V.V. Aleoshin’s research while affiliated with Lomonosov Moscow State University and other places

The cryptophytes of the Black Sea are a poorly studied group that has yet to be fully resolved using comprehensive taxonomic approaches, including electron microscopy and molecular genetics. This study describes Proteomonas agilis sp. nov. belonging to a marine cryptophyte genus formerly thought to be monotypic. The morphological characters of the new species align with those currently used to delineate the genus Proteomonas , and are similar to those of the haplomorph P. sulcata , the type species, with minor morphological and molecular modifications. Phylogenetic relationships inferred from nuclear-encoded SSU, LSU, and ITS2 rDNA datasets confirmed that the new species belongs to the monophyletic genus Proteomonas , which is divided into two unequal branches. The largest and relatively long branch contains 18 strains, including P. agilis sp. nov. Comparison of ITS2 rRNA secondary structures using the compensatory base changes approach confirmed the distinction of P. agilis sp. nov. from the other Proteomonas strains. Our findings revealed that the cryptophyte genus Proteomonas is not monotypic but includes a range of unstudied species besides the type species P. sulcata and P. agilis sp. nov. described in this study. Therefore, an integrated approach is required for a careful revision of the genus.

Fungi are one of the most diverse groups of organisms with an estimated number of species in the range of 2–3 million. The higher-level ranking of fungi has been discussed in the framework of molecular phylogenetics since Hibbett et al., and the definition and the higher ranks (e.g., phyla) of the ‘true fungi’ have been revised in several subsequent publications. Rapid accumulation of novel genomic data and the advancements in phylogenetics now facilitate a robust and precise foundation for the higher-level classification within the kingdom. This study provides an updated classification of the kingdom Fungi , drawing upon a comprehensive phylogenomic analysis of Holomycota , with which we outline well-supported nodes of the fungal tree and explore more contentious groupings. We accept 19 phyla of Fungi, viz . Aphelidiomycota , Ascomycota , Basidiobolomycota , Basidiomycota , Blastocladiomycota , Calcarisporiellomycota , Chytridiomycota , Entomophthoromycota , Entorrhizomycota , Glomeromycota , Kickxellomycota , Monoblepharomycota , Mortierellomycota , Mucoromycota , Neocallimastigomycota , Olpidiomycota , Rozellomycota , Sanchytriomycota, and Zoopagomycota . In the phylogenies, Caulochytriomycota resides in Chytridiomycota ; thus, the former is regarded as a synonym of the latter, while Caulochytriomycetes is viewed as a class in Chytridiomycota . We provide a description of each phylum followed by its classes. A new subphylum, Sanchytriomycotina Karpov is introduced as the only subphylum in Sanchytriomycota . The subclass Pneumocystomycetidae Kirk et al. in Pneumocystomycetes , Ascomycota is invalid and thus validated. Placements of fossil fungi in phyla and classes are also discussed, providing examples.

The phylum Nematoda remains very poorly sampled for mtDNA, with a strong bias toward parasitic, economically important or model species of the Chromadoria lineage. Most chromadorian mitogenomes share a specific order of genes encoded on one mtDNA strand. However, the few sequenced representatives of the Dorylaimia lineage exhibit a variable order of mtDNA genes encoded on both strands. While the ancestral arrangement of nematode mitogenome remains undefined, no evidence has been reported for Enoplia, the phylum's third early divergent major lineage. We describe the first mitogenome of an enoplian nematode, Campydora demonstrans, and contend that the complete 37-gene repertoire and both-strand gene encoding are ancestral states preserved in Enoplia and Dorylaimia versus the derived mitogenome arrangement in some Chromadoria. The C. demonstrans mitogenome is 17,018 bp in size and contains a noncoding perfect inverted repeat with 2013 bp-long arms, subdividing the mitogenome into two coding regions. This mtDNA arrangement is very rare among animals and instead resembles that of chloroplast genomes in land plants. Our report broadens mtDNA taxonomic sampling of the phylum Nematoda and adds support to the applicability of cox1 gene as a phylogenetic marker for establishing nematode relationships within higher taxa.

