Diver­sity and Evo­lu­tion of the ecto­my­cor­rhi­zal Cor­ti­na­ria­ceae spe­cies in a glo­bal con­text

Join us for a diverse series of talks at the Institute of Microbiology, with presentations given by speakers ranging from Master's students to professors. Everyone is warmly welcome!

Seminar of the Department of Microbiology

 

Lesley R. Huymann – PhD candidate - Mycology – UIBK 

30.10.2025, 11:00 - Hybrid

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 Abstract

Pilze

The family Cortinariaceae, with more than 3,000 described species, represents one of the largest and most diverse lineages of ectomycorrhizal fungi. Yet, the evolutionary history of dermocyboid Cortinarii remains poorly understood—particularly in the Southern Hemisphere. Since the first complementary treatment of South American Cortinarii by Moser & Horak (1975), which was written in German, no recent taxonomic treatments or identification keys have been published. This is strongly limiting, accurate species recognition, the assessment of the ecological function, and conservation efforts.
Our study integrates multi-gene phylogeny with morphological and chemo-taxonomic analyses, as well as bioactivity testing, with the aim to clarify the diversity and evolutionary relationships of (dermocyboid) Cortinarii from South American Nothofagaceae forests, and to understand the bioactivity of known and potentially new pigments. We uncover evolutionary links between Australian, South American, and European lineages, describe several novel species, among them are also important edible mushrooms, and identify new anthraquinone compounds.
By combining classical taxonomy with molecular and chemical tools, this work refines species boundaries and enhances understanding of Cortinariaceae evolution and biogeography. Our results provide a modern framework for identifying Cortinariaceae species, highlighting the urgent need to renew and intensify fungal research in South America and to connect biodiversity exploration with the discovery of bioactive natural compounds.

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