Phylogenetic analyses and the distribution of nematophagy support a monophyletic Pleurotaceae within the polyphyletic pleurotoid-lentinoid fungi

Phylogenetic analyses based on partial se- quences from nuclear 25S rDNA indicate a mono- phyletic Pleurotaceae, consisting of the monophyletic genera Pleurotus and Hohenbuehelia, within the poly- phyletic pleurotoid-lentinoid fungi. The attack and consumption of nematodes (nematophagy) supports the monophyly of this family. Other pleurotoid-len- tinoid fungi that have been studied are not nemato- phagous and, in phylogenetic analyses, occur within the euagaric, polyporoid and russuloid clades. The pleurotoid agarics Lampteromyces, Lentinula, Notho- panus, and Omphalotus form a clade together with Gymnopus dryophilus. A clade that corresponds to the Tricholomataceae includes the pleurotoid agarics Conchomyces, Hypsizygus, Phyllotopsis, and Resupina- tus. Faerberia, Heliocybe, Lentinus, Neolentinus, and Panus are gilled polypores, and all deserve recogni- tion at the generic level. The brown-rotters Heliocybe and Neolentinus form a distinct clade within the poly- pores together with the brown-rotting polypore, Gloeophyllum. The Pleurotaceae belong in the Agar- icales, are not closely related to or synonymous with the Polyporaceae, and should be restricted to the genera Pleurotus and Hohenbuehelia. An isolate of Hohenbuehelia from Alberta, Canada produces adhe- sive knobs typical of Hohenbuehelia and its anamorph Nematoctonus, and also nonadhesive nematotoxic droplets characteristic of Pleurotus. This combination is unique within Hohenbuehelia and Pleurotus. Phylo-