New insights on Bjerkandera (Phanerochaetaceae, Polyporales) in the Neotropics with description of Bjerkandera albocinerea based on morphological and molecular evidence

Abstract

<jats:p>Background and aims – Bjerkandera is one of the few poroid genera in the Phanerochaetaceae family known to date. The genus has a worldwide distribution and is characterized by effused-reflexed, pileate basidiomata with a pale cream to smoky or mouse grey hymenophore that becomes darker when dried, and a monomitic hyphal structure with clamped generative hyphae. Morphological and phylogenetic studies have traditionally accepted only two species in the genus, B. adusta (generic type) and B. fumosa, both described from temperate Europe. Recently, three additional species, B. atroalba, B. centroamericana and B. mikrofumosa were described from the Neotropics. While studying polypores in the Yungas forests of northwest Argentina and the Atlantic Forest of southeast Brazil, several specimens of Bjerkandera were gathered. A comparative morphological study revealed that some of these specimens do not correspond to any of the known species in the genus. This study aimed to propose a broad species-level phylogenetic hypothesis for Bjerkandera in the Neotropics and worldwide and to discuss the taxonomic status and diversity of the species in this genus.Methods – This study is based on a morphological examination of specimens collected between 2012 and 2017, and on a revision of original collections, including the type specimens. A total of eleven ITS and seven nLSU sequences were generated and phylogenetic analyses based on Bayesian Inference (BI) and Maximum Likelihood (ML) were performed.Key results – An extensive documentation of the species diversity within Bjerkandera in the Neotropics is presented. Genetic data of B. mikrofumosa were obtained for the first time and its phylogenetic position was tested. Additionally, its geographic distribution was extended in the Neotropics to Argentina and Brazil. Finally, molecular and morphological evidence was used to propose a new species for the genus, Bjerkandera albocinerea sp. nov.Conclusion – This study provides an update of the known diversity of the genus in the Neotropics and worldwide. In addition, our results indicate that the number of taxa in Bjerkandera has been underestimated by morphological evidence, and may actually be greater than traditionally accepted.</jats:p>

Phylogeny and diversity of Bjerkandera (Polyporales, Basidiomycota), including four new species from South America and Asia

“…In our phylogeny (Fig. 1), the genus Bjerkandera was supported as a monophyletic clade, which was consistent with previous studies on monophyly nature of Bjerkandera (Westphalen et al 2015;Motato-Vásquez et al 2020). Bjerkandera ecuadorensis, B. fulgida, B. minispora, and B. resupinata were nested within the Bjerkandera forming four distinct lineages (95/98/1.00, 90/87/1.00, 100/100/1.00, and 60/85/0.90 respectively).…”

“…Based on the above morphological studies, Bjerkandera and Gloeoporus Mont. share some important characteristics, and both genera are confused about definition (Pilát 1937;Corner 1989;Motato-Vásquez et al 2020). Also, Tyromyces P. Karst.…”

“…Nevertheless, recent phylogenetic analyses have showed that Bjerkandera, Gloeoporus, and Tyromyces belong to different clades in the families Phanerochaetaceae Jülich (Syn. Bjerkanderaceae Jülich 1981), Irpicaceae Spirin & Zmitr., and Incrustoporiaceae Jülich, respectively (Binder et al 2013;Floudas and Hibbett 2015;Justo et al 2017;Jung et al 2018;Viktor and Bálint 2018;Cui et al 2019;Motato-Vásquez et al 2020). Morphologically, Tyromyces differs in pale tubes not darkening upon drying, and Gloeoporus usually has a continuum hymenium (covering the dissepiments) and gelatinous tubes (Ryvarden and Gilbertson 1993), while species of Bjerkandera have distinct sterile dissepiments, and corky to hard corky tubes.…”

“…was combined into Bjerkandera based on morphology and molecular phylogenetic analysis (Westphalen et al 2015). Recently, two new species, Bjerkandera albocinerea Motato-Vásq., Robledo & Gugliotta and B. centroamericana Kout, Westphalen & Tomšovský, were described from the neotropics based on morphological characters and molecular data (Westphalen et al 2015;Motato-Vásquez et al 2020). Additionally, B. mikrofumosa Ryvarden was described from Venezuela without molecular data (Ryvarden 2016), but DNA sequences from this species were generated by Motato-Vásquez et al (2020).…”

Diversity of Mycobiota Associated with the Cereal Cyst Nematode Heterodera filipjevi Originating from Some Localities of the Pannonian Plain in Serbia

“…Bjerkandera adusta and its sister species B. albocinerea species were originally described from temperate Europe and Brazil, respectively, growing mainly on dead deciduous hardwood logs [ 47 ]. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons are high-risk pollutants that affect human health because of their carcinogenic and mutagenic effects.…”