The Recently Extinct Fungi Database
The conservation status assigned to each entry should be taken as, to varying degrees, tentative. Cases where there is no suitable habitat left are rare, and they may still persist in captivity (knowingly or not). Thus an airtight case for extinction is very difficult to build. While most cases of rediscovery are due to a failure to have previously surveyed significant parts of known or suitable habitat. Or the organism was not, or at least should not, have been feared extinct in the first place. Decades without a record means absolutely nothing in and of itself. While the taxonomic validity or synonymy of a given taxon is somewhat subjective, and there is the very slight risk that a taxon will be (consciously or subconsciously) synonymised in order to reduce the number of extinctions.
Taxonomy
Phylum: Ascomycota (Sac Fungi)
Class: Ascomycetes
Order: Pertusariales
Family: Megasporaceae
| Scientific Name | Author/s | Common Name | Last Record | Distribution | Status | Taxon Profile |
| Aspicilia tuberculosa | (Ach.) J. R. Laundon | - | c.1830 | Great Britain | Missing | Access |
Class: Dothideomycetes
Order: Microthyriales
Family: Microthyriaceae
| Scientific Name | Author/s | Common Name | Last Record | Distribution | Status | Taxon Profile |
| Asterinella hiugensis | I. Hino & Hidaka, 1934 | - | Miyazaki Prefecture, Kyushu, Japan | Rediscovered | Access |
Class: Eurotiomycetes
Order: Eurotiales
Family: Trichocomaceae
| Scientific Name | Author/s | Common Name | Last Record | Distribution | Status | Taxon Profile |
| Penicillium paradoxum | (Fennell & Raper) | - | - | India | Rediscovered | Access |
Order: Onygenales
Family: Onygenaceae
| Scientific Name | Author/s | Common Name | Last Record | Distribution | Status | Taxon Profile |
| Chrysosporium synchronum | Oorschot, 1980 | - | Slovakia | Rediscovered | Access |
Order: Pyrenulales
Family: Pyrenulaceae
| Scientific Name | Author/s | Common Name | Last Record | Distribution | Status | Taxon Profile |
| Pyrenula micheneri | Harris, 1989 | Michener's wart lichen | 1893 | Oregon County, Oregon, USA | Missing | Access |
Order: Verrucariales
Family: Verrucariaceae
| Scientific Name | Author/s | Common Name | Last Record | Distribution | Status | Taxon Profile |
| Catapyrenium heppioides | (Zahlbr.) J.W. Thomson, 1987 | 1911 | Los Angeles area, California, USA | Missing | Access |
Class: Lecanoromycetes
Order: Acarosporales
Family: Acarosporaceae
| Scientific Name | Author/s | Common Name | Last Record | Distribution | Status | Taxon Profile |
| Acarospora orcuttii | K. Knudsen, 2010 | - | 1884 | California, USA | "Missing" | Access |
Order: Lecanorales
Family: Parmeliaceae
| Scientific Name | Author/s | Common Name | Last Record | Distribution | Status | Taxon Profile |
| Bryoria divergescens | (Nyl.) Brodo & D. Hawksw. | - | Sichuan & Yunna, China | Rediscovered | Access | |
| Neuropogon lambii | Imshaug, 1954 | - | - | Washington, USA | Rediscovered | Access |
Order: Ostropales
Family: Graphidaceae
| Scientific Name | Author/s | Common Name | Last Record | Distribution | Status | Taxon Profile |
| Thelotrema philippinum | Rivas Plata, Sipman & Lücking, 2014 | Philippines | Missing | Access |
Order: Peltigerales
Family: Pannariaceae
| Scientific Name | Author/s | Common Name | Last Record | Distribution | Status | Taxon Profile |
| Erioderma asahinae | Zahlbr. | Mount Kōya, Wakayama Prefecture, Kii Peninsula, Honshū, Japan | Missing | Access |
Order: Teloschistales
Family: Teloschistaceae
| Scientific Name | Author/s | Common Name | Last Record | Distribution | Status | Taxon Profile |
Caloplaca allanii | Zahlbr. | - | Waitakere Ranges coastline, west of Auckland, North Island, New Zealand | Rediscovered | Access | |
