isolated from submerged woody debris collected in streams, rivers and a swamp in Peru. Conioscypha varia has been found in indoor environments,
while Conioscypha minutispora has been found on dead wood in Spain.
Conioscypha pleiomorpha, is commonly found in association with decaying wood substrates, and might preferentially degrade lignin-enriched organic material.
Species
There was 16 morphological species in 2019. Then 18 species, as accepted by Species Fungorum;Conioscypha aquatica Conioscypha bambusicola Conioscypha boutwelliae Conioscypha dimorpha Conioscypha fabiformis Conioscypha gracilis Conioscypha hoehnelii Conioscypha japonica Conioscypha lignicola Conioscypha minutispora Conioscypha nakagirii Conioscypha peruviana Conioscypha pleiomorpha Conioscypha submersa Conioscypha taiwaniana Conioscypha tenebrosa Conioscypha varia Conioscypha verrucosaFormer species;C. gracilis = Conioscypha gracilis, ConioscyphaceaeC. varius = Conioscypha varia, Conioscyphaceae