title: A critical revision of the Tubifera ferruginosa complex.
abstract: Based on a combination of morphological and molecular investigations, a critical revision of the widely distributed myxomycete Tubifera ferruginosa is presented. A phylogeny of the morphospecies, based on partial 18S nuc rDNA sequences, displays several clearly distinct clades, all differing by a genetic distance (p distance) of at least 0.15, with the distance within the clades below 0.11. These molecular differences correlate with morphological characters, such as the shape of sporothecal tips, the color of immature fructifications and the ultrastructure of the inner surface of the peridium. The combination of morphological and molecular data provides evidence that T. ferruginosa is actually a species complex, representing at least seven species. These are T. ferruginosa sensu stricto, T. applanata, T. corymbosa, T. dudkae, T. magna, T. montana and T. pseudomicrosperma. Among these T. applanata and T. dudkae (as Reticularia dudkae) were described recently based on morphological characters and the 18S nuc rDNA phylogeny confirmed their separation. Another four species, T. corymbosa, T. magna, T. montana and T. pseudomicrosperma, are described here. We propose an epitype for T. ferruginosa sensu stricto and recognize subsp. ferruginosa and subsp. acutissima within this species. All studied taxa of the T. ferruginosa complex are shown to lack a capillitium. Structures formerly described as capillitium represent the hyphae of fungi occurring within the fructifications.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biotechnology, Kharkiv State Zooveterinary Academy, Akademichna Str. 1, Kharkiv, Ukraine 62341 protista@mail.ru.
authors.forename: Dmitry V
authors.initials: DV
authors.lastname: Leontyev
authors.affiliation: Institute of Botany and Landscape Ecology, Ernst Moritz Arndt University Greifswald, Soldmannstr. 15, Griefswald, Germany D-17487.
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schnittler
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, Arkansas 72701.
authors.forename: Steven L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Stephenson
mesh_terms: D004271:DNA, Fungal / Q000235:genetics; D014644:Genetic Variation; D009235:Myxomycetes / Q000235:genetics* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D010802:Phylogeny; D013045:Species Specificity
chemical_list: D004271:DNA, Fungal
keywords: 18S rRNA gene; Reticulariaceae; capillitium; phylogeny; species description