Myochromella unveiled: exploring its global distribution through a public database of amplicons.

Abstract

Myochromella mammosa, a novel species from southwestern China, is distinguished by its small, solitary or gregarious basidiomata. The pileus is clock-shaped, with distinct central mastoids, edge stripes, and a darker center that flattens upon maturation. The stipe is white, firm when young, and becomes hollow and slightly thickened at the base with age. We conducted a comprehensive analysis of publicly available ITS sequences from NCBI-GenBank and fungal amplicon sequencing data from NCBI-SRA to explore the global distribution and enumeration of recorded species of Myochromella. At a 98% sequence similarity threshold, eleven species were identified, including eight without formal designations. Myochromella's diversity is primarily Northern Hemisphere-centric and tends toward endemic distribution. Leveraging amplicon sequencing data sets enables precise species diversity assessments, enhancing field collection efficiency and providing novel insights into macrofungal species diversity.