Micro-Evolution in Auricularia Auricula

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Abstract
Auricularia auricula, which is widely distributed in Europe and N. America, has been found to consist of 3 main micro-evolutionary units, designated as the European, the N. American “coniferous” and the N. American “deciduous” on account of their distributions and characteristic substrate ranges. The European unit is intersterile with the N. American “deciduous” unit and virtually so with the N. American “coniferous” unit. The N. American units are partially interfertile. The European unit and the 2 N. American units are morphologically distinct. Morphological differences between the 2 N. American units are statistically significant, but of extremely limited diagnostic value. Micro-evolutionary development in A. auricula is held to be primarily a consequence of substrate specialization and subsequent ecological isolation. The application of the deme terminology to the above units is illustrated, and accepted as the best possible method of defining such units.

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