Fungi inhabiting attine ant colonies: reassessment of the genus Escovopsis and description of Luteomyces and Sympodiorosea gens. nov.

• Type of Material: Article
• Authors: Quimi Vidaurre Montoya, Universidade Estadual Paulista "Júlio de Mesquita Filho"; Maria Jesus Sutta Martiarena, Universidade Estadual Paulista "Júlio de Mesquita Filho"; Rodolfo Bizarria, Universidade Estadual Paulista "Júlio de Mesquita Filho"; Nicole Gerardo, Emory University; Andre Rodrigues, Universidade Estadual Paulista "Júlio de Mesquita Filho"
• Language: English
• Date: 2021-12-01
• Publisher: Springer Nature
• Publication Version: Final Published Version
• Copyright Statement: © The Author(s) 2021
• License: Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
• Final Published Version (URL): http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/s43008-021-00078-8
• Title of Journal or Parent Work: IMA Fungus
• Volume: 12
• Issue: 1
• Grant/Funding Information: We are also grateful to the National Science Foundation for financial support of NMG (NSF DEB-1754595 and DEB-1927161). AR also thanks Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq) for a fellowship (Grant # 305269/2018-6).; We are grateful to Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP) for financial support (Grants # 2014/24298-1, # 2017/12689-4 and #2019/03746-0) of AR and for scholarships (# 2016/04955-3 and # 2018/07931-3) to QVM.
• Keywords: ant colonies; Luteomyces; Fungi; Escovopsis; Sympodiorosea gens
• Research Categories: Biology, General

Abstract

Escovopsis is a diverse group of fungi, which are considered specialized parasites of the fungal cultivars of fungus-growing ants. The lack of a suitable taxonomic framework and phylogenetic inconsistencies have long hampered Escovopsis research. The aim of this study is to reassess the genus Escovopsis using a taxonomic approach and a comprehensive multilocus phylogenetic analysis, in order to set the basis of the genus systematics and the stage for future Escovopsis research. Our results support the separation of Escovopsis into three distinct genera. In light of this, we redefine Escovopsis as a monophyletic clade whose main feature is to form terminal vesicles on conidiophores. Consequently, E. kreiselii and E. trichodermoides were recombined into two new genera, Sympodiorosea and Luteomyces, as S. kreiselii and L. trichodermoides, respectively. This study expands our understanding of the systematics of Escovopsis and related genera, thereby facilitating future research on the evolutionary history, taxonomic diversity, and ecological roles of these inhabitants of the attine ant colonies.