The Diversity of the Genus <i>Tuber</i> in Greece—A New Species to Science in the Maculatum Clade and Seven First National Records
Ectomycorrhizal fungi of the genus <i>Tuber</i> (Ascomycota) produce hypogeous ascomata commonly known as truffles. Despite their high ecological and economic importance, a considerable gap of knowledge exists concerning the diversity of <i>Tuber</i> species in the eastern Me...
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2025-05-01
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| author | Vassileios Daskalopoulos Elias Polemis Georgios Konstantinidis Vasileios Kaounas Nikolaos Tsilis Vassiliki Fryssouli Vassili N. Kouvelis Georgios I. Zervakis |
| author_facet | Vassileios Daskalopoulos Elias Polemis Georgios Konstantinidis Vasileios Kaounas Nikolaos Tsilis Vassiliki Fryssouli Vassili N. Kouvelis Georgios I. Zervakis |
| author_sort | Vassileios Daskalopoulos |
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| description | Ectomycorrhizal fungi of the genus <i>Tuber</i> (Ascomycota) produce hypogeous ascomata commonly known as truffles. Despite their high ecological and economic importance, a considerable gap of knowledge exists concerning the diversity of <i>Tuber</i> species in the eastern Mediterranean region. In the frame of this study, more than 200 <i>Tuber</i> collections, originating from various regions of Greece, were examined. A new species to science, i.e., <i>Tuber leptodermum</i>, is formally described. <i>Tuber leptodermum</i> is grouped in the Maculatum clade, as revealed by the ITS and LSU rDNA concatenated phylogenetic tree, and appears as sister to <i>T. foetidum</i>. In addition, <i>T. leptodermum</i> exhibits distinct morphoanatomic features: it produces medium-sized, dark-brown ascomata with a thin pseudoparenchymatous peridium, composed of globose-to-angular cells and forms one-to-four-spored asci containing reticulate–alveolate, ellipsoid ascospores with broad meshes. Thirty other phylogenetic species are identified: seven of them (i.e., <i>T. anniae</i>, <i>T. buendiae</i>, <i>T. conchae</i>, <i>T. dryophilum</i>, <i>T. monosporum</i>, <i>T. regianum</i> and <i>T. zambonelliae</i>) constitute new records for the Greek mycobiota, while the presence of five other species is molecularly confirmed for the first time. Moreover, the existence of ten undescribed phylogenetic species is revealed, six of which are reported for the first time in Greece. Several taxonomic and phylogenetic issues and discrepancies in the genus <i>Tuber</i> are discussed in relation to the new findings. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-8eeace91f7fc49349e0cc98f3fecfc9a |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2309-608X |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-05-01 |
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| series | Journal of Fungi |
| spelling | doaj-art-8eeace91f7fc49349e0cc98f3fecfc9a2025-08-20T02:33:50ZengMDPI AGJournal of Fungi2309-608X2025-05-0111535810.3390/jof11050358The Diversity of the Genus <i>Tuber</i> in Greece—A New Species to Science in the Maculatum Clade and Seven First National RecordsVassileios Daskalopoulos0Elias Polemis1Georgios Konstantinidis2Vasileios Kaounas3Nikolaos Tsilis4Vassiliki Fryssouli5Vassili N. Kouvelis6Georgios I. Zervakis7Laboratory of General and Agricultural Microbiology, Department of Crop Science, Agricultural University of Athens, Iera Odos 75, 11855 Athens, GreeceLaboratory of General and Agricultural Microbiology, Department of Crop Science, Agricultural University of Athens, Iera Odos 75, 11855 Athens, GreeceGreek Mushroom Society, Agiou Kosma 25, 51100 Grevena, GreeceGreek Mushroom Society, Agiou Kosma 25, 51100 Grevena, GreeceGreek Mushroom Society, Agiou Kosma 25, 51100 Grevena, GreeceLaboratory of General and Agricultural Microbiology, Department of Crop Science, Agricultural University of Athens, Iera Odos 75, 11855 Athens, GreeceDepartment of Biology, Section of Genetics and Biotechnology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Panepistemiopolis, 15771 Athens, GreeceLaboratory of General and Agricultural Microbiology, Department of Crop Science, Agricultural University of Athens, Iera Odos 75, 11855 Athens, GreeceEctomycorrhizal fungi of the genus <i>Tuber</i> (Ascomycota) produce hypogeous ascomata commonly known as truffles. Despite their high ecological and economic importance, a considerable gap of knowledge exists concerning the diversity of <i>Tuber</i> species in the eastern Mediterranean region. In the frame of this study, more than 200 <i>Tuber</i> collections, originating from various regions of Greece, were examined. A new species to science, i.e., <i>Tuber leptodermum</i>, is formally described. <i>Tuber leptodermum</i> is grouped in the Maculatum clade, as revealed by the ITS and LSU rDNA concatenated phylogenetic tree, and appears as sister to <i>T. foetidum</i>. In addition, <i>T. leptodermum</i> exhibits distinct morphoanatomic features: it produces medium-sized, dark-brown ascomata with a thin pseudoparenchymatous peridium, composed of globose-to-angular cells and forms one-to-four-spored asci containing reticulate–alveolate, ellipsoid ascospores with broad meshes. Thirty other phylogenetic species are identified: seven of them (i.e., <i>T. anniae</i>, <i>T. buendiae</i>, <i>T. conchae</i>, <i>T. dryophilum</i>, <i>T. monosporum</i>, <i>T. regianum</i> and <i>T. zambonelliae</i>) constitute new records for the Greek mycobiota, while the presence of five other species is molecularly confirmed for the first time. Moreover, the existence of ten undescribed phylogenetic species is revealed, six of which are reported for the first time in Greece. Several taxonomic and phylogenetic issues and discrepancies in the genus <i>Tuber</i> are discussed in relation to the new findings.https://www.mdpi.com/2309-608X/11/5/358Ascomycotaectomycorrhizal fungiascomycete phylogenymushroom diversitytrufflenew species to science |
| spellingShingle | Vassileios Daskalopoulos Elias Polemis Georgios Konstantinidis Vasileios Kaounas Nikolaos Tsilis Vassiliki Fryssouli Vassili N. Kouvelis Georgios I. Zervakis The Diversity of the Genus <i>Tuber</i> in Greece—A New Species to Science in the Maculatum Clade and Seven First National Records Journal of Fungi Ascomycota ectomycorrhizal fungi ascomycete phylogeny mushroom diversity truffle new species to science |
| title | The Diversity of the Genus <i>Tuber</i> in Greece—A New Species to Science in the Maculatum Clade and Seven First National Records |
| title_full | The Diversity of the Genus <i>Tuber</i> in Greece—A New Species to Science in the Maculatum Clade and Seven First National Records |
| title_fullStr | The Diversity of the Genus <i>Tuber</i> in Greece—A New Species to Science in the Maculatum Clade and Seven First National Records |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Diversity of the Genus <i>Tuber</i> in Greece—A New Species to Science in the Maculatum Clade and Seven First National Records |
| title_short | The Diversity of the Genus <i>Tuber</i> in Greece—A New Species to Science in the Maculatum Clade and Seven First National Records |
| title_sort | diversity of the genus i tuber i in greece a new species to science in the maculatum clade and seven first national records |
| topic | Ascomycota ectomycorrhizal fungi ascomycete phylogeny mushroom diversity truffle new species to science |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2309-608X/11/5/358 |
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