Myxomycetes from Africa, an update

Africa, a vast continent, its protist biodiversity still very unexplored and this is no different in the case of the Myxomycetes or Myxogastria. Starting in 2010, we have been gathering data concerning this topic from field records, herbaria and publications. The original aim was to compile a monograph of African myxomycetes in the series of Fungus Flora of Tropical Africa published by the Meise Botanic Garden. Recently the printed format has changed into a website, a more contemporary and flexible way of presenting such data. We have followed this example and created a separate website treating the myxomycetes recorded on the entire continent. The link to this website will be made available during the presentation and after ISCEM 10 to the public. On the date of publication the site will be very incomplete and we certainly welcome all who want to contribute with data from their field surveys in African countries, especially those that are poorly studied or never have been visited.
One of the 36% countries with no records of myxomycetes is Mauritania, a West African country, with roughly 90% Saharan desert, 7% steppes and only 3% water mass. We present results from moist chamber cultures of shrubs and dromedary dung collected in Mauritanian dessert localities from sea level up to 400 m altitude.
Malawi is an East African country with predominantly savannah woodland in the lowlands. Most of the 52 species known from this country crossed by the Great Rift Valley were recorded in the Mulanje Massif in the South East. we report additional and new records from the northern highlands with a temperate climate of the Nyika National Park with a vegetation consisting mainly of grasslands and Miombo woodlands.
To conclude additional interesting species from South Africa, Namibia, Tanzania and Ethiopia are presented.

Jaar van publicatie:2020