Nivicolous Trichiales from the austral Andes: unexpected diversity including two new species

Nivicolous myxomycetes are a group of amoebozoan protists dependent on long-lasting snow cover worldwide. Recent fine-scale analysis of species diversity from the austral Andes revealed high intraspecific variability of most taxa, suggesting independent evolutionary processes and significant differences in species compositions between the Northern (NH) and Southern (SH) Hemispheres. The present study is the second part of this analysis based on representatives of Trichiales. A total of 173 South American collections were studied based on morphological and molecular data, and 15 taxa have been identified. Two of them, <i>Hemitrichia crassifila</i> and <i>Perichaena patagonica</i>, are proposed as new species confirmed by a phylogeny of Trichiales. However, their affinity to the genera in which they are proposed are not confirmed due to polyphyletic character of all genera of Trichiales. Four species, <i>Dianema subretisporum, Trichia contorta</i> var. <i>karstenii, T. nivicola</i>, and <i>T. sordida</i>, are reported for the first time from the Southern Hemisphere. One species, <i>T. alpina</i>, is new for Argentina. Additionally, we provide the first record of <i>Perichaena megaspora</i> from Chile. Specimen frequency and species diversity of Trichiales found at nivicolous localities in the austral Andes are unexpectedly high, exceeding those of Stemonitidales, the most numerous group in the Northern Hemisphere, where Trichiales play a marginal role. By contrast, Trichiales appear the main component of nivicolous assemblages in the Andes. Results of the present work, together with the earlier analysis of Stemonitidales, indicate that the Andes constitute an exceptionally important evolutionary hot spot for nivicolous myxomycetes characterized by an outstanding species diversity.