Phylogenetic studies in Genabea, Myrmecocystis, and related genera

ABSTRACT

A multigene phylogenetic analysis of Genabea, Myrmecocystis, and related genera in Pyronemataceae was conducted to establish genetically supported generic limits. The nuc rDNA 28S gene, translation elongation factor 1-α gene (TEF1), and RNA polymerase II second-largest subunit gene (RPB2) significantly supported the monophyly of several distinct genera of hypogeous Pyronemataceae. The genetic identity of Genabea fragilis is established, and the new species Genabea hyalospora, G. urbana, Myrmecocystis mediterranea, and M. microspora are proposed to accommodate undescribed lineages. Two rare species, M. sphaerospora and M. spinospora, are tentatively identified based on collections that are morphologically similar to the original descriptions. The genus Genea was found to be monophyletic, except for G. cazaresii, which is nested among epigeous species of Humaria. The new combination Humaria cazaresii is proposed to accommodate this species.

KEYWORDS:

• Genea
• Humaria
• hypogeous
• Mediterranean
• truffles
• 6 new taxa

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The authors thank especially Faustino García, Sabine Hoernicke, Fernando Rodríguez, Simon Spinoly, and Georg Pfüller, who provided collections and/or images for this study, Christian Gold who helped us locate Genabea urbana with his truffle dog, as well as David Moreno from the Basque Centre for Climate Change (BC3) and Nicolas Van Vooren for their Humaria samples. We thank Jim Trappe, Michael Castellano, and the Oregon State University Herbarium for providing access to the isotype specimen of Genabea sphaerospora.

Supplemental data

Supplemental data for this article can be accessed on the publisher’s Web site.

Additional information

Funding

Molecular studies of KR specimens, SEM work, and truffle field studies with truffle dogs in southwest Germany were financed by a Klimopass grant (Research Ministry of Baden-Württemberg) to M. Scholler. The Genabea barcodes (generated by Ursula Eberhardt) will be considered for the German Barcode of Life (GBOL) project, supported by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF FKZ 01LI1501l). Funding for Matthew Smith and Rosanne Healy was provided by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (USDA, award FLA-PLP-005289), the US National Science Foundation grant DEB-1354802 (to Matthew Smith), University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS), and the Harvard University Herbaria. Field collection in Minnesota was funded by a grant to Rosanne Healy and David McLaughlin by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. Field collection and sequencing for Iowa fungi was funded by a grant to Rosanne Healy and Lynn Clark from the Iowa Science Foundation, with additional financial support from the Iowa Department of Natural Resources.