Article

The numbers of fungi: are the most speciose genera truly diverse?

Chitrabhanu S. BhunjunCenter of Excellence in Fungal Research, Mae Fah Luang University, Chiang Rai, 57100, ThailandTuula NiskanenJodrell Laboratory, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Surrey, TW9 3AB, UKNakarin SuwannarachDepartment of Biology, Faculty of Science, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, 50200, ThailandNopparat WannathesMicrobiology Program, Faculty of Science and Technology, Pibulsongkram Rajabhat University, Phitsanulok, 65000, ThailandYi-Jyun ChenCenter of Excellence in Fungal Research, Mae Fah Luang University, Chiang Rai, 57100, ThailandEric H. C. McKenzieManaaki Whenua-Landcare Research, Private Mail Bag 92170, Auckland, New ZealandSajeewa S. N. MaharachchikumburaSchool of Life Science and Technology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, 611731, People’s Republic of ChinaBart BuyckInstitut de Systématique, Evolution, Biodiversité (ISYEB), Muséum National d’Histoire naturelle, CNRS, Sorbonne Université, EPHE, Université des Antilles, 57 rue Cuvier, CP 39, 75231, Paris cedex 05, FranceChanglin ZhaoCollege of Biodiversity Conservation, Southwest Forestry University, Kunming, 650224, People’s Republic of ChinaYu-Guang FanKey Laboratory of Tropical Translational Medicine of Ministry of Education, Tropical Environment and Health Laboratory, College of Pharmacy, Hainan Medical University, Haikou, 571199, People’s Republic of ChinaJingyi ZhangCenter of Excellence in Fungal Research, Mae Fah Luang University, Chiang Rai, 57100, ThailandAsha J. DissanayakeSchool of Life Science and Technology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, 611731, People’s Republic of ChinaDiana S. MarasingheCenter of Excellence in Fungal Research, Mae Fah Luang University, Chiang Rai, 57100, ThailandRuvishika S. JayawardenaCenter of Excellence in Fungal Research, Mae Fah Luang University, Chiang Rai, 57100, ThailandJaturong KumlaDepartment of Biology, Faculty of Science, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, 50200, ThailandMahajabeen PadamseeManaaki Whenua-Landcare Research, Private Mail Bag 92170, Auckland, New ZealandYaya ChenCenter of Excellence in Fungal Research, Mae Fah Luang University, Chiang Rai, 57100, ThailandKare LiimatainenJodrell Laboratory, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Surrey, TW9 3AB, UKJoseph F. AmmiratiDepartment of Biology, University of Washington, Box 351800, Seattle, WA, 98195-1800, USAChayanard PhukhamsakdaCollege of Plant Protection, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun, 130118, Jilin, People’s Republic of ChinaJian‐Kui LiuSchool of Life Science and Technology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, 611731, People’s Republic of ChinaWiphawanee PhonrobMicrobiology Program, Faculty of Science and Technology, Pibulsongkram Rajabhat University, Phitsanulok, 65000, ThailandÉmile RandrianjohanyCentre National de Recherche sur l’Environnement (CNRE), BP 1739, Laboratoire de Microbiologie de l’Environnement (LME), Antananarivo, MadagascarSinang HongsananShenzhen Key Laboratory of Microbial Genetic Engineering, College of Life Sciences and Oceanography, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, People’s Republic of ChinaR. CheewangkoonEntomology and Plant Pathology Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, ThailandDigvijayini BundhunCenter of Excellence in Fungal Research, Mae Fah Luang University, Chiang Rai, 57100, ThailandSurapong KhunaDepartment of Biology, Faculty of Science, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, 50200, ThailandWen-Jie YuKey Laboratory of Tropical Translational Medicine of Ministry of Education, Tropical Environment and Health Laboratory, College of Pharmacy, Hainan Medical University, Haikou, 571199, People’s Republic of ChinaLun-Sha DengKey Laboratory of Tropical Translational Medicine of Ministry of Education, Tropical Environment and Health Laboratory, College of Pharmacy, Hainan Medical University, Haikou, 571199, People’s Republic of ChinaYong‐Zhong LuSchool of Food and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Guizhou Institute of Technology, Guiyang, 550003, People’s Republic of ChinaKevin D. HydeCenter of Excellence in Fungal Research, Mae Fah Luang University, Chiang Rai, 57100, ThailandSaisamorn LumyongAcademy of Science, The Royal Society of Thailand, Bangkok, 10300, Thailand

2022en

ABI

Abstract

Fungi play vital roles in ecosystems as endophytes, pathogens and saprobes. The current estimate of fungal diversity is highly uncertain, ranging from 1.5 to 12 million, but only around 150,000 species have been named and classified to date. Since the introduction of DNA based methods for species identification, the number of newly described taxa has increased from approximately 1000 to around 2000 yearly. This demonstrates the importance of DNA based methods to identify and distinguish species, especially cryptic species. Many novel species from recent studies have been found in historically understudied regions and habitats, but these still represent only a small percentage of the estimated species. In this paper, we examine 16 genera from the top 40 most speciose genera as listed in Species Fungorum as case studies to examine the diversity of taxa in each genus. The genera treated herein are Cercospora, Diaporthe, Meliola, Passalora, Phyllachora, Phyllosticta, Pseudocercospora, Ramularia (ascomycetes) and Cortinarius, Entoloma, Inocybe, Marasmius, Psathyrella, Puccinia, Russula, Uromyces (basidiomycetes). We critically evaluate the number of species in these genera and correlate these numbers with the number of entries in GenBank. We introduce 18 new species Apiospora multiloculata, Candolleomyces thailandensis, Cortinarius acutoproximus, Cortinarius melleoalbus, Cortinarius pacificus, Cortinarius parvoacetosus, Diaporthe guizhouensis, Entoloma pseudosubcorvinum, Inocybe meirensongia, Marasmius albulus, Marasmius obscuroaurantiacus, Meliola camporesii, Phyllachora siamensis, Phyllosticta doitungensis, Picipes yuxiensis, Pseudocercospora vignae, Puccinia maureanui and Russula inornata. We also introduce a new record of Candolleomyces cladii-marisci and Inocybe iringolkavensis. We discuss the genera Colletotrichum and Pleurotus that are speciose, but do not occur in the top 40. We hypothesize whether there might be more species in these genera and discuss why these genera have some of the largest number of species.

Identifiers

DOI: 10.1007/s13225-022-00501-4

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