The Ascomycete Conservation Specialist Group is making global assessments of the conservation status of 715 non-lichen-forming ascomycetes (including anamorphic fungi) as its contribution to the IUCN Sampled Red List Index for Microfungi. Selection of species is being made, as much as possible on a proportional basis, from each of the ascomycete orders recognized in the 9th edition of Ainsworth & Bisby's Dictionary of the Fungi, and from the two artificial classes of anamorphic fungi, the Hyphomycetes and Coelomycetes. The table below sets out all of these groups, indicating those excluded because they form lichens (and so are covered by the IUCN Lichen Specialist Group). For the groups which are not excluded, the table also provides information about the total number of known species, and the number of species to be sampled. To see draft lists of the species proposed to form the sample for each group, click on the appropriate name.

Ascomycete order / anamorphic class
[with optional comments]
Total number
of species
Number of species
to be sampled


Agyriales [lichen-forming]
Arthoniales [lichen-forming]
Boliniales 27 0
Calosphaeriales 41 1
Capnodiales 95 2
Chaetothyriales 106 3
Coryneliales 41 1
Diaporthales 447 10
Dothideales 533 12
Elaphomycetales 20 0
Erysiphales 494 11
Eurotiales 171 4
Gyalectales [lichen-forming]
Halosphaeriales 111 3
Helotiales 2022 46
Hypocreales 654 15
Hysteriales 83 2
Laboulbeniales 1869 42
Lahmiales 1 0
Lecanorales [lichen-forming]
Lichinales [lichen-forming]
Medeolariales 1 0
Meliolales 1583 36
Microascales 67 2
Microthyriales 348 8
Mycocaliciales [lichen-forming]
Mycosphaerellales 584 13
Myriangiales 96 2
Neolectales 3 0
Onygenales 106 2
Ophiostomatales 110 2
Ostropales 1460 33
Patellariales [lichen-forming]
Peltigerales [lichen-forming]
Pertusariales [lichen-forming]
Pezizales 1125 25
Phyllachorales 138 3
Pleosporales 1447 32
Pneumocystidales 1 0
Pyrenulales [lichen-forming]
Pyxidiophorales 16 0
Rhytismatales 261 6
Saccharomycetales 276 6
Schizosaccharomycetales 5 0
Sordariales 548 12
Spathulosporales 7 0
Taphrinales 115 3
Teloschistales [lichen-forming]
Thelebolales 15 0
Triblidiales 3 0
Trichosphaeriales 51 1
Trichotheliales [lichen-forming]
Verrucariales [lichen-forming]
Xylariales 803 18
Other ascomycetes [ascomycetes of unknown affinity] ? 0
coelomycetes [anamorphic ascomycetes of unknown affinity producing conidiomata; see note] 7000 157
hyphomycetes [anamorphic ascomycetes of unknown affinity not producing conidiomata; see note] 9000 202

Totals 31884 715

Note. The categories "coelomycete" and "hyphomycete" are recognized for anamorphic fungi, thought to be ascomycetes, but which do not produce the characteristic sexual stage. Following the 9th edition of Ainsworth & Bisby's Dictionary of the Fungi, the numbers in these two groups have been reduced by 15% (an estimate) to account for those species already counted through their teleomorph (sexual stage) name.

Call for Volunteers and Proposed Sample Species

Scientists with suitable experience and knowledge of ascomycetes and anamorphic fungi are invited as volunteers to assess different species as part of this project. They are also invited to comment on the lists set out below, and to propose other species for inclusion. Please send all communications to the Project Co-ordinator.

Draft List of Sample Species Arranged by Ascomycete Order / Anamorph Class

The following names have been proposed to be included in the list of sample species for this project. Proposals for further names are needed before a final selection is made. Please send all proposed names to the Project Co-ordinator.

Boliniales. 0 species to be sampled.

Calosphaeriales. 1 species to be sampled.

Capnodiales. 2 species to be sampled.

Chaetothyriales. 3 species to be sampled.

Coryneliales. 1 species to be sampled.

Diaporthales. 10 species to be sampled. Species so far proposed: Leucostoma cinctum, Leucostoma niveum, Leucostoma persoonii, Valsa ambiens, Valsa ceratosperma, Valsa cypri, Valsa malicola, Valsa salicina, Valsa sordida.

Dothideales. 12 species to be sampled.

Elaphomycetales. 0 species to be sampled. Species so far proposed: Elaphomyces muricatus.

Erysiphales. 11 species to be sampled.

Eurotiales. 4 species to be sampled.

Halosphaeriales. 3 species to be sampled.

Helotiales. 46 species to be sampled. Species so far proposed: Cyttaria berteroi, Cyttaria darwinii, Cyttaria espinosae, Cyttaria exigua, Cyttaria hookeri, Cyttaria johowii, Didymascella thujina, Lachnellula occidentalis, Lachnellula pini, Lachnellula subtilissima, Lachnellula suecica, Lachnellula wilkommii, Phacidium lacerum.

Hypocreales. 15 species to be sampled. Species so far proposed: Ascopolyporus polychrous.

Hysteriales. 2 species to be sampled.

Laboulbeniales. 42 species to be sampled.

Lahmiales. 0 species to be sampled.

Medeolariales. 0 species to be sampled.

Melioales. 36 species to be sampled.

Microascales. 2 species to be sampled.

Microthyriales. 8 species to be sampled.

Mycosphaerellales. 13 species to be sampled. Species so far proposed: Septoria antirrhini, Septoria cirsii, Septoria cornicola, Septoria geranii, Septoria lamiicola, Septoria pistaciae, Septoria rhamni-catharticae, Septoria sisymbrii, Septoria urticae, Septoria verbascicola.

Myriangiales. 2 species to be sampled.

Neolectales. 0 species to be sampled.

Onygenales. 2 species to be sampled.

Ophiostomatales. 2 species to be sampled.

Ostropales. 33 species to be sampled.

Pezizales. 25 species to be sampled. Species so far proposed: Gyromitra esculenta, Tuber aestivum, Tuber melanosporum.

Phyllachorales. 3 species to be sampled.

Pleosporales. 32 species to be sampled.

Pneumocystidales. 0 species to be sampled.

Pyxidiophorales. 0 species to be sampled.

Rhytismatales. 6 species to be sampled. Species so far proposed: Ascodichaena rugosa, Colpoma ledi, Cryptomyces maximus, Cryptomycina pteridis, Cyclaneusma niveum, Hypohelion scirpinum, Lophodermella conjuncta, Lophodermium agathidis, Lophodermium neesii, Lophodermium platyplacum, Lophomerum rhododendri, Marthamyces emarginatus, Rhabdocline pseudotsugae, Rhytisma salicinum, Zeus olympius.

Saccharomycetales. 6 species to be sampled.

Schizosaccharomycetales. 0 species to be sampled.

Sordariales. 12 species to be sampled.

Spathulosporales. 0 species to be sampled.

Taphrinales. 3 species to be sampled. Species so far proposed: Taphrina deformans.

Thelebolales. 0 species to be sampled.

Triblidiales. 0 species to be sampled.

Trichosphaeriales. 1 species to be sampled.

Xylariales. 18 species to be sampled. Species so far proposed: Diatrype bullata, Diatrype disciformis, Diatrype stigma, Xylaria hypoxylon, Xylaria polymorpha.

Other ascomycetes. 0 species to be sampled.

Coelomycetes. 157 species to be sampled.

Hyphomycetes. 202 species to be sampled. Species so far proposed: Slimacomyces monosporus.


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