Systematic revision of species of Atractilina and Spiropes hyperparasitic on Meliolales (Ascomycota) in the tropics Author Bermudez-Cova, Miguel A. https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7712-7347 Mycology Research Group, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Goethe University Frankfurt Am Main, Frankfurt Am Main, Germany & Departamento de Biologia de Organismos, Division de Ciencias Biologicas, Universidad Simon Bolivar, Caracas, Venezuela miguelangelbermudez11@hotmail.com Author Hofmann, Tina A. https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1124-402X Centro de Investigaciones Micologicas (CIMi), Herbario UCH, Universidad Autonoma de Chiriqui, David, Panama Author Yorou, Nourou S. https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6997-811X Research Unit Tropical Mycology and Plants-Soil Fungi Interactions (MyTIPS), Faculty of Agronomy, University of Parakou, BP 123, Parakou, Benin Author Piepenbring, Meike https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7043-5769 Mycology Research Group, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Goethe University Frankfurt Am Main, Frankfurt Am Main, Germany text MycoKeys 2024 2024-04-11 103 167 213 http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/mycokeys.103.115799 journal article http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/mycokeys.103.115799 1314-4049-103-167 CF837EBCE0335B0E974E3AE4A1798F4A Spiropes japonicus (Henn.) M.B. Ellis, Mycol. Pap. 114: 22, 1968 Fig. 16 Podosporium japonicum ≡ Podosporium japonicum Henn., Bot. Jb. 29: 152, 1900. Helminthosporium insigne = Helminthosporium insigne Gaillard ex Sacc. [as ' Helmisporium '], Atti Accad. Sci. Ven.-Trent.-Istr. 10: 89, 1917. Description. Colonies effuse, amphigenous, sometimes dense, dark brown to black, with tightly packed hyphae that form large, erect, dark synnemata clearly visible under the stereomicroscope. Hyphae superficial, branched, septate, 1-4 µm wide, pale olivaceous-brown, smooth. Conidiophores tightly packed to form dark brown to blackish synnemata up to 1 mm high, spreading out at the apex and upper half of the synnemata; conidiophores individually flexuous or straight, thick-walled, septate, 6-8 µm thick, brown to dark brown at the base, paler towards the apex, smooth, with scattered cylindrical scars. Conidia solitary, fusiform to obclavate, with 4(-6) pseudosepta, (50-)67-80 x (7-)8-14 µm , 2-3 µm wide at the apex, 3-5 µm at the truncate base, pale brown to brown, striate. Figure 16. Spiropes japonicus (MB120, 123) a synnemata growing on a colony of Meliola sp. b conidiophores with scars and a young conidium, shown in optical section c a conidium shown in optical section (drawing on the left) and as seen by SEM (drawing on the right) d, e as seen by SEM d conidiophore with a scar e conidium. Scale bars: 1 mm ( a ); 10 μm ( b, c ); 3 μm ( d ); 9 μm ( d ). Specimens examined. On Meliola sp. on living leaves of Asteraceae , Panama , Chiriqui Province , Boqueron District , Chuspa Hydroelectric , 8°32'20"N , 82°36'21"W , 281 m a.s.l. , 6 March 2020 , M. A. Bermudez-Cova , A. Sanjur , S. Samaniego , MB120 (UCH15492); on Meliola sp. on living leaves of Fabaceae , Panama , Chiriqui Province , Bugaba District , area around Gariche River , 8°38'38.1"N , 82°41'19.6"W , 566 m a.s.l. , 8 March 2020 , M. A. Bermudez-Cova , A. Sanjur , A. Villarreal , MB123 (UCH15493, M) . Additional specimens examined. On Irenina entebbeensis on Alchornea hirtella ( Euphorbiaceae ), Sierra Leone , 1939, Makump, M 1774 (IMI 38813); on Asteridiella aucubae on Aucuba japonica ( Garryaceae ), Japan , Ise, 1899, P. Hennings (IMI 130973, type of Podosporium japonicum ) . Illustrations. This species was illustrated by Ellis (1968) . Known hosts and distribution. On colonies of Meliolales on living leaves of various plants in the Cook Islands, Japan, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea and Sierra Leone ( Ellis 1968 ). Spiropes japonicus is reported here for the first time for Panama. Notes. Spiropes japonicus is the only known synnematous species of Spiropes that produces conidia with 4-6 pseudosepta, as well as synnemata that splay out at the apex and upper half ( Ellis 1968 ).