Macrogyrodactylus spp. from the gills of Clarias gariepinus in Zimbabwe and Kenya, and C. anguillaris in Senegal were identified using haptoral sclerite morphology and by sequencing the nuclear ribosomal DNA internal transcribed spacers (ITS) 1 and 2, partial 18S and the complete 5.8S rRNA gene. A molecular phylogeny was constructed using all sequenced Macrogyrodactylus species to date. Based o...

Grey leaf spot is a serious yield-reducing disease of maize (Zea mays) in many parts of the world where this crop is cultivated. The causal organism associated with the disease is Cercospora zeae-maydis. Two potential sibling species have been recognized as Groups I and II. The DNA sequences for the internal transcribed spacers (ITS1 & ITS2), the 5.8S rRNA gene, elongation factor 1-alpha, histo...

The specific identification of Lymnaeid snails is based on a comparison of morphological characters of the shell, radula, renal and reproductive organs. However, the identification is complicated by dissection process, intra and interspecific similarity and variability of morphological characters. In the present study, polymerase chain reaction and restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-...

Adult female mosquitoes within the subgenus Culex (Melanoconion) Theobald (Diptera: Culicidae) are difÞcult to identify to species using external morphological features. We present two multiplexed polymerase chain reaction assays that quickly and accurately identify specimens from the southeastern United States based on sequence differences in the internal transcribed spacers of the ribosomal D...

Phylogenetic analysis of new ribosomal DNA (rDNA) data for Heterodera mediterranea, H. hordecalis, H. carotae, and H. fici from Italy and H. ciceri from Syria, along with published data for other species, showed high bootstrap support for the following relationships: (((((H. carotae H. cruciferae) H. goettingiana) (((H. trifolii H. ciceri) H. mediterranea) ((H. avenae H. latipons) H. fici))) (C...

Twenty-six species of microfungi are treated, the majority of which are associated with leaf spots of Corymbia, Eucalyptus and Syzygium spp. (Myrtaceae). The treated species include three new genera, Bagadiella, Foliocryphia and Pseudoramichloridium, 20 new species and one new combination. Novelties on Eucalyptus include: Antennariella placitae, Bagadiellalunata, Cladoriella rubrigena, C. paleo...

The monophyletic status of the genus Massam'na was evaluated on the basis of phylogenetic analysis of the partial small subunit gene (SSU), internal transcribed spacers (ITS 1 & 2), and 5.8s gene sequences of the ribosomal DNA. Species of Massarina used in the study clustered into two distinct clades with high bootstrap support in trees generated from maximum parsimony, weighted parsimony, maxi...

RNA sequencing (RNAseq) technology recently allowed the identification of thousands of small RNAs (sRNAs) within the prokaryotic kingdom. However, drawing the comprehensive interaction map of a sRNA remains a challenging task. To address this problem, we recently developed a method called MAPS (MS2 affinity purification coupled with RNA sequencing) to characterize the full targetome of specific...

A rapid multiplex real-time PCR assay was developed to achieve highly specific, simultaneous detection of two kinds of mushrooms, Omphalotus guepiniformis and Lentinula edodes. Primers and TaqMan minor groove binder probes were designed according to the internal transcribed spacers 1-5.8S region of rDNA and evaluated by the specificity for fruiting bodies of 17 O. guepiniformis, 16 L. edodes an...

We report a case of eumycetoma due to Cladophialophora bantiana in a 3-year-old male Siberian Husky living in France. The dog presented a tumefaction on the thorax and deformity of the second and third subjacent ribs, which were surgically removed. Macroscopic black granules were visible on the ribs, and direct microscopic examination revealed their fungal origin. Cultures yielded pure colonies...