Ecology, Environment and Conservation Paper

FUSCOPORIA MINUTISSIMA: A NEW REPORT OF FAMILY HYMENOCHAETACEAE FOR MAHARASHTRA STATE OF INDIA

Sunil P. Bhagat, Mahesh Y. Borde, Harichandra A. Nikule, Rameshwar P. Avchar and Hiralal B. Sonawane

Abstract

The present study reports a new record of Fuscoporia minutissima from the Maharashtra state of India. F. minutissima is a poroid global member of the Hymenochaetaceae family that degrades wood. During the study, an unknown specimen of wood-inhabiting fungus was collected from the Velha region of the Pune. District of Maharashtra. The species was described based on morphologic features of the fruiting body and. phylogenetic analysis of the ITS region. This report also provides comprehensive macro-morphology and. micro-morphology of newly documented fungus. Morphological and molecular studies based on the ITS. nucleotide dataset confirmed that the specimen represents a new record for Maharashtra state. The current study will improve the fungal diversity checklist of Maharashtra. The findings could also assess the necessity. for fungal ecology conservation and monitor anthropogenic and natural interruptions.