A multigene phylogeny of the Dothideomycetes using four nuclear loci

We present an expanded multigene phy- logeny of the Dothideomycetes. The final data matrix consisted of four loci (nuc SSU rDNA, nuc LSU rDNA, TEF1, RPB2) for 96 taxa, representing five of the seven orders in the current classification of Dothideomycetes and several outgroup taxa repre- sentative of the major clades in the Pezizomycotina. The resulting phylogeny differentiated two main dothideomycete lineages comprising the pseudopar- aphysate Pleosporales and aparaphysate Dothideales. We propose the subclasses Pleosporomycetidae (or- der Pleosporales) and Dothideomycetidae (orders Dothideales, Capnodiales and Myriangiales). Further- more we provide strong molecular support for the placement of Mycosphaerellaceae and Piedraiaceae within the Capnodiales and introduce Davidiellaceae as a new family to accommodate species of Davidiella with Cladosporium anamorphs. Some taxa could not be placed with certainty (e.g. Hysteriales), but there was strong support for new groupings. The clade containing members of the genera Botryosphaeria and Guignardia resolved well but without support for any relationship to any other described orders and we hereby propose the new order Botryosphaeriales. These data also are consistent with the removal of Chaetothyriales and Coryneliales from the Dothideo- mycetes and strongly support their placement in the Eurotiomycetes.