Naming Potentially Endangered Parasites: Foliicolous Mycobiota of Dimorphandra wilsonii, a Highly Threatened Brazilian Tree Species

PLoS One. 2016 Feb 24;11(2):e0147895. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0147895. eCollection 2016.

Abstract

A survey of foliicolous fungi associated with Dimorphandra wilsonii and Dimorphandra mollis (Fabaceae) was conducted in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil. Dimorphandra wilsonii is a tree species native to the Brazilian Cerrado that is listed as critically endangered. Fungi strictly depending on this plant species may be on the verge of co-extinction. Here, results of the pioneering description of this mycobiota are provided to contribute to the neglected field of microfungi conservation. The mycobiota of D. mollis, which is a common species with a broad geographical distribution that co-occurs with D. wilsonii, was examined simultaneously to exclude fungal species occurring on both species from further consideration for conservation because microfungi associated with D. wilsonii should not be regarded as under threat of co-extinction. Fourteen ascomycete fungal species were collected, identified, described and illustrated namely: Byssogene wilsoniae sp. nov., Geastrumia polystigmatis, Janetia dimorphandra-mollis sp. nov., Janetia wilsoniae sp. nov., Johansonia chapadiensis, Microcalliopsis dipterygis, Phillipsiella atra, Piricauda paraguayensis, Pseudocercospora dimorphandrae sp. nov., Pseudocercosporella dimorphandrae sp. nov., Ramichloridiopsis wilsoniae sp. and gen. nov., Stomiopeltis suttoniae, Trichomatomyces byrsonimae and Vesiculohyphomyces cerradensis. Three fungi were exclusively found on D. wilsonii and were regarded as potentially threatened of extinction: B. wilsoniae, J. wilsoniae and R. wilsoniae.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Endangered Species*
  • Fabaceae / microbiology*
  • Fungi / classification
  • Fungi / genetics*
  • Fungi / physiology*
  • Microbiota*
  • Phylogeny
  • Surveys and Questionnaires
  • Terminology as Topic
  • Trees / microbiology*

Grants and funding

Conselho Nacional do Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (Brasil) provided the scholarship for MS; Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do estado de Minas Gerais (Brasil) provided funding for field and laboratory work to RWB. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.