Diversity of Melanoleuca Pat. (Basidiomycota, Agaricales) in Çanakkale, Türkiye: morphological and molecular perspectives

The genus Melanoleuca Pat.(Basidiomycota or Agaricales) is taxonomically complex due to its remarkable morphological similarities with other genera.Consequently, any reliable species identification method requires a holistic approach that includes molecular phylogenetic data.In this study, five taxa, namely M. exscissa (Fr.)Singer, M. cf.graminicola, M. granadensis Armada, M. paedida (Fr.)Khner & Maire, and M. stridula (Fr.)Singer were identified from the anakkale province, Trkiye.These were described by integrating macro and micromorphological characters with phylogenetic analyses, which were based on Internal Transcribed Spacer rDNA sequences.M. exscissa, M. graminicola, M. paedida, and M. stridula have already been documented in Trkiye.This study updated the detailed macro-and microscopic descriptions.M. granadensis, first described in Spain in 2020 and reported from only the Czech Republic and Slovakia in Europe, was confirmed as a novel record of the Turkish mycobiota.It represents the first known non-European specimen.The detailed habitat characteristics, geographic coordinates, and collection dates of all specimens were documented.The microscopic characters were supported with drawings; the description of the new record was supplemented with scanning electron microscope images.These findings contribute novel data for understanding the Melanoleuca spp.diversity in Trkiye, underscoring the significance of molecular data in distinguishing morphologically similar species.They also suggest that certain records should be reevaluated within the context of current phylogenetics.