Species Diversity of Lycoperdaceae (Agaricales) in Israel, with Some Insights into the Phylogenetic Structure of the Family

Maxim Krakhmalnyi; Omoanghe S Isikhuemhen; Mikael Jeppson; Solomon P Wasser; Eviatar Nevo

doi:10.3390/jof9101038

Species Diversity of Lycoperdaceae (Agaricales) in Israel, with Some Insights into the Phylogenetic Structure of the Family

J Fungi (Basel). 2023 Oct 22;9(10):1038. doi: 10.3390/jof9101038.

Authors

Maxim Krakhmalnyi^{1

2}, Omoanghe S Isikhuemhen³, Mikael Jeppson⁴, Solomon P Wasser^{2

5}, Eviatar Nevo²

Affiliations

¹ Department of Phytoecology, Institute for Evolutionary Ecology of National Academy of Sciences (NAS) of Ukraine, 37 Acad. Lebedev Str., 03143 Kyiv, Ukraine.
² Institute of Evolution and Department of Evolutionary and Environmental Biology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Haifa, 199 Abba Khousi Ave., Mt. Carmel, Haifa 3498838, Israel.
³ Mushroom Biology and Fungal Biotechnology Laboratory, School of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, 207 Carver Hall, 1601 East Market Str., Greensboro, NC 27411, USA.
⁴ Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Göteborg, 40530 Göteborg, Sweden.
⁵ N.G. Kholodny Institute of Botany of NAS of Ukraine, 2 Tereshchenkivska Str., 01601 Kyiv, Ukraine.

Abstract

The diversity of Lycoperdaceae in Israel was studied. Molecular phylogenetic relationships within the family, and genus Lycoperdon in particular, were inferred using original ITS rDNA sequences of 58 samples belonging to 25 species from Israel and six other countries, together with 66 sequences stored in the GenBank database. The current molecular phylogenetic study recovered the family Lycoperdaceae as a monophyletic group, which was supported in both maximum likelihood and Bayesian analyses. The clades corresponding to the genera Apioperdon, Bovista, Calvatia, Disciseda, and Lycoperdon were revealed. The taxonomic structure of the named genera was partially resolved. Within the genus Lycoperdon, some species received significant statistical support; however, their relationships, as well as the problem of the genus monophyly, mostly remained questionable. As a result of a thorough literature survey, extensive sample collection, and studies of the material stored in the Herbarium of the Institute of Evolution, University of Haifa (HAI, Israel), fifteen species representing five genera were found in the territory of Israel. Six species, namely Apioperdon pyriforme, Bovista aestivalis, Calvatia candida, Lycoperdon decipiens, L. niveum, and L. perlatum, are new additions to the diversity of Lycoperdaceae in Israel. Detailed macro- and micromorphological descriptions, ecology, geography, and critical notes, together with light microscopy photos and SEM micrographs, are provided. In-depth discussion on some taxonomically challenging species is presented.

Keywords: Agaricales; Israel; gasteroid fungi; molecular phylogeny; taxonomy.

Grants and funding

The Graduate Studies Authority of the University of Haifa, which supported M.A. Krakhmalnyi Ph.D program at the Institute of Evolution and Department of Evolutionary and Environmental Biology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Haifa (Haifa, Israel). The standard government funding of the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) of Ukraine (Kiev, Ukraine).