| Caloplaca haematites | (Chaub. ex St. -Amans) Zwackh | - | Britain | Rediscovered | Access |
Family: Physciaceae
| Scientific Name | Author/s | Common Name | Last Record | Distribution | Status | Taxon Profile |
| Phaeophyscia leana | (Tuck.) Essl. | - | Alabama & Tennessee, USA | Rediscovered | Access |
Class: Leotiomycetes
Order: Erysiphales
Family: Erysiphaceae
| Scientific Name | Author/s | Common Name | Last Record | Distribution | Status | Taxon Profile |
| Cystotheca tjibodensis | (Gäum.) Katumoto, 1973 | - | - | Java, Indonesia | Rediscovered | Access |
| Erysiphe takamatsui | Y. Nomura, 1997 | - | - | Japan | Rediscovered | Access |
Class: Sordariomycetes
Order: Hypocreales
Family: Hypocreaceae
| Scientific Name | Author/s | Common Name | Last Record | Distribution | Status | Taxon Profile |
| Diplocladium gregarium | Bres., 1903 | - | Germany | Rediscovered | Access |
Family: incertae sedis
| Scientific Name | Author/s | Common Name | Last Record | Distribution | Status | Taxon Profile |
| Escovopsis aspergilloides | Seifert et al. 1995 | - | - | Trinidad | Rediscovered | Access |
| Escovopsis weberi | Muchovej & Della Lucia, 1990 | - | - | Cuba | Rediscovered | Access |
Class: incertae sedis
Order: incertae sedis
Family: incertae sedis
| Scientific Name | Author/s | Common Name | Last Record | Distribution | Status | Taxon Profile |
| Diploöspora rosea | Grove, 1916 | - | - | Italy & Micronesia | Rediscovered | Access |
Phylum: Basidiomycota
Class: Agaricomycetes
Order: Agaricales
Family: Agaricaceae
| Scientific Name | Author/s | Common Name | Last Record | Distribution | Status | Taxon Profile |
| Agaricus hahashimensis | Ito & Imai, 1940 | - | 1936 or later | Mount Sekimon, Hahajima, Bonin Islands, Japan | Missing | Access |
| Coprinus boninensis | S. Ito & S. Imai, 1940 | 1936 or later | Chichijima, Bonin Islands (=Ogasawara Islands), Japan | Missing | Access | |
| Lepiota boninensis | S. Ito & S. Imai, 1939 | 1936 or later | Chichijima, Bonin Islands (=Ogasawara Islands), Japan | Missing | Access | |
| Lepiota locaniensis | Espinosa, 1936 | 1946 | Chile | Extinct | Access |
Family: Crepidotaceae
| Scientific Name | Author/s | Common Name | Last Record | Distribution | Status | Taxon Profile |
| Pyrrhoglossum subpurpureum | Ito & Imai, 1940 | ? | Mount Sekimon, Hahajima, Bonin Islands (=Ogasawara Islands), Japan | Missing | Access |
Family: Entolomataceae
| Scientific Name | Author/s | Common Name | Last Record | Distribution | Status | Taxon Profile |
| Rhodophyllus brunneolus | (S. Ito & S. Imai) S. Ito, 1959 | ? | Mount Asahi, Chichijima, Bonin Islands (=Ogasawara Islands), Japan | Invalid (synonym) | Access |
Family: Hygrophoraceae
| Scientific Name | Author/s | Common Name | Last Record | Distribution | Status | Taxon Profile |
| Camarophyllus microbicolor | (Ito & Imai) Ito, 1959 | 1936 or later | Bonin Islands, Japan | Missing | Access | |
Cora timucua | Lücking et al., 2021 | Timucua heart lichen | ? | Florida, USA | Missing | Access |
Hygrocybe macrospora | (S. Ito & S. Imai) S. Ito, 1959 | 1936 | Chichijima, Bonin Islands (=Ogasawara Islands), Japan | Missing | Access | |
| Hygrocybe miniatostriata | (S. Ito & S. Imai) S. Ito, 1959 | 1936 or later | Chichijima, Bonin Islands (=Ogasawara Islands), Japan | Missing | Access |
Family: Marasmiaceae
| Scientific Name | Author/s | Common Name | Last Record | Distribution | Status | Taxon Profile |
| Campanella boninensis | (S. Ito & S. Imai) Parmasto, 1981 | Bonin Islands (=Ogasawara Islands), Japan | Missing | Access | ||
| Neonothopanus gardneri | (Berk. ex Gardner) Capelari, Desjardin, B.A.Perry, T.Asai, Stevani (2011) | Gardner's Glowing mushroom | - | Brazil | Rediscovered | Access |
