title: Reconsidering species boundaries in the Ceratocystis paradoxa complex, including a new species from oil palm and cacao in Cameroon.
abstract: The Ceratocystis paradoxa complex accommodates a group of fungal pathogens that have become specialized to infect mostly monocotyledonous plants. Four species currently are recognized in this group, including C. paradoxa, which has a widespread distribution and broad host range. In this study, multigene phylogenetic analyses involving sequences of the ITS, β-tubulin and TEF-1α gene loci, in combination with phenotypic and mating studies, were used to characterize purported C. paradoxa isolates from Cameroon and to compare them with isolates from elsewhere, including protologs and type specimens of known species. We show that the C. paradoxa complex comprises substantially greater species diversity than previously recognized. One new species in this group is described from Cameroon as Ceratocystis cerberus, while C. paradoxa sensu stricto (s. str.) and four other species are redefined. Lectotypes are designated for C. ethacetica and Endoconidium fragrans (synonym of C. ethacetica), while epitypes are designated for C. paradoxa s. str., C. ethacetica and C. musarum. A neotype is designated for Catenularia echinata (synonym of C. ethacetica) and two species, previously treated in Thielaviopsis, are transferred to Ceratocystis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Plant Pathology, Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute (FABI), Private Bag X20, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, 0028, South Africa.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mbenoun
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Plant Pathology, Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute (FABI), Private Bag X20, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, 0028, South Africa.
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Wilhelm de Beer
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Plant Pathology, Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute (FABI), Private Bag X20, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, 0028, South Africa.
authors.forename: Michael J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Wingfield
authors.affiliation: Department of Genetics, Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute (FABI), Private Bag X20, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, 0028, South Africa.
authors.forename: Brenda D
authors.initials: BD
authors.lastname: Wingfield
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Plant Pathology, Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute (FABI), Private Bag X20, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, 0028, South Africa Jolanda.Roux@up.ac.za.
authors.forename: Jolanda
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Roux
mesh_terms: D028023:Arecaceae / Q000382:microbiology*; D001203:Ascomycota / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D001483:Base Sequence; D002099:Cacao / Q000382:microbiology*; D002163:Cameroon; D004271:DNA, Fungal / Q000235:genetics; D021903:DNA, Ribosomal Spacer / Q000235:genetics; D005656:Fungal Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D058885:Multilocus Sequence Typing; D016533:Mycological Typing Techniques; D020648:Peptide Elongation Factor 1 / Q000235:genetics; D010802:Phylogeny; D010935:Plant Diseases / Q000382:microbiology*; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D013172:Spores, Fungal; D014404:Tubulin / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D004271:DNA, Fungal; D021903:DNA, Ribosomal Spacer; D005656:Fungal Proteins; D020648:Peptide Elongation Factor 1; D014404:Tubulin
keywords: Ceratocystidaceae; Microascales; Thielaviopsis; phylogenetic species concept