Contribution to the mycobiota of Türkiye: New macrofungal records from Koramaz Valley revealed by molecular methods

Abstract This study aimed to document and identify the macrofungal diversity of Koramaz Valley (Kayseri, Türkiye) by integrating traditional morphological approaches with molecular DNA barcoding, specifically targeting the ITS gene region. While approximately 144,000 fungal species have been described worldwide, the actual number is estimated at 2.2 to 3.8 million, indicating vast undiscovered diversity—especially in regions such as Türkiye, where the mycobiota remains incompletely cataloged. The Koramaz Valley, noted for its unique ecosystems and presence on the UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List, had not previously been the subject of molecular-based macrofungal investigations. Fieldwork involved the systematic collection and photographic documentation of macrofungal specimens, with detailed recording of ecological and morphological features. DNA was extracted from dried samples, the ITS region amplified and sequenced, and the resulting data compared to reference sequences using BLAST and phylogenetic analyses (Maximum Likelihood in MEGA). Morphological and molecular data were integrated to achieve reliable species identification. As a result, four macrofungal species—Coprinellus saccharinus (Romagn.) P. Roux, Guy García & Dumas, Coprinellus truncorum (Scop.) Redhead, Vilgalys & Moncalvo, Fomes inzengae (Ces. & De Not.) Cooke and Lepista ricekii Bon—were recorded for the first time in Türkiye based on molecular evidence. Phylogenetic trees constructed for each genus revealed strong bootstrap support for the identification and placement of the studied specimens, with some samples demonstrating close but distinct relationships to reference taxa. These findings highlight the effectiveness of the ITS region in resolving species-level relationships and underscore the need for molecular approaches in fungal taxonomy. In conclusion, the study significantly expands the known macrofungal diversity of Koramaz Valley and Türkiye. It demonstrates the indispensable role of integrating molecular and morphological methods in the discovery, documentation, and conservation of regional fungal biodiversity, and indicates the potential for novel species in the area.