Cortinarius barcoding database of Western Siberia and adjacent areas

This dataset presents a comprehensive DNA barcode reference library for the fungal genus Cortinarius (webcaps) from Western Siberia and adjacent regions of Russia. It includes specimen occurrences paired with curated, quality-controlled ITS nucleotide sequences. Cortinarius is a hyperdiverse genus of ectomycorrhizal fungi crucial for boreal and temperate forest ecosystems. This study addresses the significant gap in molecular data for this region, providing a foundational resource for research in fungal taxonomy, phylogenetics, biogeography, and ecology. The dataset integrates collection metadata (geography, habitat, collectors), molecular data (raw and processed sequences), and morphological data (photographs, descriptions). Specimens are deposited in the Biological Collection of Yugra State University (YSU). The database includes 625 sequenced specimens, representing 176 species, with many sequences showing high affinity to type specimens and others flagged as potentially novel taxa for further study.