Revisão morfológica e molecular do gênero Cyathus Haller (Nidulariaceae, Agaricales, Basidiomycota)

Abstract

The genus Cyathus Haller was established in 1768, but in-depth taxonomic studies with the group only occurred after 1844. In the following years changes in the infrageneric classification of Cyathus were proposed, based mainly on morphology. In 1906 Lloyd distributed the species into five groups, and in 1975 Brodie expanded to seven groups. With the advances of phylogenetic studies, the morphological classifications were tested and a new subdividion into three groups was proposed by Zhao and collaborators in 2007. Based on the morphological characteristics used in the last two classifications, is remarkable the presence of ambiguous and poorly delimited morphological characters, which makes identification at species level often doubtful. Thus, this PhD thesis aimed to understand the phylogenetic relationships of the fungi in the genus Cyathus and how these relations reflect in the taxonomic characterization, through morphological and molecular analyzes covering most of the type species of the group. The specimens analyzed come from national (JPB, URM, UESC and UFRN-Fungos) and international fungal collections (BBH, BPI, PH, DAOM, K, MA-Fungi, PC and TNS). Morphological and molecular analyzes were performed in Brazil and Japan: the morphology followed the standard methodology for the group, and the molecular analysis was performed based on protocols available in the literature or indicated by the reagent manufacturers, with steps adapted for the genus Cyathus, including the design of specific primers. New informational morphological characters were defined from the description of 50 types and 4 other species. All 81 species with name in current use were discussed. Figure plates, list of invalid names and list of synonyms are also presented. The phylogenetic analyzes using Maximum Parsimony and Bayesian included 36 species, 25 of them being classified in some nomenclatural type category. The monophyletism of Cyathus was confirmed with maximum support in both tests, and the infrageneric groups of the last classification based on molecular data were unchanged, however the clade striatum showed segregation into five groups and two subgroups. All the phylogenetic organization is supported based on morphological characters and diagnoses are presented for each clusters as well as a dichotomous key for the infrageneric separation.