title: Sarcodon in the Neotropics I: new species from Guyana, Puerto Rico and Belize.
abstract: Four species of the ectomycorrhizal (ECM) genus Sarcodon (Bankeraceae, Thelephorales, Basidiomycota) are described as new to science. Sarcodon pakaraimensis sp. nov. is described from forests dominated by the ECM trees Pakaraimaea dipterocarpacea (Dipterocarpaceae) and Dicymbe jenmanii (Fabaceae subfam. Caesalpinioideae) in the Pakaraima Mountains of Guyana. Sarcodon portoricensis sp. nov. is described from lower montane wet forest within the El Yunque National Forest of Puerto Rico. Sarcodon quercophilus sp. nov. and Sarcodon umbilicatus sp. nov. are described from Quercus (Fagaceae) cloud forests within the Maya Mountains of Belize. The discovery of these species is significant given that the majority of the approximately 87 described Sarcodon species are north temperate or boreal in distribution and frequently associate with coniferous host plants; these constitute the most recent records for Sarcodon from the greater Neotropics. Each of the new species is morphologically consistent with accepted diagnostic characters for Sarcodon: pileate-stipitate stature, a dentate hymenophore, determinate basidiomatal development, fleshy, non-zonate context and brown, tuberculate basidiospores. DNA (ITS) sequence analysis corroborated the generic placement of S. pakaraimensis, S. portoricensis, S. quercophilus and S. umbilicatus and, along with morphological differences, supported their recognition as distinct species. Macromorphological, micromorphological, habitat and DNA sequence data from the nuc rDNA internal transcribed spacer region (ITS) are provided for each of the new species. A key to Neotropical Sarcodon species and similar extralimital taxa is provided.
authors: Department of Biological Sciences, Humboldt State University, Arcata, California 95521.
authors: Arthur C
authors: AC
authors: Grupe
authors: Department of Biological Sciences, Humboldt State University, Arcata, California 95521.
authors: Anthony D
authors: AD
authors: Baker
authors: University Program in Genetics & Genomics, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708.
authors: Jessie K
authors: JK
authors: Uehling
authors: Department of Plant Pathology, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32611.
authors: Matthew E
authors: ME
authors: Smith
authors: Department of Biological Sciences, State University of New York-College at Cortland, New York 13045.
authors: Timothy J
authors: TJ
authors: Baroni
authors: Center for Forest Mycology Research, USDA-Forest Service, Forest Products Laboratory, PO Box 1377, Luquillo, Puerto Rico 00773.
authors: D Jean
authors: DJ
authors: Lodge
authors: Department of Biological Sciences, Humboldt State University, Arcata, California 95521 twh5@humboldt.edu.
authors: Terry W
authors: TW
authors: Henkel
mesh_terms: D001487:Basidiomycota / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D001531:Belize; D004271:DNA, Fungal / Q000235:genetics; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal / Q000235:genetics; D006172:Guyana; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D038821:Mycorrhizae / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D010802:Phylogeny; D011647:Puerto Rico; D013172:Spores, Fungal / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development / Q000302:isolation & purification; D014197:Trees / Q000382:microbiology
chemical_list: D004271:DNA, Fungal; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal
keywords: Bankeraceae; Caribbean; Central America; Guiana Shield; Thelephorales; ectomycorrhizal fungi; tooth fungi