Global consortium for the classification of fungi and fungus-like taxa
Author(s)
Date Issued
2023
Type
article
Volume
14
Issue
1
ISSN
2077-7019
Journal
Abstract
The Global Consortium for the Classification of Fungi and fungus-like taxa is an international
initiative of more than 550 mycologists to develop an electronic structure for the classification of
these organisms. The members of the Consortium originate from 55 countries/regions worldwide,
from a wide range of disciplines, and include senior, mid-career and early-career mycologists and
plant pathologists. The Consortium will publish a biannual update of the Outline of Fungi and funguslike taxa, to act as an international scheme for other scientists. Notes on all newly published taxa at
or above the level of species will be prepared and published online on the Outline of Fungi website
(https://www.outlineoffungi.org/), and these will be finally published in the biannual edition of the
Outline of Fungi and fungus-like taxa. Comments on recent important taxonomic opinions on
controversial topics will be included in the biannual outline. For example, ‘to promote a more stable
taxonomy in Fusarium given the divergences over its generic delimitation’, or ‘are there too many
genera in the Boletales?’ and even more importantly, ‘what should be done with the tremendously
diverse ‘dark fungal taxa?’ There are undeniable differences in mycologists’ perceptions and
opinions regarding species classification as well as the establishment of new species. Given the
pluralistic nature of fungal taxonomy and its implications for species concepts and the nature of
species, this consortium aims to provide a platform to better refine and stabilise fungal classification,
taking into consideration views from different parties. In the future, a confidential voting system will
be set up to gauge the opinions of all mycologists in the Consortium on important topics. The results
of such surveys will be presented to the International Commission on the Taxonomy of Fungi (ICTF)
and the Nomenclature Committee for Fungi (NCF) with opinions and percentages of votes for and
against. Criticisms based on scientific evidence with regards to nomenclature, classifications, and
taxonomic concepts will be welcomed, and any recommendations on specific taxonomic issues will
also be encouraged; however, we will encourage professionally and ethically responsible criticisms
1974
of others’ work. This biannual ongoing project will provide an outlet for advances in various topics
of fungal classification, nomenclature, and taxonomic concepts and lead to a community-agreed
classification scheme for the fungi and fungus-like taxa. Interested parties should contact the lead
author if they would like to be involved in future outlines.
Subjects
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