Studies on three rare coprophilous plectomycetes from Italy

The concept of plectomycetes is discussed and their heterogeneity emphasised. Three ascohymenial cleistothecial ascomycetes, collected or isolated from herbivore or omnivore dung in damp chamber cultures, are described. Emericella quadrilineata and Lasiobolidium orbiculoides are discussed and compared morphologically with similar taxa. A key to Lasiobolidium and the related Orbicula is provided. The importance of the second worldwide isolation of Cleistothelebolus nipigonensis and the difficulties of distinguishing it from Pseudeurotium species are stressed. The Italian collection of C. nipigonensis from canid dung is compared with the original strain from wolf, and its epidermoid peridial tissue is regarded as one of the main morphological differentiating features from Pseudeurotium ovale. The morphological characteristics of the monospecific genus Cleistothelebolus are discussed and compared with those of Pseudeurotiaceae and Thelebolaceae, particularly with Pseudeurotium and Thelebolus. ITS and LSU rDNA sequences of the Cleistothelebolus isolate support its placement in Thelebolaceae.