Molecular and morphological studies on some gasteroid (Basidiomycota) fungi from Western India

Abstract

The gasteroid fungi are a group of fungi in Basidiomycota that include stinkhorns, earth balls, puffballs, pseudo truffles, earth stars, and bird’s nests. In the present study, six species of gasteroid fungi belonging to four genera were collected from different forest regions in Gujarat state. Identification was carried out based on the morphological features, and molecular phylogenetic analysis using nuclear rDNA Internal Transcribed Spacer (ITS), rDNA LSU and mitochondrial ATP6 gene sequences were used for molecular identification. DNA sequencing data of different gene loci (ITS, LSU, and ATP6) were submitted into the BOLD data system for DNA barcoding. Additionally, this study provides a checklist of available molecular identification data for reported gasteroid fungi from Gujarat state.