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Berkleasmium crunisia sp. nov. and its phylogenetic affinities to the Pleosporales based on 18S and 28S rDNA sequence analyses

     Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Science, Prince of Songkhla University, Songkhla, Thailand 90112, and BIOTEC Central Research Unit, National Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, 113 Thailand Science Park, Paholyothin Road, Khlong 1, Khlong Luang, Pathum Thani, Thailand 12120

Rajesh Jeewon

     Centre for Research in Fungal Diversity, Department of Ecology and Biodiversity, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong SAR, PR China

Jariya Sakayaroj

     BIOTEC Central Research Unit, National Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, 113 Thailand Science Park, Paholyothin Road, Khlong 1, Khlong Luang, Pathum Thani, Thailand 12120

Kevin D. Hyde

     Centre for Research in Fungal Diversity, Department of Ecology and Biodiversity, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong SAR, PR China

E.B. Gareth Jones ¹

     BIOTEC Central Research Unit, National Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, 113 Thailand Science Park, Paholyothin Road, Khlong 1, Khlong Luang, Pathum Thani, Thailand 12120

Berkleasmium crunisia sp. nov. is described from a decaying rachis of Calamus sp. (Arecaceae) from Khuan Ka Long, Satun Province, Thailand. This Berkleasmium species differs morphologically from other species in possessing subtending cells and larger conidia. The phylogenetic relationship of the genus Berkleasmium among sexual ascomycetes also was examined. Sequence analyses from 18S, 28S and ITS-5.8S rDNA were analyzed phylogenetically under maximum parsimony, Bayesian and neighbor joining criteria. Phylogenies revealed that Berkleasmium is not monophyletic. Berkleasmium micronesicum and B. nigroapicale are related to Westerdykella cylindrica and Sporormia australis, which are members of the family Sporormiaceae (Pleosporales). Other species, including our new taxon, appear to share phylogenetic affinities with other anamorphic fungi, whose classification within the Pleosporales is still obscure. Analyses of 18S, 28S, ITS (+5.8S) rDNA and combined (18S + 28S) gene sequences fail to give sufficient phylogenetic resolution within the Pleosporales.

Key words: anamorphic fungi, Arecaceae, loculoascomycetes, palm fungi, phylogeny, rDNA