o_19ko2dt161ng2j4e1tgnoqv1s45a.pdf

SITI AISYAH ALIAS (2007)
STATUS OF BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY IN MALAYSIA &
THREAT ASSESSMENT OF PLANT SPECIES IN MALAYSIA
A CHECKLIST OF MANGLICOLOUS
MARINE FUNGI FROM MALAYSIA
Siti Aisyah Alias
ABSTRACT
Mangrove forests occur in muddy shores, lagoons and estuaries of tidal rivers and provide a
very unique habitat to many organisms including manglicolous marine fungi. Submerged
parts of aerial roots, pneumatophores, subterranean roots, rhizomes, overhanging branches
and twigs of mangrove trees and driftwood are the most common niches for marine fungi. The
number of higher marine fungi species recorded from the mangrove areas has increased in
recent years. Studies revealed that mangrove fungi are the second largest group among the
marine fungi. A checklist of Malaysian higher marine fungi from the mangrove ecosystem is
presented in this paper. The total number of fungi species recorded in Malaysia is 302 of
which 234 species are identified and 68 species unidentified. The total number of species
recorded in Malaysia is relatively high when compared to the total number of species recorded
worldwide (444 species). The Ascomycota was the largest group encountered (275 species),
followed by Deuteromycota (23 species) and Basidiomycota (2 species). The most commonly
occurring species were Lignincola leaves (17.87%), followed by Verruculina enalia (13.92%),
Trichocladium achrasporum (12.88%), Savoryella lignincola (12.35%), Dictyosporum
pelagicum (11.86%), Lulworthia grandispora (11.53%), Halocyphina villosa (11.55%),
Periconia prolifica (10.10%), Leptosphaeria australiensis (9.32%), Halosarpheia marina
(8.93%), Halosarpheia retorquens (8.22%), Lignincola longirostris (8.16%), Halosarpheia
ratnagierensis (7.40%), Kallicroma tethys (7.30%), Dactylospora heliotrepha (5.81%),
Trichocladium alopallonellum (5.73%), Trichocladium linderi (5.40%), Cirrenalia pygmea
(5.38%), Savoryella paucispora (5.36%) and Marinosphaeria sp. (5.07%). Percentage
colonization was 84.8% and the average number of fungi per sample was 2.93.
Institute of Biological Sciences, University Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur. Tel: 03–7967 4387, Fax: 03–7967 4178;
siti_aisyah_2000@yahoo.com
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