Systematics and physiology of <i>Cladophialophora matsushimae</i> (<i>Chaetothyriales</i>) associated with ant carton and five new combinations in <i>Cladophialophora</i> and <i>Epibryon</i>

A black mould was isolated from an ant carton on dead petioles of <i>Phoenix roebelenii</i> during a survey of tropical ant-associated fungi. Morphology coupled with phylogeny based on the combined ITS, LSU, SSU, <i>tef1-α</i> and <i>β-tub</i> loci identified this taxon as <i>Cladophialophora matsushimae.</i> Maximum Likelihood and Bayesian Inference analyses were used to clarify the phylogenetic affinities of the species. Several global reports of <i>Cladophialophora matsushimae</i> linked the fungus to ant cartons, indicating a specific ecological preference observed repeatedly in <i>Chaetothyriales</i>. We provide microscopic and physiological characteristics of poorly known fungus, <i>C. matsushimae</i>. Furthermore, we transferred <i>Cladophialophora humicola</i> Crous &amp; U. Braun, <i>C. minutissima</i> M.L. Davey &amp; Currah, and <i>C. sylvestris</i> Crous &amp; de Hoog to <i>Epibryon</i> (<i>Epibryaceae</i>) and <i>Fonsecaea brasiliensis</i> V.A. Vicente, Najafz., C.H.W. Klaassen &amp; de Hoog and <i>F. minima</i> V.A. Vicente, Najafz., J.F. Sun &amp; de Hoog to <i>Cladophialophora</i>, introduce five new combinations based on phylogenetic evidences.