Assessment Notes

Justification

This species has a wide range in Patagonia, with a wide diversity of hosts. It is not thought to approach the thresholds for listing under a threatened category. Therefore, it is listed as Least Concern.

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Geographic range

The distribution of Amanita merxmuelleri is scattered across the western and southern side of the Andes, along the whole distribution range of Nothofagus. In Chile, it was collected from the region VII (Maule) to XV (Magallanes), while in Argentina it only occurs in Tierra del Fuego.

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Population and Trends

Although populations are scattered and usually not abundantly fruiting, Amanita merxmuelleri is found over a very broad area in Andean Patagonia, with the capacity to associate with multiple Nothofagus species.

Population Trend: unknown

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Habitat and Ecology

This ectomycorrhizal species associates exclusively with Nothofagus species in Patagonia. It has been found with multiple Nothofagus hosts, such as N. dombeyi, N. pumilio and N. obliqua. It has a wide distribution along the Andes from latitudes 35º to 55º. Its only ecological restrictions seem to be linked with sites that are relatively oceanic, since in Argentina it is only found south of the Andes in Tierra del Fuego.

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Threats

Overall this species is not significantly threatened. However, deforestation, particularly in the northern range of its distribution, and forest fires (intentional and accidental due to drought and climate change) are a growing threat.

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Conservation Actions

In Chile, several known populations lie within protected areas at the regional or national level (Karukinka Reserve, Magallanes Nacional Reserve, Puyehue National Park, Los Ruiles Nacional Reserve, Nahuelbuta National Park, Rucamanque Reserve). Further research is needed to understand the biology of the species (fruiting patterns) as well as its ecology (habitat requirements, host specificity and interactions). Although the species has a wide distribution with multiple Nothofagus hosts, its population trends are currently unknown.

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Use and Trade

In Chile, the species is collected and locally consumed by mapuche and rural communities in the BioBio region to the south (Salazar Vidal 2016).

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Source and Citation

Truong, C., Monroy Guzmán, C., Kuhar, F. & Pfister, D. 2020. Amanita merxmuelleri. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2020: e.T172677957A172861022. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-2.RLTS.T172677957A172861022.en .Accessed on 3 February 2024

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• Country occurrence