Family: Nidulariaceae
| Scientific Name | Author/s | Common Name | Last Record | Distribution | Status | Taxon Profile |
| Cyathus badius | Kobayasi, 1937 | - | - | Ogasawara Islands, Japan | Rediscovered | Access |
| Cyathus boninensis | S. Ito & S. Imai, 1937 | 1936 or later | Chichijima, Bonin Islands (=Ogasawara Islands), Japan | Missing | Access |
Family: Pleurotaceae
| Scientific Name | Author/s | Common Name | Last Record | Distribution | Status | Taxon Profile |
| Pleurotus cyatheae | S. Ito & S. Imai, 1939 | 1936 or later | Bonin Islands (=Ogasawara Islands), Japan | Missing | Access | |
| Pleurotus placentodes | (Berk.) Sacc., 1887 | - | - | China & India | Rediscovered | Access |
Family: Pluteaceae
| Scientific Name | Author/s | Common Name | Last Record | Distribution | Status | Taxon Profile |
Pluteus daidoi | S. Ito & S. Imai, 1940 | 1936 or later | Mount Kuwanoki, Hahajima, Bonin Islands (=Ogasawara Islands), Japan | Missing | Access | |
| Pluteus horridilamellus | S. Ito & S. Imai, 1940 | 1936 or later | Mount Kuwanoki, Hahajima, Bonin Islands (=Ogasawara Islands), Japan | Missing | Access | |
| Pluteus machidae | S. Ito & S. Imai, 1940 | 1936 or later | Mount Sekimon, Hahajima, Bonin Islands (=Ogasawara Islands), Japan | Missing | Access | |
| Pluteus okabei | S. Ito & S. Imai, 1940 | 1936 or later | Mount Asahi, Chichijima, Bonin Islands (=Ogasawara Islands), Japan | Missing | Access | |
| Pluteus verruculosus | S. Ito & S. Imai, 1940 | 1936 or later | Mount Sekimon, Hahajima, Bonin Islands (=Ogasawara Islands), Japan | Missing | Access |
Family: Psathyrellaceae
| Scientific Name | Author/s | Common Name | Last Record | Distribution | Status | Taxon Profile |
| Psathyrella boninense | (S. Ito & S. Imai) S. Ito, 1959 | 1936 or later | Mount Sekimon, Hahajima, Bonin Islands (=Ogasawara Islands), Japan | Missing | Access | |
| Psathyrella cystidiosa | (Peck) A.H. Sm., 1972 | USA? | ? | Access | ||
| Psathyrella rhodospora | M.G. Weaver & A.H. Sm., 1972 | USA? | ? | Access |
Family: Strophariaceae
| Scientific Name | Author/s | Common Name | Last Record | Distribution | Status | Taxon Profile |
| Gymnopilus noviholocirrhus | S. Ito & S. Imai, 1940 | 1936 or later | Mount Kuwanoki, Hahajima, Bonin Islands (=Ogasawara Islands), Japan | Missing | Access |
Family: Tricholomataceae
| Scientific Name | Author/s | Common Name | Last Record | Distribution | Status | Taxon Profile |
| Clitocybe castaneofloccosa | S. Ito & S. Imai, 1939 | 1936 or later | Chichijima, Bonin Islands (=Ogasawara Islands), Japan | Missing | Access | |
| Collybia matris | S. Ito & S. Imai, 1939 | 1936 or later | Bonin Islands (=Ogasawara Islands), Japan | Missing | Access | |
| Leptoglossum boninense | (S.Ito & Imai) Imazeki & Hongo | 1936 or later | Chichijima, Bonin Islands (=Ogasawara Islands), Japan | Invalid (nomen nudum) | Access |
Order: Boletales
Family: Boletaceae
| Scientific Name | Author/s | Common Name | Last Record | Distribution | Status | Taxon Profile |
| Boletus nitidus violascens | (Alb. & Schwein.) Mussat, 1900 | Switzerland | Invalid (synonym) | Access | ||
| Gastroboletus imbellus | Trappe, 1969 | 1960's | USA | Missing | Access | |
| Octaviania macrospora | Singer & A.H. Sm., 1960 | Oregon, USA | Missing | Access | ||
| Strobilomyces polypyramis | Hook. f., in Berkeley, 1851 | - | - | Sikkim, India | Rediscovered | Access |
Family: Sclerogastraceae
| Scientific Name | Author/s | Common Name | Last Record | Distribution | Status | Taxon Profile |
| Sclerogaster luteocarneus | (Bresadola) Zeller & C.W. Dodge, 1935 | - | - | Brazil | Rediscovered | Access |
