Species Concept and Molecular Phylogeny of West African Resuninate Thelephorales

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Thelephorales represent a cosmopolitan monophyletic fungal group within the Agaricomycetes (Basidiomycota, Fungi). Although public database INSD and UNITE have been particularly enriched with an impressive number of ITS rDNA thelephoroid sequences, patterns of species concept and lower-level phylogenetics within Thelephorales still remain unresolved. The high percentage of thelephoroid sequences generated from unnamed samples in contrast to the low availability of fruit body-based sequences and geographic bias (toward temperate Europe and America) raise up questions regarding sampling effort for a clear anatomical and phylogenetic species delimitation. To better understand morphological and phylogenetic species concept within Thelephorales, we suggest hereby broadly sampled phylogenetic and detailed anatomy of fruit bodies. We will intensively sample in species-rich northern Guinean seasonal forests of West Africa and in ecosystems that were not prospected during the previous phase. We will target the ITS rDNA gene for the species concept and species diversity. Phylogenetic relationship of deeper nodes and evolutionary processes within the genus Tomentella will be assessed using the D1/D2 region of the LSU rDNA. Phylogenetic assessment will be performed on sequences we will generate (from tropical Africa) against those obtained from the INSD and UNITE (from temperate America and Europe). Molecular phylogenetic analyses and anatomical characterization will be performed as successfully executed recently. We aim at a better understanding of the role played by geographic distance in species limits and at assessing the contribution of tropical species in the evolution of resupinate Thelephorales.