Rg. Thorn et al., Phylogenetic analyses and the distribution of nematophagy support a monophyletic Pleurotaceae within the polyphyletic pleurotoid-lentinoid fungi, MYCOLOGIA, 92(2), 2000, pp. 241-252
Phylogenetic analyses based on partial sequences from nuclear 25S rDNA indi
cate a mono-phyletic Pleurotaceae, consisting of the monophyletic genera Pl
eurotus and Hohenbuehelia, within the poly-phletic pleurotoid-lentinoid fun
gi. The attack and consumption of nematodes (nematophagy) supports the mono
phyly of this family. Other pleurotoid-lentinoid fungi that have been studi
ed are not nematophagous and, in phylogenetic analyses, occur within the eu
agaric, polyporoid and russuloid clades. The pleurotoid agarics Lampteromyc
es, Lentinula, Nothopanus, and Omphalotus form a clade together with Gymnop
us dryophilus. A clade that corresponds to the Tricholomataceae includes th
e pleurotoid agarics Conchomyces, Hypsizygus, Phyllotopsis, and Resupinatus
. Faerberia, Heliocybe, Lentinus, Neolentinus, and Panus are gilled polypor
es, and all deserve recognition at the generic level. The brown-rotters Hel
iocybe and Neolentinus form a distinct clade within the polypores together
with the brown-rotting polypore, Gloeophyllum. The Pleurotaceae belong in t
he Agaricales, are not closely related to or synonymous with the Polyporace
ae, and should be restricted to the genera Pleurotus and Hohenbuehelia. An
isolate of Hohenbuehelia from Alberta, Canada produces adhesive knobs typic
al of Hohenbuehelia and its anamorph Nematoctonus, and also nonadhesive nem
atotoxic droplets characteristic of Pleurotus. This combination is unique w
ithin Hohenbuehelia and Pleurotus. Phylogenetic genetic analyses place this
species at the base of the genus Hohenbuehelia, indicating that nematotoxi
c droplets were probably present in the common ancestor of Pleurotus and Ho
henbuehelia. In contrast, the gelatinized fruiting bodies of Hohenbuehelia
and Resupinatus are independently derived. The tribe Resupinateae (Tricholo
mataceae) should be restricted to Resupinatus (including Asterotus) and cyp
helloid allies such as Stigmatolemma.