Myxomycete diversity from arid and semiarid zones of the Canary Islands (Spain)

E. BELTRÁN-TEJERA1*, J. MOSQUERA1 & C. LADO2

*ebeltran@ull.es

1) Department of Plant Biology (Botany). University of La Laguna, 38071 La Laguna Tenerife. Canary Islands, Spain

2 Real Jardín Botánico, CSIC

Plaza de Murillo, 2. 28014 Madrid, Spain

Abstract — A study of the myxomycetes recovered from the arid, semiarid and dry zones of the Canary Islands is presented herein. A total of sixty-three species, most growing on succulent plants, is reported. Physarum bethelii, P. confertum, and Stemonitis herbatica are cited for the first time from the Canaries, with additional new records from each island. The importance of the endemic plants such as Euphorbia canariensis as substrates for myxomycetes is analyzed. As reported from other arid zones of the world species belonging to the orderS Physarales and Trichiales dominate. Badhamia melanospora, commonly recorded from the deserts of America, was the most frequently recovered species from the Canaries. The parallel between the myxobiotas of the dry areas of the Americas and the Canary Islands is also discussed.

Key words — biodiversity inventory, Macaronesian bioregion, thermophilous habitats, xerophytic substrates

Introduction – – – Hierro, La Palma, Gomera,

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Tenerife, Gran Canaria, Fuerteventura, and Lanzarote) –––– – –

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Material and methods –

List of sampling localities

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Map 1. The Canary Islands geographical location. –– – – – –

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Results

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21

13

51

Succulenticolous and others Lignicolous and others Foliicolous and others

Fig. 1. The total number of myxomycete species collected, both obligate and facultative from each group of substrate.

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Fig. 2. Total number of sampled localities within each vegetal community (% respect the all of sampled stations: 72).

12 (16.6%)

6 (8.3%)

4 (5.5%)

6 (8.3%)35 (48.6%)

9 (12.5%)

0 10 20 30 40

Sweet tabaibal

Sweet tabaibal with cardoon

Cardoon shrubs

Bitter tabaibal with cardoon

Bitter tabaibal s.l.

Anthropic communities s.l.

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Annotated list of species

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Acknowledgments

Literature cited

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