A new species of Amanita section Lepidella from South China

Diversity and taxonomy of the genus Amanita (Amanitaceae, Agaricales) in the Yanshan Mountains, Northern China

Globally, the species of Amanita are key components of ectomycorrhizal ecosystems. Some of them are widely known as poisonous or edible fungi. Although many new Amanita species from China have been described, the species diversity of Yanshan Mountains remains unknown. We here describe three new species, namely, A. borealis sp. nov. (Sect. Amanita), A. brunneola sp. nov. (Sect. Caesareae), and A. yanshanensis sp. nov. (Sect. Validae), based on morphological observations and molecular phylogenetic analyses. In addition, nine known species, namely, A. caesareoides (Sect. Caesareae), A. chiui (Sect. Vaginatae), A. muscaria (Sect. Amanita), A. oberwinklerana (Sect. Roanokenses), A. ovalispora (Sect. Vaginatae), A. subglobosa (Sect. Amanita), A. subjunquillea (Sect. phalloideae), A. vaginata var. vaginata (Sect. Vaginatae), and A. virosa (Sect. phalloideae), were reported from Yanshan Mountains for the first time. Our results emphasize that China has a high diversity of Amanita species and that additional studies are required to understand the exact species number. These findings play a crucial role in Amanita toxin research and ecological conservation. This study investigated the areas where Amanita species-related research is lacking. The study also attempted to better understand Amanita distribution and thus contribute to related research. This study enriches the species diversity of Amanita in Yanshan Mountains and offers additional data supporting the macrofungal systematics, toxin research, and diversity and ecological studies of Amanita in future studies.

Rapid identification of Amanita citrinoannulata poisoning using colorimetric and real-time fluorescence and loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) based on the nuclear ITS region

Health concerns and financial losses caused by mushroom poisoning have been reported worldwide. Amanita citrinoannulata, a poisonous mushroom commonly found in China, results in a toxic reaction in humans after mistaken ingestion. To reduce the mistaken ingestion of poisonous mushrooms and to improve clinical diagnosis of mushroom poisoning, a rapid mushroom species identification method is required. Such identification methods could be advantageous in the identification of other poisonous mushroom species. This study developed two rapid and sensitive methods for the detection of A. citrinoannulata utilizing colorimetric and real-time loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) technology and specifically designed primers for the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) genes of A. citrinoannulata. The methods demonstrated high sensitivity as 0.2 ng of A. citrinoannulata DNA could be detected, with no cross-reaction with 41 non-target mushroom species. The entire detection process could be completed within 40 min without requiring complex instruments and can be observed by the naked eye. Therefore, these novel methods can be used for the identification of fresh and cooked mushroom samples and vomit samples, which contain only 1% A. citrinoannulata. Furthermore, these methods facilitate the detection of mushroom poisoning, and thus, have potential to reduce the number of mushroom poisoning-related deaths worldwide.

Amanitatullossiana, a new species, and two new records of AmanitasectionLepidella from north-western Himalaya, India

Amanitatullossiana, a new species of Amanita [subgenus Lepidella] section Lepidella from India is described. The species is characterised by its ash grey to brownish-grey pileus covered with dark grey to greyish-black universal veil remnants, the upper part of its rooting stipe base covered by several rows of recurved scales, broadly ellipsoid to ellipsoid basidiospores, absence of basidial clamp connections and pileal remnants of universal veil comprising abundant, disordered inflated cells intermixed with scattered filamentous hyphae. Molecular phylogenetic analysis and morphology both support the association of A.tullossiana with species of Bas’ stirps Cinereoconia – A.cinereoconia and A.griseoverrucosa. Two species, A.griseoverrucosa and A.virgineoides are reported here as new records for India.

Notes on Amanita section Caesareae from Malaysia

Some Amanita specimens collected from Malaysia are critically investigated by morphological examination and molecular analysis of two gene fragments, the nuc rDNA partial 28S (28S) gene and the internal transcriber spacer (ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 = ITS) regions. Six phylogenetic species of Amanita section Caesareae are recognized among the studied collections. One of them is described as new, A. malayensis. Four of the phylogenetic species correspond with existing morphology-based taxa: A. aporema, A. javanica, A. princeps, and A. similis. The remaining species is not described because of the paucity of material. Detailed descriptions and the distribution of these southeastern Asian species are provided, along with a key to the species of section Caesareae from Malaysia.

Study of three interesting Amanita species from Thailand: Morphology, multiple-gene phylogeny and toxin analysis

Amanita ballerina and A. brunneitoxicaria spp. nov. are introduced from Thailand. Amanita fuligineoides is also reported for the first time from Thailand, increasing the known distribution of this taxon. Together, those findings support our view that many taxa are yet to be discovered in the region. While both morphological characters and a multiple-gene phylogeny clearly place A. brunneitoxicaria and A. fuligineoides in sect. Phalloideae (Fr.) Quél., the placement of A. ballerina is problematic. On the one hand, the morphology of A. ballerina shows clear affinities with stirps Limbatula of sect. Lepidella. On the other hand, in a multiple-gene phylogeny including taxa of all sections in subg. Lepidella, A. ballerina and two other species, including A. zangii, form a well-supported clade sister to the Phalloideae sensu Bas 1969, which include the lethal "death caps" and "destroying angels". Together, the A. ballerina-A. zangii clade and the Phalloideae sensu Bas 1969 also form a well-supported clade. We therefore screened for two of the most notorious toxins by HPLC-MS analysis of methanolic extracts from the basidiomata. Interestingly, neither α-amanitin nor phalloidin was found in A. ballerina, whereas Amanita fuligineoides was confirmed to contain both α-amanitin and phalloidin, and A. brunneitoxicaria contained only α-amanitin. Together with unique morphological characteristics, the position in the phylogeny indicates that A. ballerina is either an important link in the evolution of the deadly Amanita sect. Phalloideae species, or a member of a new section also including A. zangii.

A review on the diversity, phylogeography and population genetics of Amanita mushrooms

Amanita mushrooms are important for both human beings and ecosystems. Some members in this genus are valued edible species, whereas some others are extremely poisonous, and most species are ectomycorrhizal. Significant progress has been made in recent years in our understanding of the diversity, phylogeography and population genetics of Amanita mushrooms. A significant reason for the progress was due to the increasing application of molecular methods in the analyses. In this review, we summarize the researches in the diversity, phylogeography and population genetics of Amanita mushrooms, with the focus on advances over the past 20 years. We also discussed future research directions, including several unresolved topical issues.