Arenal, F. , G. Platas & F. Peláez. Taxonomic reconsideration of Epicoccum nigrum and Phoma epicoccina based on DNA sequences and morphological observations. Mycotaxon 89: 465-471. 2004.

ABSTRACT: The species Epicoccum nigrum and Phoma epicoccina were compared morphologically and molecularly. Some isolates originally identified as E. nigrum developed a "Phoma-like" pycnidial state. A phylogenetic tree derived from the sequences of the ITS region of a group of isolates from both species and other Phoma related species revealed that all the strains form a monophyletic group, and no further segregation was found among the isolates analyzed. Based on this data, together with morphological observations, we propose formally the synonymization of both species.

KEYWORDS: ITS, phylogeny, rDNA, synanamorph, taxonomy