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Outstanding Pinkish Brown-Spored Neotropical Boletes: Austroboletus subflavidus and Fistulinella gloeocarpa from the Dominican Republic

Summary

This research examines two species of mushrooms found in the Dominican Republic, expanding our understanding of fungal diversity in the Caribbean region. The study combines traditional morphological analysis with modern DNA techniques to better understand these species’ relationships and distribution. Impacts on everyday life: • Contributes to better understanding of fungal biodiversity in tropical regions • Helps mycologists and naturalists accurately identify these mushroom species • Advances our knowledge of fungal evolution and distribution patterns • Provides baseline data for future conservation efforts • Helps track potential changes in species distribution due to climate change

Background

With recent advancement of molecular techniques applied to boletoid mushrooms and related groups, several different generic and infrageneric lineages have been extensively investigated, revealing extraordinary diversity across temperate, subtropical and tropical environments. However, many genera in the Boletaceae have barely been investigated with molecular approaches, leading to unresolved phylogenetic relationships and unclear taxonomic limits.

Objective

To document and analyze the occurrence of Austroboletus subflavidus and Fistulinella gloeocarpa in the Dominican Republic, with F. gloeocarpa being reported for the first time outside its original locality in Martinique. The study aims to provide detailed morphological descriptions and determine phylogenetic relationships through multilocus analyses.

Results

Both species represent independent lineages within their respective genera based on phylogenetic inference. A. subflavidus clusters in a sister lineage to the core Austroboletus clade. The study confirmed A. subflavidus as a widely distributed species in North and Central America, while F. gloeocarpa appears highly localized in the Dominican Republic, Martinique, and southern Florida.

Conclusion

The study provides evidence for expanding the known distribution of F. gloeocarpa and confirms the taxonomic placement of both species through molecular analysis. The research highlights the polyphyletic nature of both Austroboletus and Fistulinella genera, suggesting the need for further taxonomic revision.
  • Published in:Mycobiology,
  • Study Type:Taxonomic Research,
  • Source: 10.1080/12298093.2020.1843221
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