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.
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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 | van Oorschot, 1980 | - | (rediscovered) | Edmonton, Canada & 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 | (rediscovered) | Brazil, Canada, Colombia & USA | Rediscovered | Access |
Order: Verrucariales
Family: Verrucariaceae
| Scientific Name | Author/s | Common Name | Last Record | Distribution | Status | Taxon Profile |
| Placopyrenium heppioides | (Zahlbr.) Breuss | - | - | Los Angeles area, California, USA | Relocated or rediscovered | Access |
Class: Hyphomycetes
Family: incertae sedis
| Scientific Name | Author/s | Common Name | Last Record | Distribution | Status | Taxon Profile |
| Mycelephas robustus | (R.F. Castañeda) R.F. Castañeda | (rediscovered) | Brazil & Cuba | Rediscovered | 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 Lecideaceae
| Scientific Name | Author/s | Common Name | Last Record | Distribution | Status | Taxon Profile |
| Lecidea populina | Mull Arg. ex Nyl. | - | (rediscovered) | Colorado, USA | Rediscovered | Access |
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 |
| Parmotrema bifidum | A.A. Spielm. & Marcelli | 1894 | Brazil | Missing | Access | |
| Usnea 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 | - | April 1916 | Municipality of Irosin, Province of Sorsogon, Luzon, Philippines | Missing | Access |
Order: Peltigerales
Family: Pannariaceae
| Scientific Name | Author/s | Common Name | Last Record | Distribution | Status | Taxon Profile |
| Erioderma asahinae | Zahlbr. | - | 12 March 1926 | Mount Kōya, Wakayama Prefecture, Kii Peninsula, Honshū, Japan | Invalid (synonym) | Access |
|
Psoroma femsjonense |
(Fr.) Trevis. | (rediscovered) | Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Sweden (all possibly extinct) & Turkey (extant) | Rediscovered | 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 |
| Buellia setschwana | (Zahlbr.) Q. Y. Zhong & Xin Y. Wang (2023) | - | (rediscovered) | southwest China | Rediscovered | Access |
| Phaeophyscia leana | (Tuck.) Essl. | Lea's bog lichen | (rediscovered) | Alabama, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio & Tennessee, USA | Rediscovered | Access |
|
Rinodina cornutula |
Zahlbr. (1930) | - | (rediscovered) | southwest China | Rediscovered | Access |
| Rinodina globulans | Zahlbr. (1930) | - | (rediscovered) | southwest China | Rediscovered | Access |
| Rinodina handelii | Zahlbr. (1930) | - | (rediscovered) | southwest China | 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: Pezizomycetes
Order: Pezizales
Family: Discinaceae
| Scientific Name | Author/s | Common Name | Last Record | Distribution | Status | Taxon Profile |
| Gyromitra ussuriensis | Vassiljeva (1950) | (rediscovered) | China, Japan, Far East Russia & South Korea | Rediscovered | Access |
Family: Pezizaceae
| Scientific Name | Author/s | Common Name | Last Record | Distribution | Status | Taxon Profile |
| Paragalactinia hypoleuca | (Boud. & Torrend) Van Vooren | (rediscovered) | Corsica, France & Portugal | Rediscovered | Access | |
| Paratricharina poiraultii | (Boud.) Van Vooren, U. Lindemann,M.Vega, Ribes, Illescas & Matočec | (rediscovered) | Croatia, Portugal & Spain | Rediscovered | Access |
Class: Sordariomycetes
Order: Hypocreales
Family: Hypocreaceae
| Scientific Name | Author/s | Common Name | Last Record | Distribution | Status | Taxon Profile |
| Cylindrocarpostylus gregarius | (Bres.) R. Kirschner & Oberw., 1999 | - | - | Czech Republic & Germany | Rediscovered | Access |
Order: Xylariales
| Scientific Name | Author/s | Common Name | Last Record | Distribution | Status | Taxon Profile |
| Poroisariopsis inornata | (S.C.Jong & E.F.Morris) M.Morelet | (rediscovered) | Costa Rica & Mexico | Rediscovered | Access |
Family: incertae sedis
| Scientific Name | Author/s | Common Name | Last Record | Distribution | Status | Taxon Profile |
| Escovopsis aspergilloides | Seifert et al., 1995 | - | - | Brazil | 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 |
| Diploospora 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 | S.Ito & S.Imai, 1940 | - | 20 November 1936 | Mount Sekimon, Hahajima, Bonin Islands (=Ogasawara Islands), Japan | Missing | Access |
| Coprinus boninensis | S.Ito & S.Imai, 1940 | - | 1936 | Chichijima, Bonin Islands (=Ogasawara Islands), Japan | Missing | Access |
| Lepiota boninensis | S.Ito & S.Imai, 1939 | - | 1930 | Chichijima, Bonin Islands (=Ogasawara Islands), Japan | Missing | Access |