Order: Cantharellales
Family: Cantharellaceae
| Scientific Name | Author/s | Common Name | Last Record | Distribution | Status | Taxon Profile |
| Cantharellus camphoratus | R.H. Petersen, 1979 | - | - | Canada | Rediscovered | Access |
Order: Hysterangiales
Family: Hysterangiaceae
| Scientific Name | Author/s | Common Name | Last Record | Distribution | Status | Taxon Profile |
| Circulocolumella hahashimensis | (S. Ito & S. Imai) S. Ito & S. Imai | 1936 | Mount Sekimon, Hahajima, Bonin Islands, Japan | Missing | Access |
Order: Polyporales
Family: Polyporaceae
| Scientific Name | Author/s | Common Name | Last Record | Distribution | Status | Taxon Profile |
| Lentinus lamelliporus | Har. & Pat., 1902 | 1902 or later | Tokyo administrative prefecture, Kantō region, Honshu, Japan | Missing | Access |
Order: Russulales
Family: Albatrellaceae
| Scientific Name | Author/s | Common Name | Last Record | Distribution | Status | Taxon Profile |
| Albatrellus cantharellus | (Lloyd) Pouzar, 1972 | - | 1914 or later | Miyagi Prefecture, Tōhoku region, Honshu, Japan | Missing | Access |
Family: Russulaceae
| Scientific Name | Author/s | Common Name | Last Record | Distribution | Status | Taxon Profile |
| Lactarius ogasawarashimensis | S. Ito & S. Imai, 1940 | 1936 or later | Chichijima, Bonin Islands (=Ogasawara Islands), Japan | Missing | Access | |
| Russula boninensis | S. Ito & S. Imai, 1940 | 1936 or later | Chichijima, Bonin Islands (=Ogasawara Islands), Japan | Missing | Access | |
| Russula punctipes | Singer, 1935 | - | (rediscovered) | China | Rediscovered | Access |
Class: Dacrymycetes
Order: Dacrymycetales
Family: Dacrymycetaceae
| Scientific Name | Author/s | Common Name | Last Record | Distribution | Status | Taxon Profile |
| Dacrymyces pezizoides | Kobayasi, 1939 | - | (rediscovered) | Japan | Rediscovered | Access |
Phylum: Chytridiomycota
Class: Chytridiomycetes
Order: Spizellomycetales
Family: Olpidiaceae
| Scientific Name | Author/s | Common Name | Last Record | Distribution | Status | Taxon Profile |
| Nucleophaga amoebae | P. A. Dang, 1896 | - | - | Austria | Rediscovered | Access |
Phylum: Entomophthoromycota
Class: Entomophthoromycetes
Order: Entomophthorales
Family: Entomophthoraceae
| Scientific Name | Author/s | Common Name | Last Record | Distribution | Status | Taxon Profile |
| Erynia aquatica | (J.F. Anderson & Anagnost.) Remaud. & Hennebert, 1980 | - | - | New York, USA | Rediscovered | Access |
Phylum: incertae sedis
Order: Mucorales
Family: Cunninghamellaceae
| Scientific Name | Author/s | Common Name | Last Record | Distribution | Status | Taxon Profile |
| Cunninghamella homothallica | Komin. & Tubaki 1952 | ? | Japan | Extinct in the wild | Access |
Appendix 1: Ichnotaxa
| Scientific Name | Author/s | Common Name | Last Record | Distribution | Formal description |
| Violinichnus punctatus | Moura et al., 2021 | ? | Bahia Brazil | Moura, Jorge Felipe et al. (2021). Damaged armour: Ichnotaxonomy and paleoparasitology of bioerosion lesions in osteoderms of Quaternary extinct armadillos. Journal of South American Earth Sciences 109: 103255. [Abstract] |
Notes:
1 Taxonomic ranks encompassed by square brackets (i.e. "[" and "]") have no relevant subordinate taxa. That is, none of the species or subspecies included therein both a) survived at least until the late Pleistocene and b) are considered missing, extinct, rediscovered, or have been removed from these former categories due to taxonomic invalidity. This juxtaposition of non-empty and empty taxonomic units helps to identify potential instances of taxonomic bias in recent extinctions, and by extension those groups of organisms that may have an innate buffer against extinction.