Mazaedium evolution in the Ascomycota (Fungi) and the classification of mazaediate groups of formerly unclear relationship

Calicioid or mazaediate fungi constitute a heterogeneous assemblage of fungi sharing the presence of a mazaedium. These fungi were once treated as an order (Caliciales) of the Ascomycota but many are now known to be nested within the Arthoniomycetes, Eurotiomycetes, Lecanoromycetes and Leotiomycetes. In this study we employ multigene phylogenetic analyses of main mazaediate groups (based on nuclear 18S, 28S, 5.8S rDNA, mitochondrial 16S, and the protein coding RPB1 and Mcm7) of 116 taxa corresponding to most major groups of the inoperculate ascomycetes (Leotiomyceta) and a selection of Pezizomycetes, to trace the evolution of the mazaedium in the Pezizomycotina (the Euascomycetes). In particular, we studied the placement of three calicioid groups of uncertain position, Calycidiaceae, Coniocybaceae and Microcaliciaceae. Here, we show that the Calycidiaceae is closely related to the Sphaerophoraceae in the Lecanoromycetidae (Lecanoromycetes), as supported by overall morphology and the production of sphaerophorin. The Coniocybaceae constitute an early divergent line in the inoperculate ascomycetes and here we propose to recognize this group formally as the new class and order Coniocybomycetes, Coniocybales. The Microcaliciaceae is nested within the Ostropomycetidae (Lecanoromycetes). Both Coniocybaceae and Microcaliciaceae, although highly distinctive, lack morphological similarities to related main fungal groups. Ancestral state reconstruction suggests that the ancestor of all inoperculate ascomycetes and the ancestor of all main inoperculate ascomycete groups, with the exception of the Coniocybomycetes, was non-mazediate, and thus confirms the large amount of parallel evolution and independent gains of the mazaedium in the history of the Ascomycota.