Myxomycetes of Alaska: species diversity and distribution

A comprehensive list of all collections of myxomycetes known to have been collected in or reported from the state of Alaska since the first six species were listed by Thomas Macbride in 1899 is provided. Records were compiled from specimens collected by the coauthors along with all known records from the literature and the already existing databases (MyCoPortal, University of Arkansas). The final data base includes 156 taxa from 2345 records determined to species (1424 from field collections and 921 from moist chamber cultures), among them several rarely collected species such as Arcyria occidentalis, Physarum famintzinii, Diderma evelinae and members of the reestablished genus Siphoptychium. Interior Alaska is the region investigated best, and due to its comparatively warmer climate it is very likely the most diverse region of the state. In contrast, the high latitude regions remain understudied. Wood-inhabiting myxomycetes are the best studied guild, whereas the guild of nivicolous myxomycetes has yet to be investigated to any real extent.