''Backusella'' is the sole
genus
Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms as well as viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus comes above species and below family. In binomial nom ...
of
zygote fungi in the family Backusellaceae, which is classified in the order
Mucorales
The Mucorales is the largest and best studied order of zygomycete fungi. Members of this order are sometimes called pin molds. The term mucormycosis is now preferred for infections caused by molds belonging to the order Mucorales.
Systematics ...
.
Members of this genus have been often isolated from
plant litter
Plant litter (also leaf litter, tree litter, soil litter, litterfall or duff) is dead plant material (such as leaves, bark, needles, twigs, and cladodes) that have fallen to the ground. This detritus or dead organic material and its constitue ...
, from locations around the world.
Taxonomy
C. W. Hesseltine and J. J. Ellis recognised the uniqueness of a new species, ''B. circina'', warranted its classification in a new genus; in 1969 they established ''Backusella'', named in honour of Professor M. P. Backus. Since then, several species previously placed in the archetypal
mucoralean genus ''
Mucor
''Mucor'' is a microbial genus of approximately 40 species of molds in the family Mucoraceae. Species are commonly found in soil, digestive systems, plant surfaces, some cheeses like Tomme de Savoie, rotten vegetable matter and iron oxide re ...
'' were reassessed, found to be close relatives of ''B. circina'', and combined into ''Backusella'' as additional ''Backusella'' species, while other species were discovered and classified outright as ''Backusella''.
K. Voigt & P.M. Kirk established the family Backusellaceae to include ''Backusella'' in 2012, as they likewise recognised the uniqueness of the genus and the need to classify it within a distinct family.
Accepted species
The genus consists of the following 27 accepted species:
* ''
Backusella australiensis''
Urquhart & Douch
* ''
Backusella azygospora''
T.R.L. Cordeiro ''et al''.
* ''
Backusella chlamydospora''
Hyang B. Lee & T.T.T. Nguyen
* ''
Backusella circina''
J.J. Ellis & Hesselt. – generic type species
::Synonym: ''Mucor pseudolamprosporus''
H. Nagan. & Hirahara
::Synonym: ''B. johorensis''
L.S. Loh ''et al''.
* ''
Backusella constricta''
D.X. Lima ''et al''.
* ''
Backusella dispersa''
(Hagem) Urquhart & Douch
::Basionym: ''M. dispersus''
Hagem
* ''
Backusella gigacellularis''
J.I. Souza ''et al''.
* ''
Backusella granulispora''
L.S. Loh & Kuthub.
* ''
Backusella indica''
(Baijal & B.S. Mehrotra) Walther & de Hoog
::Basionym: ''M. recurvus'' var. ''indicus''
s '' 'indica' ''Baijal & B.S. Mehrotra
* ''
Backusella koreana''
Hyang B. Lee ''et al''.
* ''
Backusella lamprospora''
(Lendn.) Benny & R.K. Benj. (1975)
::Basionym: ''M. lamprosporus''
Lendn.
::Synonym: ''B. circina'' var. ''lamprospora''
(Lendn.) R.Y. Zheng
* ''
Backusella liffmaniae''
Urquhart & Douch
* ''
Backusella locustae''
Hyang B. Lee ''et al''.
* ''
Backusella luteola''
Urquhart & Douch
* ''
Backusella macrospora''
Urquhart & Douch
* ''
Backusella mclennaniae''
Urquhart & Douch
* ''
Backusella morwellensis
''Backusella morwellensis'' is a species of zygote fungus in the order Mucorales. It was described by Andrew S. Urquhart and James K. Douch in 2020. The specific epithet refers to the type locality; Morwell National Park, Australia.
See also
* ...
''
Urquhart & Douch
* ''
Backusella oblongielliptica''
(H. Nagan. ''et al''. ''ex'' Pidopl. & Milko) Walther & de Hoog
::Basionym: ''M. oblongiellipticus''
H. Nagan. ''et al''. ''ex'' Pidopl. & Milko
* ''
Backusella oblongispora''
(Naumov) Walther & de Hoog
::Basionym: ''M. oblongisporus''
Naumov
* ''
Backusella parvicylindrica''
Urquhart & Douch
* ''
Backusella psychrophila''
Urquhart & Douch
* ''
Backusella recurva''
(E.E. Butler) Walther & de Hoog
::Basionym: ''M. recurvus''
E.E. Butler
::Synonym: ''M. recurvus'' var. ''aspinosus''
L.S. Loh
::Synonym: ''M. aromaticus''
Povah
* ''
Backusella tarrabulga''
Urquhart & Douch
* ''
Backusella thermophila''
Hyang B. Lee ''et al''.
* ''
Backusella tuberculispora''
(Schipper 1978) G. Walther & de Hoog
::Basionym: ''M. tuberculisporus''
Schipper 1978
::Synonym: ''M. heterosporus''
''sensu'' Baijal & Mehrotra; ''fide'' Schipper
* ''
Backusella variabilis''
(A.K. Sarbhoy) G. Walther & de Hoog
::Basionym: ''M. variabilis''
A.K. Sarbhoy
::Synonym: ''M. grandis''
Schipper & Samson
::Synonym: ''B. grandis''
(Schipper & Samson) G. Walther & de Hoog
* ''
Backusella westeae
''Backusella westeae'' is a species of zygote fungus in the order Mucorales. It was described by Andrew S. Urquhart and James K. Douch in 2020. The specific epithet is in honour of mycologist Gretna Margaret Weste. The type locality is Tarra-Bu ...
''
Urquhart & Douch
Former species
The following species was at one point considered by some authorities to be in the genus ''Backusella'', although this is no longer so:
* ''
Mucor ctenidius''
(Durrell & M. Fleming) Pidopl. & Milko ''ex'' Benny & R.K. Benj.
::Basionym: ''
Thamnidium
''Thamnidium'' is a genus of fungi belonging to the family Mucoraceae.
The genus was circumscribed in 1809 by Johann Heinrich Friedrich Link.
''Thamnidium'' molds are key participants in the aging process for dry aged beef, producing protease ...
ctenidium''
Durrell & M. Fleming
::Synonym: ''B. ctenidia''
(Durrell & M. Fleming) Pidopl. & Milko ''ex'' Benny & R.K. Benj.
See also
*
References
Further reading
*
*
{{Taxonbar, from=Q10424186
Mucoraceae
Taxa described in 1969
Taxa described in 2012
Zygomycota genera