AUTHOR=Karpov Sergey , Mamkaeva Maria A., Aleoshin Vladimir , Nassonova Elena , Lilje Osu , Gleason Frank H.

TITLE=Morphology, phylogeny, and ecology of the aphelids (Aphelidea, Opisthokonta) and proposal for the new superphylum Opisthosporidia

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Microbiology

VOLUME=5

YEAR=2014

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/microbiology/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2014.00112

DOI=10.3389/fmicb.2014.00112

ISSN=1664-302X

ABSTRACT=<p>The aphelids are a small group of intracellular parasitoids of common species of eukaryotic phytoplankton with three known genera <italic>Aphelidium, Amoeboaphelidium,</italic> and <italic>Pseudaphelidium,</italic> and 10 valid species, which form along with related environmental sequences a very diversified group. The phyla Microsporidia and Cryptomycota, and the class Aphelidea have recently been considered to be a deep branch of the Holomycota lineage forming the so called the ARM-clade which is sister to the fungi. In this review we reorganize the taxonomy of ARM-clade, and establish a new superphylum the Opisthosporidia with three phyla: Aphelida phyl. nov., Cryptomycota and Microsporidia. We discuss here all aspects of aphelid investigations: history of our knowledge, life cycle peculiarities, the morphology (including the ultrastructure), molecular phylogeny, ecology, and provide a taxonomic revision of the phylum supplied with a list of species. We compare the aphelids with their nearest relatives, the species of <italic>Rozella</italic>, and improve the diagnosis of the phylum Cryptomycota.</p>