Author
 |
Humber, Richard |
|
Submitted to: Mycotaxon
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal Publication Acceptance Date: 8/19/2012 Publication Date: 9/28/2012 Citation: Humber, R.A. 2012. Entomophthoromycota: a new phylum and reclassification for entomophthoroid fungi. Mycotaxon. 120:477-492. Interpretive Summary: This manuscript provides an overall reclassification of fungi from the order Entomophthorales in order to facilitate a set of future studies on the phylogeny of these fungi. This reclassification incorporates more recent gene-based information with the overall biology of these fungi. A series of difficulties in the treatments of the genera Basidiobolus and Neozygites in this new classification are discussed and points out the need to incorporate more than sequence-based data. This reclassification replaces the previous traditionally based classification of these fungi in one order and six families with one new phylum divided into three classes while retaining the previously defined family structure. Technical Abstract: One result of the recent phylogenetically based rejection of the phylum Zygomycota was the description of the subphylum Entomophthoromycotina (not assigned to any phylum) for fungi traditionally treated in the order Entomophthorales. More extensive gene-based analyses of these fungi suggest that they represent a monophyletic lineage distinct from all other fungi that deserves now to be recognized at the level of a new fungal phylum. These molecular data and further analyses of more traditional taxonomic criteria lead to this reclassification that still treats these fungi in six families, but that recognizes the new classes Basidiobolomycetes, Neozygitomycetes, and Entomophthoromycetes as well as the new order Neozygitales. Ballocephala and Zygnemomyces are rejected from Entomophthorales (Meristacraceae) and should be reclassified among the Kickxellomycotina. |
