DIVERSITY OF SAPROTROPHIC ANAMORPHIC ASCOMYCETES FROM NATIVE FORESTS IN ARGENTINA: AN UPDATED REVIEW

Abstract

Allegrucci, N.; M. N. Cabello & A. M. Arambarri. 2009. Diversity of Saprotrophic Anamorphic Ascomy- cetes from native forests in Argentina: an updated review. Darwiniana 47(1): 108-124. Eight regions of native forests have been recognized in Argentina: Chaco forest, Misiones rain forest, Tucuman-Bolivia forest (Yunga), Andean-Patagonian forest, Monte, Espinal, fluvial forests of the Paraguay, Parana and Uruguay rivers, and Talares in the Pampean region. We reviewed the available data concerning biodiversity of saprotrophic micro-fungi (anamorphic Ascomycota) in those native forests from Argentina, from the earliest collections, done by Spegazzini, to present. Among the above mentioned regions most studies on saprotrophic micro-fungi concentrates on the Andean-Pata- gonian forest, the fluvial forests of the Paraguay, Parana and Uruguay rivers and the Talares, in the Pampean region. There are only a few records of fungal species in other native forests. No record of anamorphic species of Ascomycota was previously available for Monte forests. From a comprehen- sive bibliographic review, a total of 344 species were registered, of which 81 (23,5%) are new spe- cies.This work manifests the lack of explorations in important areas of the country, and demonstrates the need to increase those studies.