Introduction to Fungi, Third Edition

286 PLECTOMYCETES
Table 11.1. Classification of Plectomycetes following Geiser and LoBuglio (2001) and Kirk et al. (2001).
Order Family No. oftaxa Examples of
teleomorphs
Examples of
anamorphs
Ascosphaerales
(see Section11.2)
Onygenales
(see Section11.3)
Eurotiales
(see Section11.4)
Ascosphaeraceae 3 gen.,13 spp. Ascosphaera (mostly unknown)
Eremascaceae 1gen., 2 spp. Eremascus (unknown)
Onygenaceae
(see p. 290)
Arthrodermataceae
(see p. 293)
Gymnoascaceae
(see p. 295)
Myxotrichaceae
(see p. 295)
Trichocomaceae
(see p. 297)
22 gen.,57 spp. Ajellomyces,
Auxarthron,
Amauroascus,
Onygena
Malbranchea,
Chrysosporium,
Coccidioides,
Histoplasma,
Paracoccidioides,
Blastomyces
2gen.,48spp.
Ctenomyces, Chrysosporium,
Arthroderma Microsporum,
Epidermophyton,
Trichophyton
10 gen., 23 spp. Gymnoascus (mostly unknown)
4gen.,12spp. Myxotrichum Geomyces,
Malbranchea,
Oidiodendron
20 gen., 4500 spp. Byssochlamys,
Emericella,
Eupenicillium,
Eurotium,
Talaromyces
Aspergillus,
Paecilomyces,
Penicillium
Monascaceae 2 gen.,7 spp. Monascus Basipetospora
Elaphomycetaceae 1gen.,20 spp. Elaphomyces (unknown)
(see p. 313)
representatives from all three orders, with a
particular emphasis on the Eurotiales which
contain the important anamorphic genera
Aspergillus and Penicillium.
11.2 Ascosphaerales
This small order currently comprises the 4
teleomorphic genera Arrhenosphaera (1 species),
Ascosphaera (11 species), Bettsia (1 species) and
Eremascus (2 species). The first three genera are
associated with beehives whereas Eremascus is
a food-spoilage fungus. All genera can grow on,
and sometimes require, substrates rich in sugar
or salt. Some species are truly xerophilic, i.e. they
can grow at water activities (a W ) lower than 0.85,
which is equivalent to a solution containing
60% glucose. Ascosphaerales are atypical of
the Plectomycetes because they do not produce
true cleistothecia, but DNA-based phylogenetic
studies have shown that they belong here (Berbee
et al., 1995).
11.2.1 Eremascus
In mycology as in many other areas of biology,
it is virtually impossible to establish a rule without
having to qualify it almost immediately
by giving exceptions and modifications to it.
Eremascus is a member of the Euascomycete clade
with free asci which are not organized into