Deadly mushrooms of the genus Galerina found in Antarctica colonized the continent as early as the Pleistocene

Fungi are probably the most diverse group of eukaryotic organisms in the Antarctic continent and nearby archipelagos, and they dominate communities in either mild or harsh habitats. However, our knowledge of their global distribution ranges and the temporal origins of their Antarctic populations is rather limited or almost absent, especially for species that do not lichenize. We focused for the first time on elucidating the taxonomic identity and phylogenetic relationships of several Antarctic collections of the deadly fungal Basidiomycota genus Galerina. By using molecular sequence data from the universal fungal barcode and a dataset encompassing 178 specimens, the inferred phylogeny showed that the Antarctic specimens corresponded with the sub-cosmopolitan species Galerina marginata, Galerina badipes and Galerina fallax, and their most closely related intraspecific genetic lineages were from northern Europe and North America. We found that these species probably host Antarctic-endemic intraspecific lineages. Furthermore, our dating analyses indicated that their Antarctic populations originated in the Pleistocene, a temporal frame that agrees with that proposed for the Antarctic colonization of plants such as the grass Deschampsia antarctica, mosses and some amphitropical lichens. Altogether, these findings converge on the same temporal scenario for the assembly of the most conspicuous terrestrial Antarctic plant and fungal communities.

Automated summary

Fungi are the most diverse group of eukaryotic organisms in the Antarctic continent and nearby archipelagos, dominating communities in various habitats. This study focused on identifying and understanding the phylogenetic relationships of deadly fungal species Galerina in Antarctica. Through molecular sequencing and analysis, it was found that the Antarctic specimens belonged to sub-cosmopolitan species, with closely related genetic lineages in northern Europe and North America. These species may also host Antarctic-endemic lineages, with populations originating in the Pleistocene timeframe, aligning with the colonization of other Antarctic plant and fungal communities.