Arthropod cut fungi from Puerto Rico and summary of tropical trichomycetes worldwide

This is the first survey of Trichomycetes in Puerto Rico. Various arthropods (including millipedes, beetles, larval dipterans, isopods, and crabs) were collected from terrestrial, freshwater and marine habitats, and their gut fungi identified. The four orders of the class Trichomycetes were represented, including the following genera: Amoebidium, Asellaria, Enterobryus, Genistellospora, Harpella, Leidyomyces, Paramoebidium, Smittium and Stachylina. These correspond to 60 % (9/15) of the genera previously reported from tropical regions worldwide. Results of this survey are combined with the previous reports of tropical Trichomycetes and summarized as a species list. The Puerto Rican genera are discussed, highlighting features of particular interest to those considering future studies on Trichomycetes. We highlight the potential severe underestimation of the diversity of tropical Trichomycetes and suggest that further surveys are warranted, especially with the current focus on biodiversity and tropical microfungi.