Taxonomy of Ochroconis, genus including opportunistic pathogens on humans and animals

Abstract

The genus Ochroconis (Sympoventuriaceae, Venturiales) is revised and currently contains 13 species for which the phylogenetic position has been determined using multilocus sequencing. The older generic name Scolecobasidium is considered to be of doubtful identity because the type specimen is ambiguous. Within the Ochroconis lineage, phylogenetic distances of all markers analyzed are exceptionally large, both between and within species. A new genus Verruconis is proposed for the neurotropic opportunist Ochroconis gallopava. Species accepted within the lineages are keyed out on the basis of phenotypic characters. Main ecological traits within each species are discussed. Verruconis species are thermophilic and one of them is an important agent of infection in the brain, while Ochroconis is mesophilic, several species causing infections in cold-blooded animals.