New Distribution record of Hemitrichia serpula from Kolhapur, Maharashtra, India.

Abstract

This study reports a new distribution record of Hemitrichia serpula (Fr.)  a species myxomycetes belongs to family trichiaceae and order trichales, from Kolhapur, Maharashtra, India. The species was identified based on its morphological characteristics, including its distinct, pale ochre-coloured fruiting bodies and the unique features of the spore and capillitium morphology. The specimen was collected from decomposing bark of palm plant moist, shaded garden area of Department of Botany Shivaji University Kolhapur. This is the first recorded observation of Hemitrichia serpula from the Kolhapur region, expanding the known geographical distribution of the species in India. The significance of this new distribution record in understanding the biodiversity of saprophytic fungi in the Western Ghats. This record highlights the need for further mycological surveys to explore the richness of fungal diversity in understudied regions of India.