Laccaria project

1st Call for SIM Projects

We are delighted to present the first project granted through the 1st Call for SIM projects that we opened during 2022. The main objectives of this call are to a) improve the knowledge of the mycobiota of our territory and b) to promote the collaboration between amateur and professional mycologists and knowledge transference. We are very looking forward to seeing the results of this interesting project.

Diversity of the genus Laccaria in Northwest of the Iberian Peninsula

Abstract

Laccaria Berk & Broome is a widespread genus in the earth.  With 82 species described up to date, current estimations based on DNA sequences would rise the number up to 116 – the amount of estimated species could be even higher if barcoding projects were undertaken in the whole world.

Many species of Laccaria are indistinguishable based on morphological grounds. Thus, molecular analyses on Laccaria have increased in the past years and cases of cryptic speciation have been revealed. In the Iberian Peninsula, no revision that has included molecular data has been carried out, and it is thought that the number of species present coud be being underestimated. Furthermore, species of Laccaria are usually bound to alochtonous plants (Eucalyptus, Acacia, etc.) and through molecular analyses, the origin of those Laccaria species could be traced.

Through this project, we pretend to account the diversity of Laccaria in the Iberian Peninsula through morphological and molecular analyses from fresh and desiccated specimens kept in herbaria. The results of the project will be published in a free access scientific journal and a catalogue of the species found.

Team

Adrián Melón (Principal investigator)

Mauro Rivas Ferreiro

Tixiana Albizúa Cabaleiro,

Marisa Castro Cerceda

Amount: 905,28 €