A synopsis and re-circumscription of Neurospora (syn. Gelasinospora) based on ultrastructural and 28S rDNA sequence data

Neurospora and Gelasinospora are traditionally distinguished by the ornamentation pattern of the surface of their ascospores, which are ribbed in the former and pitted in the latter. However, a detailed examination of the morphology of numerous strains of most of the species of both genera confirm the hypothesis that there are not enough criteria to distinguish them from each other. The names Neurospora and Gelasinospora are synonymized and the circumscription of the genus Neurospora amended. Partial sequences of the 28S rDNA gene from 27 species of both genera were analysed to infer their phylogenetic relationships. Species of the two genera were interspersed in the different clades and confirmed that they are genetically very similar. The grouping obtained demonstrates that the morphology of the episporial-layer of the ascospores is an informative phylogenetic character. Two recent isolates from soils of Nigeria and Spain, which could not be classified as any known species of Neurospora are described, illustrated, and recognized as new: N. nigeriensis and N. uniporata spp. nov. A synopsis and key to the 49 species of Neurospora now recognized in the genus is presented, and the new genus Pseudogelasinospora described to accommodate P. amorphoporcata (syn. Gelasinospora amorphoporcata comb. nov.).