Tuber pulchrosporum sp. nov., a black truffle of the Aestivum clade (Tuberaceae, Pezizales) from the Balkan peninsula

Knowledge on the diversity of hypogeous sequestrate ascomycetes is still limited in the Balkan Peninsula. A new species of truffle, Tuber pulchrosporum, is described from Greece and Bulgaria. Specimens were collected from habitats dominated by various oak species (i.e. Quercus ilex, Q. coccifera, Q. robur) and other angiosperms. They are morphologically characterised by subglobose, ovoid to irregularly lobed, yellowish-brown to dark brown ascomata, usually with a shallow basal cavity and surface with fissures and small, dense, almost flat, trihedral to polyhedral warts. Ascospores are ellipsoid to subfusiform, uniquely ornamented, crested to incompletely reticulate and are produced in (1–)2–8-spored asci. Hair-like, hyaline to light yellow hyphae protrude from the peridium surface. According to the outcome of ITS rDNA sequence analysis, this species forms a distinct well-supported group in the Aestivum clade, with T. panniferum being the closest phylogenetic taxon

Phylogenetic overview of the genus Genea (Pezizales, Ascomycota) with an emphasis on European taxa

We constructed a comprehensive phylogeny of the genus Genea, with new molecular data from samples collected in several countries in temperate and Mediterranean Europe, as well as North America. Type specimens and authentic material of most species were examined to support identifications. The molecular identity of the most common species in Genea was compared with nuc rDNA internal transcribed spacer (ITS), D1-D2 domains of 28S nuc rDNA (28S rDNA) and translation elongation factor 1-α ene (TEF1) profiles of 10 recently proposed taxa, G. brunneocarpa, G. compressa, G. dentata, G. fageticola, G. lobulata, G. oxygala, G. pinicola, G. pseudobalsleyi, G. pseudoverrucosa and G. tuberculata, supporting their status as distinct species. Genea mexicana and G. thaxteri on the one hand and G. sphaerica and G. lespiaultii on the other are closely related. Multiple lineages were recorded for G. verrucosa and G. fragrans, but we found no morphological traits to discriminate among them, so we tentatively interpreted them as cryptic species. A key to species of the genus Genea is provided to facilitate identification. We provide macroscopic images of fresh specimens and of representative spores of most species. Finally, we conducted a molecular analysis of the divergence time for Genea and discuss the implications of our results.This is the publisher’s final pdf. The published article is copyrighted by the Mycological Society of America and can be found at: http://msafungi.org/mycologia/Keywords: phylogeny, taxonomy, Pyronemataceae, truffle fungi, hypogeous, Mediterranea

AlvaradoPhylogeneticOverviewGenus.pdf

We constructed a comprehensive phylogeny of the genus Genea, with new molecular data from samples collected in several countries in temperate and Mediterranean Europe, as well as North America. Type specimens and authentic material of most species were examined to support identifications. The molecular identity of the most common species in Genea was compared with nuc rDNA internal transcribed spacer (ITS), D1-D2 domains of 28S nuc rDNA (28S rDNA) and translation elongation factor 1-α ene (TEF1) profiles of 10 recently proposed taxa, G. brunneocarpa, G. compressa, G. dentata, G. fageticola, G. lobulata, G. oxygala, G. pinicola, G. pseudobalsleyi, G. pseudoverrucosa and G. tuberculata, supporting their status as distinct species. Genea mexicana and G. thaxteri on the one hand and G. sphaerica and G. lespiaultii on the other are closely related. Multiple lineages were recorded for G. verrucosa and G. fragrans, but we found no morphological traits to discriminate among them, so we tentatively interpreted them as cryptic species. A key to species of the genus Genea is provided to facilitate identification. We provide macroscopic images of fresh specimens and of representative spores of most species. Finally, we conducted a molecular analysis of the divergence time for Genea and discuss the implications of our results.Keywords: Mediterranean, hypogeous, Pyronemataceae, taxonomy, phylogeny, truffle fung

Phylogenetic studies in <i>Genabea, Myrmecocystis</i>, and related genera

<p>A multigene phylogenetic analysis of <i>Genabea, Myrmecocystis</i>, and related genera in Pyronemataceae was conducted to establish genetically supported generic limits. The nuc rDNA 28S gene, translation elongation factor 1-α gene (<i>TEF1</i>), and RNA polymerase II second-largest subunit gene (<i>RPB2</i>) significantly supported the monophyly of several distinct genera of hypogeous Pyronemataceae. The genetic identity of <i>Genabea fragilis</i> is established, and the new species <i>Genabea hyalospora, G. urbana, Myrmecocystis mediterranea</i>, and <i>M. microspora</i> are proposed to accommodate undescribed lineages. Two rare species, <i>M. sphaerospora</i> and <i>M. spinospora</i>, are tentatively identified based on collections that are morphologically similar to the original descriptions. The genus <i>Genea</i> was found to be monophyletic, except for <i>G. cazaresii</i>, which is nested among epigeous species of <i>Humaria</i>. The new combination <i>Humaria cazaresii</i> is proposed to accommodate this species.</p