Multiple cryptic species with divergent substrate affinities in the Serpula himantioides species complex

CARLSEN T.; ENGH I.E.; DECOCK C.; RAJCHENBERG M.; KAUSERUD H.

Fungal Biology

Elsevier

Año: 2011 vol. 115 p. 54 - 61

1878-6146

Serpula himantioides is a widespread saprotrophic morphospecies mainly colonising coniferouswood in nature, but it appears frequently in buildings as well. From an earlier study, itis known that at least three divergent lineages occur within the S. himantioides speciescomplex. In this study, a broader sample of S. himantioides isolates has been analysed bymulti-locus sequencing, including new isolates from Asia, North and South America. Altogetherfive phylogenetical species (PS1e5) were detected, all recognised across independentgene phylogenies. A new southern South American phylogenetic species (PS1) wasfound, representing an early diverging lineage within the S. himantioides species complex.The two closely related PS2 and PS3 lineages included isolates from North America only,and PS4 was also dominated by North American isolates. Most of the investigated isolates(76 %) clustered into PS5, a lineage that has been found on most continents, includingNorth America. Overall, little phylogeographical structure was found in PS5, indicating frequentand recent long-distance dispersal events within this widespread lineage. Our analysesindicate that South and North America are the centres of divergence for theS. himantioides species complex. Some of the lineages seem adapted to various substrates,but PS5 is able to decay a wide array of angiosperms and gymnosperms, which may havefacilitated the spread of this lineage throughout the world.