Sarcodon in the neotropics: new species from Belize, Colombia, Guyana, and Puerto Rico

Graduation Date

2015

Document Type

Thesis

Program

Other

Program

Thesis (M.S.)--Humboldt State University, Biology, 2015

Committee Chair Name

Terry Henkel

Committee Chair Affiliation

HSU Faculty or Staff

Keywords

Guiana Shield, Tooth fungi, Bankeraceae, Colombia, Guyana, Thelephorales, Humboldt State University -- Theses -- Biology, Ectomycorrhizal fungi

Abstract

Eight species of the ectomycorrhizal (ECM) genus Sarcodon (Bankeraceae, Thelephorales, Basidiomycota) are described as new to science. Sarcodon quercophilus, and Sarcodon umbilicatus are described from Quercus (Fagaceae) cloud forests within the Maya Mountains of Belize. Sarcodon pakaraimensis is described from forests dominated by the ECM trees Pakaraimaea dipterocarpacea (Dipterocarpaceae) and Dicymbe jenmanii (Fabaceae subfam. Caesalpinioideae) in the Pakaraima Mountains of Guyana. Sarcodon portoricensis is described from lower montane wet forest within the El Yunque National Forest of Puerto Rico. Sarcodon colombiensis, Sarcodon rufogriseus, Sarcodon pallidogriseus, and Sarcodon bairdii are described from the Colombian Amazon in forests dominated by Pseudomonotes tropenbosii (Dipterocarpaceae) and "white sand" forests dominated by species of Dicymbe (Fabaceae subfam. Caesalpinioideae) and Aldina (Fabaceae subfam. Papilionoideae). The discovery of these eight new species is significant given that the majority of the approximately 87 previously described Sarcodon species are north temperate or boreal in distribution and frequently associate with coniferous host plants; these constitute the most recent records for Sarcodon from the greater Neotropics. Each of the new species is morphologically consistent with accepted diagnostic characters for Sarcodon: pileate-stipitate stature, a dentate hymenophore, determinate basidiomatal development, fleshy, non-zonate context, and brown, tuberculate basidiospores. DNA (ITS) sequence analysis corroborated the generic placement of S. pakaraimensis, S. portoricensis, S. quercophilus, S. umbilicatus, S. colombiensis, S. rufogriseus, S. pallidogriseus, and Sarcodon bairdii, and along with morphological differences, supported their recognition as distinct species. Macromorphological, micromorphological, habitat, and DNA sequence data from the nuc rDNA internal transcribed spacer region (ITS) are provided for each of the new species.

https://scholarworks.calstate.edu/concern/theses/8p58pg66q

Share

 
COinS