Abstract
The marine anamorphic fungi. Cumulospora varia, Dendryphiella arenaria, Dendryphiella arenaria and Orbimyces spectabilis, have no known teleomorphs, and DNA sequence analyses were undertaken to determine their ordinal classification and putative teleomorphs. Molecular phylogenetic analyses of the combined SSU+LSU and ITS rDNA datasets were used to resolve the relationships between terrestrial (Dendryphiella vinosa) and marine Dendryphiella species (Dendryphiella (tremolo and Dendryphiella sauna), a genus with macronematous conidiophores, polytretic conidiogenous cells and dematriaceous phragmoconidia. The combined SSU+LSU rDNA dataset indicates that both marine Dendryphiella species cluster in the order Pleosporales and family Pleosporaceae. In analyses of the ITS rDNA dataset they form a sister clade to the Pleospora herbarum/Stemphylium species complex. Dendryphiella salina CY3139 clustered with another isolate CY3140, together with D. arenaria, indicating that marine Dendryphiella species are monophyletic. The evolutionary lineage of marine Dendryphiella species is closely related to that of the genera Pleospora and Stemphylium. Phylogenetic analysis of the SSU+LSU rDNA of Cumulospora varia and Orbimyces spectabilis indicates that their putative teleomorphs are to be found in the Lulworthiales. Cumulospora varia forms a sister group with Lulwoana uniseptata and its anamorph Zalerion maritimum. while Orbimyces spectabilis groups with Lulwoidea lignoarenaria.