Author
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Aime, Mary |
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Submitted to: American Journal of Botany
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal Publication Acceptance Date: 4/23/2004 Publication Date: 1/2/2005 Citation: Aime, M.C., Vilgalys, R. and Miller, O.K. 2005. The Crepidotaceae (Basidiomycota, Agaricales): phylogeny and taxonomy of the genera and revision of the family based on molecular evidence. American Journal of Botany 92(1):74-82. Interpretive Summary: Until recently mushroom fungi were classified based on easy-to-see characteristics such as presence or absence of a stalk and color of spores. With the use of genes to determine relationships among living organisms, it is necessary to re-evaluate how mushroom fungi are classified. In this research mushrooms that are directly attached to wood without a stalk and have brown spores were studied to determine if these characters bring together related species. Using sequences of an important gene region, it was determined that these mushroom fungi can be divided into three distinct groups. These groups are only distantly related to each other. The close relatives of each group were determined along with the characteristics these groups have in common. This research will be used by scientists to more accurately describe the diversity of mushroom fungi. Technical Abstract: Advances in phylogenetic systematics have clarified the position of most major homobasidiomycete lineages. In contrast, the status of the Crepidotaceae, a historically controversial family of dark-spored agarics, remains unaddressed. In this paper, current morphology-based classifications of the agaric genera of the Crepidotaceae were evaluated by parsimony and constraint analyses of sequence data from the nuclear large subunit rDNA. Taxa analyzed include the type species for each agaric genus allied in the family by Singer: Crepidotus, Simocybe, Pleurotellus, Tubaria, and Melanomphalia. Contrary to traditional classifications, results suggest that the crepidotoid fungi have three separate origins within the euagarics. The Crepidotaceae sensu stricto (s.s.) includes Crepidotus and Simocybe and represents a separate lineage of dark-spored euagarics. Pleurotellus is congeneric with Crepidotus. Results indicate the exclusion of both Tubaria and Melanomphalia from the Crepidotaceae s.s. Tubaria is allied with the strophariaceous taxa Phaeomarasmius and Flammulaster, while Melanomphalia has arisen from within a lineage of light-spored omphalinoid euagarics representing an independent acquisition of basidiospore pigmentation. Other pleisiomorphic, and newly uncovered synapomorphic characters are discussed in detail along with the taxonomic status of each genus, and a revised family description is provided. |
