Saproamanita

The genus ''Saproamanita'' contains about 24 species of agarics and is one of six genera in the family Amanitaceae. The others are ''Amanita'' (which now includes the synonym ''Torrendia'', a generic name previously applied to sequestrate species), ''Catatrama'', ''Limacellopsis'', ''Zhuliangomyces'' and ''Limacella''. ''Saproamanita'' are the saprophytic species in the Tribe Amaniteae, separately classified from the ectomycorrhizal species in the genus ''Amanita''.

''Saproamanita'' resemble ''Amanita'' and have a pileus, free lamellae, a central stipe, and an annulus with scales and rings below the annulus that are the remnants of the universal veil composed largely of cylindrical to slender clavate inflated hyphal cells mostly scattered in the central stipe region rather than the base. The spores are white and amyloid. DNA molecular evidence for the separation of the saprotrophic genus from the sister genus of symbiotic genus ''Amanita'' was first detected in a study of mushrooms and their families in 2002 when ''Saproamanita armillariiformis'' nder the name ''Amanita armillariiformis''appeared basal to ''Amanita''. Later studies supported by larger samplings of species and additional gene regions in investigations of the family Amanitaceae expanded the sampling of both groups of species that were all considered to be ''Amanita'' species or separated into two genera under the names ''Aspidella'' and ''Amanita''. In that most detailed study of decomposition pathway enzymes that lends support for taxonomic separation, the subgeneric name ''Amanita'' subgen. ''Lepidella'' was misapplied to a group of species that did not include the type species of the subgenus. That subgeneric group of mycorrhizal species is more correctly named ''Amanita'' subgen. ''Amanitina'' and not subgen. ''Lepidella''.

''Saproamanita'' are known to inhabit grasslands, lawns, pastures, fens, and fields in Africa, Asia including the Indian subcontinent and Thailand, Australia, Europe, including Mediterranean islands (e.g. Cyprus) and England, North America, including Mexico, the Caribbean, and South America, as well as glens in open canopy forests. Some species are known to form fairy rings. At least three of the species are invasive species expanding their ranges, ''S. inopinata'' in Europe, ''S. thiersii'' in North America, and ''S. manicata'' in Hawaii.

In Mexico, one species, '' S. thiersii'' is reportedly regularly harvested for food and is named in Spanish, "hongos de neblina". In 2019, an amateur mycologist, Denis Pouclet, experimentally ate 30 grams, fresh weight, of '' S. vittadinii'' from France without reported adverse symptoms.

Taxonomy

The name refers to the saprotrophic life style and the generic relationship to its sister genus ''Amanita''. In earlier studies the genus was ill-defined and named ''Lepidella'' and later ''Aspidella''. Both of these names are unusable because of earlier usage by biologists for other organisms, e.g. ''Aspidella'' E. Billings. The most recent adoption of the name ''Aspidella'' was based on a molecularly and ecologically defined genus similar to the current circumscription.

Currently there are two competing contemporary classifications, one that recognizes the two genera, ''Amanita'' and ''Saproamanita'', and the other that maintains both genera under the older name ''Amanita''.

A recent phylogenetic tree for the genus included information from Thailand by Nakarin Suwannarach and Surapong Khuna.

Genome sequencing

The genome of ''Saproamanita thiersii'' (as ''Amanita thiersii'') and its cellulose degrading capability are the subject of a US Department of Energy, Joint Genome Institute project.

Species

*''Saproamanita ameghinoi''
*'' Saproamanita armillariiformis''
*'' Saproamanita codinae''
*'' Saproamanita flavofloccosa''
*'' Saproamanita foetidissima''
*'' Saproamanita grallipes''
*'' Saproamanita inopinata''
*'' Saproamanita lilloi''
*'' Saproamanita manicata''
*'' Saproamanita nana''
*'' Saproamanita nauseosa''
*'' Saproamanita pleropus''
*'' Saproamanita praeclara''
*'' Saproamanita praegraveolens''
*'' Saproamanita prairiicola''
*'' Saproamanita pruittii''
*'' Saproamanita quitensis''
*'' Saproamanita roseolescens''
*'' Saproamanita savannae''
*'' Saproamanita silvifuga''
*'' Saproamanita singeri''
*'' Saproamanita subcaligata''
*'' Saproamanita thiersii''
*''Saproamanita vittadinii''

References

External links

''Saproamanita foetidissima''''Saproamanita inopinata''''Saproamanita manicata''''Saproamanita manicata''''Saproamanita praeclara''''Saproamanita singeri''''Saproamanita subcaligata''''Saproamanita vittadinii''

{{Taxonbar, from=Q24885369

Amanitaceae
Agaricales genera