| Lepiota locaniensis | Espinosa, 1936 | - | 1946 | Chile | Extinct | Access |
| Lepiota luteophylla | Sundb. (1971) | Yellow-gilled cypress lepiota | (rediscovered) | California, USA | Rediscovered | Access |
Family: Crepidotaceae
| Scientific Name | Author/s | Common Name | Last Record | Distribution | Status | Taxon Profile |
| Crepidotus subpurpureus | S.Ito & S.Imai (1940) | - | 1936 | Mount Sekimon, Hahajima, Bonin Islands (=Ogasawara Islands), Japan | Missing | Access |
Family: Entolomataceae
| Scientific Name | Author/s | Common Name | Last Record | Distribution | Status | Taxon Profile |
|
Entoloma japonense |
Tarrelos (2015) | - | 1940 or before | Chichijima, Bonin Islands (=Ogasawara Islands), Japan | Extinct | Access |
| 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 | Chichijima & Hahajima, Bonin Islands (=Ogasawara Islands), Japan | Missing | Access |
|
Cora timucua
|
Lücking et al., 2021 | Timucua heart lichen, Timucua lettuce basidiolichen | 1985 | 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 | 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 | - | 1936 | Bonin Islands (=Ogasawara Islands), Japan | Missing | Access |
| Neonothopanus gardneri | (Berk. ex Gardner) Capelari, Desjardin, B.A.Perry, T.Asai, Stevani (2011) | flor de coco, 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) | - | - | Chichijima & Hahajima, Bonin Islands (=Ogasawara Islands), Japan | Rediscovered | Access |
| Cyathus boninensis | S.Ito & S.Imai (1937) | - | 4 November 1936 | Chichijima, Bonin Islands (=Ogasawara Islands), Japan | Missing | Access |
| Retiperidiolia reticulata | (Petch) Kraisit., Cheoyklin,Boonprat. & M.E. Sm. | (rediscovered) | Sri Lanka & Thailand | Rediscovered | Access |
Family: Pleurotaceae
| Scientific Name | Author/s | Common Name | Last Record | Distribution | Status | Taxon Profile |
| Pleurotus cyatheae | S.Ito & S.Imai (1939) | - | 15 November 1936 | 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 | Mount Kuwanoki, Hahajima, Bonin Islands (=Ogasawara Islands), Japan | Missing | Access |
| Pluteus horridilamellus | S. Ito & S. Imai, 1940 | - | 1936 | Mount Kuwanoki, Hahajima, Bonin Islands (=Ogasawara Islands), Japan | Missing | Access |
| Pluteus machidae | S. Ito & S. Imai, 1940 | - | 20 November 1936 | 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 |
|
Hausknechtia leucosticta |
(Pat.) Tkalčec, J.-Q. Yan, C. Nie & C.K. Pradeep (2022) | (rediscovered) | China, India & Vietnam | Rediscovered | Access | |
| Psathyrella boninensis | (S. Ito & S. Imai) S. Ito, 1959 | - | 1936 | Mount Sekimon, Hahajima, Bonin Islands (=Ogasawara Islands), Japan | Missing | Access |
| Psathyrella cystidiosa | (Peck) A.H. Sm., 1972 | - | - | USA? | Rediscovered or relocated | Access |
| Psathyrella rhodospora | M.G. Weaver & A.H. Sm., 1972 | - | - | USA? | Rediscovered or relocated | Access |
Family: Strophariaceae
| Scientific Name | Author/s | Common Name | Last Record | Distribution | Status | Taxon Profile |
| Gymnopilus noviholocirrhus | S. Ito & S. Imai, 1940 | - | 1936 | 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 | Chichijima, Bonin Islands (=Ogasawara Islands), Japan | Missing | Access |
| Collybia matris | S. Ito & S. Imai, 1939 | - | 1936 | Bonin Islands (=Ogasawara Islands), Japan | Missing | 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 | - | 1937 | Oregon, USA | Missing | Access |
| Strobilomyces polypyramis | Hook. f., in Berkeley, 1851 | - | - | Sikkim, India | Rediscovered | Access |
Family: Sclerodermataceae
| Scientific Name | Author/s | Common Name | Last Record | Distribution | Status | Taxon Profile |
| Scleroderma anomalosporum | Baseia, B.D.B. Silva & M.P. Martín, 2016 | (rediscovered) | Brazil | Rediscovered | Access | |
| Scleroderma camassuense | M.P. Martín, Baseia & B.D.B. Silva, 2016 | - | ? | Brazil | Missing | 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 | 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 | Chichijima, Bonin Islands (=Ogasawara Islands), Japan | Missing | Access |
| Russula boninensis | S. Ito & S. Imai, 1940 | - | 1936 | 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. (1895) | - | - | 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 | - | (rediscovered) | New York, USA | Rediscovered | Access |
| Tarichium megaspermum | Cohn, 1870 | (rediscovered) | Canada | 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 |
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.
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] |
Appendix 2: Relocated taxa
Austroomphaliaster nahuelbutensis (Big Puma fungus)