Abstract
In this study, the taxonomic diversity of the Xylodon raduloides species complex (Hymenochaetales, Basidiomycota) is examined. Specimens were studied using an integrative taxonomic approach that includes molecular phylogenetic and morphological analyses, and environmental niche comparisons. Four different species were found inside the Xylodon raduloides complex, with a biogeographic distribution pattern bound by geographic regions: Europe, North America, Patagonia, and Australia–New Zealand. Molecular, morphological, and environmental evidences delimit two lineages within this complex: a Northern Hemisphere clade with longer basidiospores and wider ranges in temperature and precipitation tolerance, and a Southern Hemisphere clade with smaller and more spherical basidiospores, and an isothermal and more humid climate preference. The integrative taxonomic approach used in this study demonstrates congruence between data sets and shows how morphological and environmental characteristics contribute to the differentiation of fungal species complexes. By combining various sources of taxonomic information, three new species are described: Xylodon laurentianus, X. novozelandicus, and X. patagonicus.
Highlights
Corticioid fungi represent a polyphyletic group delimited by effused and resupinate basidiomes that usually grow on dead wood
The final alignments, including sequences retrieved from the The European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL)/GenBank/Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA) Data Bank of Japan (DDBJ) databases contained 41 Internal Transcribed Spacer (ITS) sequences for a dataset length of 502 characters, 20 Large Subunit (LSU) sequences with 772 characters, 17 rpb2 sequences with 646 characters and 13 tef-1α sequences with 613 characters
No X. raduloides sequences were available for rpb2 and tef-1α regions from the EMBL/GenBank/DDBJ databases
Summary
Corticioid fungi represent a polyphyletic group delimited by effused and resupinate basidiomes that usually grow on dead wood. One descriptor for these fungi is “paint on wood” which accurately characterizes their thin crust of reproductive structures, which are among the most elementary in Agaricomycetes. Studying the biodiversity of corticioid fungi presents an opportunity to explore their phylogeny Despite their apparent macromorphological homogeneity, according to Mueller et al (2007), there are more than 1800 described species, making them a highly diverse group. They have colonized a broad range of
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