Herpomycetales Explained

The Herpomycetales is an order of fungi within the class Laboulbeniomycetes. The order includes a single dioecious genus, Herpomyces, with 27 accepted species^[1] of obligate ectoparasites that are associated exclusively with cockroaches. Like the Laboulbeniales order, they produce cellular thalli. However, the thalli of Herpomyces are developmentally and morphologically unique.^{[2] [3] [4] [5]}

The order was described in 2019 based on the phylogenetic analysis of three gene regions.^[6] A more recent phylogeny found that Herpomycetales and Laboulbeniales are not sister clades,^[7] which provides evidence for the idea that the thallus originated at least twice in the class Laboulbeniomycetes. This is in line with the fact that thalli of both orders are developmentally and morphologically different.

The draft genome of Herpomyces periplanetae has been sequenced and assembled^[8] —the only one in the class thus far. Herpomyces periplanetae is a very widespread parasite on the antennae of adult cockroaches in the genus Periplaneta, like the common American cockroach, Periplaneta americana.

Notes and References

1. Gutierrez. Alejandra C.. Ordoqui. Eliana. Leclerque. Andreas. López Lastra. Claudia. 2020. A new species of Herpomyces (Laboulbeniomycetes: Herpomycetales) on Periplaneta fuliginosa (Blattodea: Blattidae) from Argentina. Mycologia. 112 . 6 . en. 1184–1191. 10.1080/00275514.2020.1726134. 32297827. 215795704 . 0027-5514.
2. Hill. Terry W.. 1977. Ascocarp ultrastructure of Herpomyces sp. (Laboulbeniales) and its phylogenetic implications. Canadian Journal of Botany. en. 55. 15. 2015–2032. 10.1139/b77-228. 0008-4026.
3. Tavares. Isabelle I.. 1965. Thallus development in Herpomyces Paranensis (Laboulbeniales). Mycologia. en. 57. 5. 704–721. 10.1080/00275514.1965.12018258. 0027-5514.
4. Tavares. Isabelle I.. 1966. Structure and development of Herpomyces stylopygae (Laboulbeniales). American Journal of Botany. en. 53. 4. 311–318. 10.1002/j.1537-2197.1966.tb07341.x.
5. Tavares. Isabelle I.. 1980. Notes on perithecial development in the Euceratomycetaceae fam. nov. (Laboulbeniales, Laboulbeniineae) and Herpomyces (Herpomycetineae).. Mycotaxon. 11. 485–492.
6. Haelewaters. Danny. Pfliegler. Walter P.. Gorczak. Michał. Pfister. Donald H.. April 2019. Birth of an order: Comprehensive molecular phylogenetic study excludes Herpomyces (Fungi, Laboulbeniomycetes) from Laboulbeniales. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. en. 133. 286–301. 10.1016/j.ympev.2019.01.007. 30625361. 2437/262843. 58645110 . free.
7. Blackwell. Meredith. Haelewaters. Danny. Pfister. Donald H.. 2020-03-17. Laboulbeniomycetes: Evolution, natural history, and Thaxter's final word. Mycologia. 112 . 6 . en. 1048–1059. 10.1080/00275514.2020.1718442. 32182189. 212750948 . 0027-5514.
8. Haelewaters. Danny. Okrasińska. Alicja. Gorczak. Michał. Pfister. Donald H.. 2020-02-06. Rokas. Antonis. Draft Genome Sequence of the Globally Distributed Cockroach-Infecting Fungus Herpomyces periplanetae Strain D. Haelew. 1187d. Microbiology Resource Announcements. en. 9. 6. MRA.01458–19, e01458–19. 10.1128/MRA.01458-19. 2576-098X. 7005119. 32029554.