The Global Consortium for the Classification of Fungi and fungus-like taxa is an international initiative of more than 550 mycologists to develop an electronic structure for the classification of these organisms. The members of the Consortium originate from 55 countries/regions worldwide, from a wide range of disciplines, and include senior, mid-career and early-career mycologists and plant pathologists. The Consortium will publish a biannual update of the Outline of Fungi and funguslike taxa, to act as an international scheme for other scientists. Notes on all newly published taxa at or above the level of species will be prepared and published online on the Outline of Fungi website (https://www.outlineoffungi.org/), and these will be finally published in the biannual edition of the Outline of Fungi and fungus-like taxa. Comments on recent important taxonomic opinions on controversial topics will be included in the biannual outline. For example, ‘to promote a more stable taxonomy in Fusarium given the divergences over its generic delimitation’, or ‘are there too many genera in the Boletales?’ and even more importantly, ‘what should be done with the tremendously diverse ‘dark fungal taxa?’ There are undeniable differences in mycologists’ perceptions and opinions regarding species classification as well as the establishment of new species. Given the pluralistic nature of fungal taxonomy and its implications for species concepts and the nature of species, this consortium aims to provide a platform to better refine and stabilize fungal classification, taking into consideration views from different parties. In the future, a confidential voting system will be set up to gauge the opinions of all mycologists in the Consortium on important topics. The results of such surveys will be presented to the International Commission on the Taxonomy of Fungi (ICTF) and the Nomenclature Committee for Fungi (NCF) with opinions and percentages of votes for and against. Criticisms based on scientific evidence with regards to nomenclature, classifications, and taxonomic concepts will be welcomed, and any recommendations on specific taxonomic issues will also be encouraged; however, we will encourage professionally and ethically responsible criticisms of others’ work. This biannual ongoing project will provide an outlet for advances in various topics of fungal classification, nomenclature, and taxonomic concepts and lead to a community-agreed classification scheme for the fungi and fungus-like taxa. Interested parties should contact the lead author if they would like to be involved in future outlines.

Citation: Paskerova, G.G.; Miroliubova, T.S.; Valigurová, A.; Aleoshin, V.V.; Simdyanov, T.G. Morphological and Phylogenetic Study of Protococcidians Sheds Light on the Evolution of Epicellular Parasitism in Sporozoa (Apicomplexa), with the Description of Eleutheroschizon planoratum sp. nov. Diversity 2023, 15, 863. https:// Abstract: The order Protococcidiida is one of the most poorly studied basal groups of Sporozoa (Apicomplexa sensu stricto). To date, the phylogenetic unity of protococcidians and their relationship with other sporozoans are understudied. Only the protococcidian Eleutheroschizon duboscqi has molecular evidence of a sister position to "true" coccidians (Eimeria, Sarcocystis, Toxoplasma). E. duboscqi is characterized by epicellular development in the so-called parasitophorous sac of the host cell origin. The unusual localization of Eleutheroschizon is comparable to that of Cryptosporidium. We describe a new species of the genus, E. planoratum ex Naineris quadricuspida polychaete from the White Sea, using light and electron microscopy. The morphology of attachment apparatus, phylogenetic analyses of concatenated DNA sequences of the nuclear ribosomal operon (SSU rDNA, ITS1, 5.8S rDNA, ITS2, and LSU rDNA), and compensatory base changes in ITS2 secondary structures of both protococcidians confirm the new species. The resulting phylogenies also confirm that Eleutheroschizon is sister to eimeriid coccidians, while Cryptosporidium tends to be grouped with gregarines. We discuss a new type of endoparasitism among sporozoans-the closed epicellular parasitism that evolved convergently in Eleutheroschizon and Cryptosporidium. The diagnosis of the new species and the emended diagnoses of the species E. duboscqi and the genus Eleutheroschizon are presented.

Graphic abstract