IMA FUNGUS · 7(1): 119–129 (2016) doi:10.5598/imafungus.2016.07.01.07 Saproamanita, a new name for both Lepidella E.-J. Gilbert and Aspidella E.-J. ARTICLE Gilbert (Amaniteae, Amanitaceae) Scott A. Redhead1, Alfredo Vizzini2, Dennis C. Drehmel3, and Marco Contu4 1National Mycological Herbarium of Canada, Central Experimental Farm, Ottawa Research & Development Centre, Science & Technology Branch, 960 Carling Avenue, Ottawa, ON K1A 0C6, Canada; corresponding author e-mail:
[email protected] 2Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, University of Torino, Viale P.A. Mattioli 25, I-10125 Torino, Italy 33208 Kildalton Place, Apex, NC27539, USA 4Via Marmilla 12, I-07026 Olbia (OT), Italy Abstract: The genus Amanita has been divided into two monophyletic taxa, Amanita, an ectomycorrhizal Key words: genus, and Aspidella, a saprotrophic genus. The controversies and histories about recognition of the two Agaricales genera based on trophic status are discussed. The name Aspidella E.-J. Gilbert is shown to be illegitimate Agaricomycotina and a later homonym of Aspidella E. Billings, a well-known generic name for an enigmatic fossil sometimes Basidiomycota classied as a fungus or alga. The name Saproamanita is coined to replace Aspidella E.-J. Gilbert for the fungi saprotrophic Amanitas, and a selection of previously molecularly analyzed species and closely classied mushroom grassland species are transferred to it along with selected similar taxa. The type illustration for the type fossil species, S. vittadinii, is explained and a subgeneric classication accepting Amanita subgen. Amanitina Ediacaran and subgen. Amanita is proposed. Validation of the family name, Amanitaceae E.-J. Gilbert dating from nomenclature 1940, rather than by Pouzar in 1983 is explained.