Singleton-based species names and fungal rarity: Does the number really matter?

Result code in IS VaVaI

<a href="https://www.isvavai.cz/riv?ss=detail&h=RIV%2F60077344%3A_____%2F24%3A00584940" target="_blank" >RIV/60077344:_____/24:00584940 - isvavai.cz</a>

Alternative codes found

RIV/60076658:12310/24:43907995

Result on the web

<a href="https://imafungus.biomedcentral.com/counter/pdf/10.1186/s43008-023-00137-2.pdf" target="_blank" >https://imafungus.biomedcentral.com/counter/pdf/10.1186/s43008-023-00137-2.pdf</a>

DOI - Digital Object Identifier

<a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/s43008-023-00137-2" target="_blank" >10.1186/s43008-023-00137-2</a>

Result language

angličtina

Original language name

Singleton-based species names and fungal rarity: Does the number really matter?

Original language description

Fungi are among the least known organisms on earth, with an estimated number of species between 1.5 and 10 million. This number is expected to be refined, especially with increasing knowledge about microfungi in undersampled habitats and increasing amounts of data derived from environmental DNA sequencing. A significant proportion of newly generated sequences fail to match with already named species, and thus represent what has been referred to as fungal “dark taxa”. Due to the challenges associated with observing, identifying, and preserving sporophores, many macro- and microfungal species are only known from a single collection, specimen, isolate, and/or sequence—a singleton. Mycologists are consequently used to working with “rare” sequences and specimens. However, rarity and singleton phenomena lack consideration and valorization in fungal studies. In particular, the practice of publishing new fungal species names based on a single specimen remains a cause of debate. Here, we provide some elements of reflection on this issue in the light of the specificities of the fungal kingdom and global change context. If multiple independent sources of data support the existence of a new taxon, we encourage mycologists to proceed with formal description, irrespective of the number of specimens at hand. Although the description of singleton-based species may not be considered best practice, it does represent responsible science in the light of closing the Linnean biodiversity shortfall.

Czech name

—

Czech description

—

Type

J_imp - Article in a specialist periodical, which is included in the Web of Science database

CEP classification

—

OECD FORD branch

10612 - Mycology

Project

<a href="/en/project/GA21-06446S" target="_blank" >GA21-06446S: Do entomopathogenic fungi drive arthropod diversity gradients via host negative density dependence?</a><br>

Continuities

I - Institucionalni podpora na dlouhodoby koncepcni rozvoj vyzkumne organizace

Publication year

2024

Confidentiality

S - Úplné a pravdivé údaje o projektu nepodléhají ochraně podle zvláštních právních předpisů

Name of the periodical

IMA Fungus

ISSN

2210-6340

e-ISSN

2210-6359

Volume of the periodical

15

Issue of the periodical within the volume

1

Country of publishing house

GB - UNITED KINGDOM

Number of pages

11

Pages from-to

7

UT code for WoS article

001187717900001

EID of the result in the Scopus database

2-s2.0-85188089013