Revision of the Microsphaeropsis complex with addition of four new Paramicrosphaeropsis LWHou, L.Cai & Crous species from Zagrosian forest trees in Iran

Paramicrosphaeropsis L.W.Hou, L.Cai & Crous is a monophyletic taxon in Didymellaceae and includes two species to date. In a survey on microsphaeropsis-like fungi associated with Zagrosian forest trees in Iran, four new Paramicrosphaeropsis species were identified and described including P. amygdalus M.Mehrabi-Koushki, S.Artand, K.D.Hyde & Jayaward., sp. nov. from Amygdalus scoparia Spach., P. pistacicola M.Mehrabi-Koushki, S. Artand, K.D.Hyde & Jayaward., sp. nov. from Pistacia spp., P. salandica M.Mehrabi-Koushki, S.Artand, K.D.Hyde & Jayaward., sp. nov. from Crataegus sp., Nerium oleander L., Quercus brantii Lindl. and Ziziphus sp., and P. zagrosensis M.Mehrabi-Koushki, S.Artand, K.D.Hyde & Jayaward., sp. nov. from Crataegus sp. and Quercus brantii. Phylogenetic analyses based on a combination of four genomic regions, including the partial nuclear 28S ribosomal DNA (LSU), internal transcribed spacer regions 1 and 2 including the intervening 5.8S nuclear ribosomal DNA (ITS), partial beta-tubulin (tub2) and RNA polymerase II second largest subunit (rpb2), are provided to clarify the phylogenetic affinities of the new species and other taxa within the Microsphaeropsis complex. In addition, a new genus Heteromicrosphaeropsis M.Mehrabi-Koushki, K.D.Hyde & Jayaward., gen. nov. and five new combinations are introduced. The new combinations are Heteromicrosphaeropsis ononidicola (Thambug., Camporesi & K.D.Hyde) M.Mehrabi-Koushki, K.D.Hyde & Jayaward., comb. nov., Microsphaeropsis cytisi (W.J.Li & K.D.Hyde) M.Mehrabi-Koushki, K.D.Hyde & Jayaward., comb. nov., M. cytisicola (Wanas., Camporesi, E.B.G.Jones & K.D.Hyde) M.Mehrabi-Koushki, K.D.Hyde & Jayaward., comb. nov., M. cytisinus (Tennakoon, Camporesi & K.D.Hyde) M.Mehrabi-Koushki, K.D.Hyde & Jayaward., comb. nov. and M. minima (W.J.Li & K.D.Hyde) M.Mehrabi-Koushki, K.D.Hyde & Jayaward., comb. nov.