New mushroom species discovered in Brazil's Amazon region

Researchers have identified four new mushroom species belonging to the Hygrocybe genus in the Cristalino Private Natural Heritage Reserves in Mato Grosso, Brazil. The discovery, published in the scientific journal Phytotaxa, follows morphological and DNA analysis conducted by a team led by Juli Simon Cardoso from the National Institute of Amazonian Research (INPA) and the Federal University of Santa Catarina (UFSC).

The specimens were collected in the municipalities of Alta Floresta and Novo Mundo, within the southern Amazon. The identification process involved comparing microscopic structures and genetic data to distinguish the new species from similar fungi. One of the identified species, Hygrocybe cristalinoensis, is characterized by its green color from cap to stem and a white, fringed edge. The research highlights the importance of the Cristalino region in preventing the expansion of the deforestation arc.