Anamorph diversity and species differentiation with shifting of life cycle types in Corollospora, a genus of marine ascomycetes; with an emendation of teleomorph of Varicosporina prolifera and a description of a new anamorphic species

Abstract

Teleomorph of Varicosporina prolifera was revealed not to be Corollospora intermedia as suggested formerly, but an undescribed fungus of Corollospora by culturing and phylogenetic study. The true sexual state of V. prolifera is hereby described and a new combined name C. prolifera is proposed. During our studies on marine fungi along the coasts of Japan, an unknown fungus forming clavate conidia was discovered from beaches of Rishiri Island in the northern cool region of Japan and is described here as a new anamorphic species, C. clavata. Regarding the life cycle of Corollospora, 20 species have a teleomorph type life cycle, while in the other eight species, each four are teleomorph-anamorph type and anamorph type, respectively. Phylogenetic analyses revealed three species having Varicosporina anamorphs, C. anglusa, C. prolifera, and C. ramulosa are closely related, and the former two species have the teleomorph-anamorph type life cycles, and the latter one has the anamorph type. Phylogenetic and morphological data suggest that C. anglusa possibly evolved from the teleomorph type ancestor and that C. ramulosa differentiated from the teleomorph-anamorph type ancestor relating to C. prolifera. Similar species differentiation associated with shifting of life cycle types probably occurred in several lineages in Corollospora.