Studying Phylogenetics Analysis for Macrofungi in Nineveh, Iraq

Abstract

The study is focused on the phylogenetic relationships of macrofungi collected from Nineveh, Iraq, using a combined morphological and molecular approach. Generally, macrofungi are Fungi and play an indispensable role in ecological functions. They also have immense economic and medicinal value. The specimens were taken from different habitats: forests, grasslands, and agricultural soil. They were then identified morphologically based on both their macroscopic and microscopic features. Accurate species identification was performed by DNA sequencing of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region, and Maximum Likelihood was used for phylogenetic analysis.Seven fungal species have been identified, including four Basidiomycota: Lentinula edodes, Schizophyllum commune, Psathyrella candolleana, and Candolleomyces candolleanus; and two Ascomycota: Diaporthe liquidambaris and Pochonia suchlasporia. The morphology agreed with the molecular data, as the sequencing of ITS confirmed the species identification and showed evolutionary relationships. A phylogenetic tree demonstrated a distinct clade for each species, indicating genetic diversity within and among the tested taxa.