title: Phenotypic plasticity of the basidiomata of Thelephora sp. (Thelephoraceae) in tropical forest habitats.
abstract: Phenotypic plasticity in macroscopic fungi has been poorly studied in comparison to plants or animals and only general aspects of these changes have been described. In this work, the phenotypic variation in the basidiomata of Thelephora sp. (Thelephoraceae) was examined, as well as some aspects of its ecology and habitat, using 24 specimens collected in the tropical forests of the Chamela Biological Station, Jalisco, Mexico. Our observations showed that this taxon has clavarioid basidiomata that can become resupinate during development and growth if they are in contact with rocks, litter or live plants, establishing in the latter only an epiphytic relationship. This tropical species may form groups of up to 139 basidiomata over an area of 32.2m2, and in both types of vegetation (tropical sub-evergreen and deciduous forest) were primarily located on steep (>20 degree) South-facing slopes. It is found under closed canopy in both tropical forests, but its presence in sub-evergreen forests is greater than expected.
authors.affiliation: Laboratorios de Micologia, Edificio A 3er piso, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Nacional Aut6noma de Mexico, Ciudad Universitaria, Delegación Coyoacan, D.F., México. itzel_ramirez_lopez@yahoo.com.mx
authors.forename: Itzel
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Ramirez-Lópezl
authors.forename: Margarita Villegas
authors.initials: MV
authors.lastname: Ríos
authors.forename: Zenón
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Cano-Santana
mesh_terms: D001487:Basidiomycota / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D017753:Ecosystem; D008800:Mexico; D010641:Phenotype; D012988:Soil Microbiology; D014197:Trees / Q000382:microbiology*; D014329:Tropical Climate