''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 n ...

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 ...

'' 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 ''Backusella australiensis'' 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 Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of ...

'' Urquhart & Douch * ''

Backusella azygospora ''Backusella'' is the sole genus of zygote fungi in the family Backusellaceae, which is classified in the order Mucorales. Members of this genus have been often isolated from plant litter, from locations around the world. Taxonomy C. W. Hessel ...

'' T.R.L. Cordeiro ''et al''. * ''

Backusella chlamydospora ''Backusella'' is the sole genus of zygote fungi in the family Backusellaceae, which is classified in the order Mucorales. Members of this genus have been often isolated from plant litter, from locations around the world. Taxonomy C. W. Hessel ...

'' Hyang B. Lee & T.T.T. Nguyen * ''

Backusella circina ''Backusella'' is the sole genus of zygote fungi in the family Backusellaceae, which is classified in the order Mucorales. Members of this genus have been often isolated from plant litter, from locations around the world. Taxonomy C. W. Hessel ...

'' J.J. Ellis & Hesselt. – generic type species ::Synonym: ''Mucor pseudolamprosporus'' H. Nagan. & Hirahara ::Synonym: ''B. johorensis'' L.S. Loh ''et al''. * ''

Backusella constricta ''Backusella'' is the sole genus of zygote fungi in the family Backusellaceae, which is classified in the order Mucorales. Members of this genus have been often isolated from plant litter, from locations around the world. Taxonomy C. W. Hessel ...

'' D.X. Lima ''et al''. * ''

Backusella dispersa ''Backusella dispersa'' is a species of zygote fungus in the order Mucorales. It was originally described in 1910 by Hagem as '' Mucor dispersus'', but in 2020 it was combined by Andrew S. Urquhart and James K. Douch into the genus ''Backusell ...

'' (Hagem) Urquhart & Douch ::Basionym: ''M. dispersus'' Hagem * ''

Backusella gigacellularis ''Backusella'' is the sole genus of zygote fungi in the family Backusellaceae, which is classified in the order Mucorales. Members of this genus have been often isolated from plant litter, from locations around the world. Taxonomy C. W. Hessel ...

'' J.I. Souza ''et al''. * ''

Backusella granulispora ''Backusella'' is the sole genus of zygote fungi in the family Backusellaceae, which is classified in the order Mucorales. Members of this genus have been often isolated from plant litter, from locations around the world. Taxonomy C. W. Hessel ...

'' L.S. Loh & Kuthub. * ''

Backusella indica ''Backusella'' is the sole genus of zygote fungi in the family Backusellaceae, which is classified in the order Mucorales. Members of this genus have been often isolated from plant litter, from locations around the world. Taxonomy C. W. Hes ...

'' (Baijal & B.S. Mehrotra) Walther & de Hoog ::Basionym: ''M. recurvus'' var. ''indicus'' s '' 'indica' ''Baijal & B.S. Mehrotra * ''

Backusella koreana ''Backusella'' is the sole genus of zygote fungi in the family Backusellaceae, which is classified in the order Mucorales. Members of this genus have been often isolated from plant litter, from locations around the world. Taxonomy C. W. Hessel ...

'' Hyang B. Lee ''et al''. * ''

Backusella lamprospora ''Backusella'' is the sole genus of zygote fungi in the family Backusellaceae, which is classified in the order Mucorales. Members of this genus have been often isolated from plant litter, from locations around the world. Taxonomy C. W. Hessel ...

'' (Lendn.) Benny & R.K. Benj. (1975) ::Basionym: ''M. lamprosporus'' Lendn. ::Synonym: ''B. circina'' var. ''lamprospora'' (Lendn.) R.Y. Zheng * ''

Backusella liffmaniae ''Backusella liffmaniae'' 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 Patricia Liffman, who contributed to the protection of ex-t ...

'' Urquhart & Douch * ''

Backusella locustae ''Backusella'' is the sole genus of zygote fungi in the family Backusellaceae, which is classified in the order Mucorales. Members of this genus have been often isolated from plant litter, from locations around the world. Taxonomy C. W. Hes ...

'' Hyang B. Lee ''et al''. * ''

Backusella luteola ''Backusella luteola'' 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 yellow colony colouration. The type locality is Jack Cann Reser ...

'' Urquhart & Douch * ''

Backusella macrospora ''Backusella macrospora'' 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 large size of the sporangiospores. The type locality is Tarra ...

'' Urquhart & Douch * ''

Backusella mclennaniae ''Backusella mclennaniae'' 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 Australian mycologist Ethel Irene McLennan. The type loca ...

'' 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 ''Backusella'' is the sole genus of zygote fungi in the family Backusellaceae, which is classified in the order Mucorales. Members of this genus have been often isolated from plant litter, from locations around the world. Taxonomy C. W. Hes ...

'' (H. Nagan. ''et al''. ''ex'' Pidopl. & Milko) Walther & de Hoog ::Basionym: ''M. oblongiellipticus'' H. Nagan. ''et al''. ''ex'' Pidopl. & Milko * ''

Backusella oblongispora ''Backusella'' is the sole genus of zygote fungi in the family Backusellaceae, which is classified in the order Mucorales. Members of this genus have been often isolated from plant litter, from locations around the world. Taxonomy C. W. Hes ...

'' (Naumov) Walther & de Hoog ::Basionym: ''M. oblongisporus'' Naumov * ''

Backusella parvicylindrica ''Backusella parvicylindrica'' 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 from Latin ''parvus'' (small) and Greek ''kylindros'' (cylinder), r ...

'' Urquhart & Douch * ''

Backusella psychrophila ''Backusella psychrophila'' 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 inability of this species to grow above 30 ˚C. The type lo ...

'' Urquhart & Douch * ''

Backusella recurva ''Backusella'' is the sole genus of zygote fungi in the family Backusellaceae, which is classified in the order Mucorales. Members of this genus have been often isolated from plant litter, from locations around the world. Taxonomy C. W. Hes ...

'' (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 ''Backusella tarrabulga'' 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; Tarra-Bulga National Park The Tarra-Bulga ...

'' Urquhart & Douch * '' Backusella thermophila'' Hyang B. Lee ''et al''. * ''

Backusella tuberculispora ''Backusella'' is the sole genus of zygote fungi in the family Backusellaceae, which is classified in the order Mucorales. Members of this genus have been often isolated from plant litter, from locations around the world. Taxonomy C. W. Hes ...

'' (Schipper 1978) G. Walther & de Hoog ::Basionym: ''M. tuberculisporus'' Schipper 1978 ::Synonym: ''M. heterosporus'' ''sensu'' Baijal & Mehrotra; ''fide'' Schipper * ''

Backusella variabilis ''Backusella'' is the sole genus of zygote fungi in the family Backusellaceae, which is classified in the order Mucorales. Members of this genus have been often isolated from plant litter, from locations around the world. Taxonomy C. W. Hessel ...

'' (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'' 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 ''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 r ...

'' (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.

Taxonomy

Accepted species

Former species

See also

References

Further reading