Morphological and molecular data for Australian Hebeloma species do not support the generic status of Anamika

Abstract

The first collection of a macrofungal agaric species, with morphological features similar to already described Anamika species, has been found in association with animal bones in north Queensland, Australia. This species also shares features with several, commonly occurring and previously described Australian Hebeloma species. An integrated morphological and molecular study has resulted in the conclusion that all Anamika species belong in Hebeloma. As a result, already described species of Anamika are recombined as H. indicum (K.A. Thomas, Peintner, M.M. Moser and Manim.) B.J. Rees & Orlovich, H. angustilamellatum (Zhu L. Yang and Z.W. Ge) B.J. Rees & Orlovich and H. lactariolens (Clémençon and Hongo) B.J. Rees & Orlovich. A. phylogenetic tree based on ribosomal ITS sequences examines the relationship of these species with other Hebeloma species from both hemispheres. Four new species, Hebeloma youngii B.J. Rees, H. nothofagetorum B.J. Rees, H. subvictoriense B.J. Rees, H. lacteocoffeatum B.J. Rees, and one form, H. aminophilum f. hygrosarx B.J. Rees, are described as new from Australia.

A SamoanHebelomawith phylogenetic ties to the western Pacific

“…1). The phylogeny presented here is consistent not only with the work of Rees et al (2013) but also of Yang et al (2005) in showing that the anamika clade is derived from within Hebeloma. As a result accepting Anamika as a genus would render Hebeloma polyphyletic.…”

“…2) and supports the recognition of a new species. In addition the nLSU-ITS and the ITS analysis also support the conclusion of Rees et al (2013) that the clade comprising the species of Anamika is derived from within Hebeloma and should not be given generic recognition.…”

“…In the case of Hebeloma ifeleletorum the phylogenetic and morphological evidence both point to a tight relationship with species that have been placed in the genus Anamika. The fact that all known Anamika species occur in Australia or Asia strongly suggests that H. ifeleletorum has connections to the western Pacific or India (Thomas et al 2002, Yang et al 2005, Rees et al 2013). …”

“…The question of whether this fungus is endemic to Samoa cannot be fully answered without further work on its geographical distribution. Rees et al (2013) (FIG. 1).…”

“…Unfortunately, with the exception of Anamika indica, none of the descriptions of the current Anamika species or of the Hebeloma species that cluster with it in the pleurocystidiate clade clearly indicate whether their spores possess cavernae (TABLE 1). Based on the currently available phylogenetic evidence and the inconsistent presence of pleurocystidia and cavernae among the fungi that could be placed in Anamika, it is preferable to follow Rees et al (2013) by placing all these species into Hebeloma.…”