ABSTRACT
Sebacinales are a genetically diverse group of basidiomycetes with a broad range of lifestyles including a diversity of mycorrhizal and endophytic associations (Weiß et al. 2011). These fungi are widespread and the same species can colonize a wide range of host plants and be involved in different symbiotic associations (Selosse et al. 2002a, Weiß et al. 2011). Anatomically, Sebacinales are characterized by longitudinally septate basidia, imperforate parenthesomes, and a lack of both clamp connections and hymenial cystidia (Weiß et al. 2004). A very high diversity within the Sebacinales has been
School of Biological Sciences, University of Aberdeen, AB243UU, United Kingdom. Email: bmoyersoen@hotmail.com
described from host plant and soil DNA samples and the observed global diversity was estimated to be 365 ITS taxonomic units (Setaro et al. 2012). Molecular-phylogenetically, Sebacinales are divided into two groups called A and B (Weiß et al. 2004). Up to date, most ectomycorrhizal (EcM) associations have been documented from group A (Weiß et al. 2004, 2011) and only one clade in group B included EcM strains (Hynson et al. 2013). Only a few EcM fruitbody species belonging to Sebacina, Tremellodendron and Tremelloscypha have been described to date (Weiß et al. 2004). These morphospecies include the cosmopolitan cryptic species S. incrustans (Pers.) Tul. & C. Tul. and S. epigea (Berk. & Broome) Bourdot & Gazin and the polymorphic Tremelloscypha gelatinosa (Murrill) Oberw. & K. Wells (Weiß et al. 2004, Wells and Oberwinkler 1982). In addition to the fruitbodies, EcM anatomotypes can be used to hypothesize phylogenetic relationships (Agerer 2006). Amongst Sebacinales, only seven EcM anatomotypes have been described to date and all of these EcMs were from temperate areas (Selosse et al. 2002b, Urban et al. 2003, Azul et al. 2006, Twieg and Durall 2009, Wei and Agerer 2011). A precise taxonomy should rely on a combination of characters (Dayrat 2005). Morphological and anatomical descriptions, in combination with other data, are a prerequisite for accurate EcM biodiversity surveys. A greater knowledge of Sebacinales EcM morphoanatomy could be particularly useful for the taxonomy and biodiversity surveys of this fungal group with cryptic or unknown fruitbody species.
