Assessment Notes

Justification

Phylloboletellus chloephorus is a species known from Mexico and Argentina. It has been recorded in a small number of sites (eight) and the population size is estimated at only 16,000 mature individuals, when taking into account potential additional sites. However, given its likely wide distribution, different suitable habitats and potential hosts, and lack of evidence of a significant population reduction, the species is assessed as Least Concern (LC).

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Taxonomic notes

Phylloboletellus chloephorus is the type and only species in its genus. This has been confirmed through molecular studies, but its phylogenetic position remains unresolved (Farid et al. 2018)

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Geographic range

It has only been observed in Argentina and Mexico (GBIF 2023), but given the distance between the two, a wider distribution in Central and South America is likely. This is also suggested by one further GBIF record from Costa Rica, but it has only been identified at the genus level.

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Population and Trends

This species has been recorded in approximately eight sites (Bandala et al. 2004, GBIF 2023). Given its wide area of potentially suitable habitat and relatively conspicuous fruitbodies, the small number of records suggests this may be an uncommon species, though this may also be caused by low search efforts. The population size is estimated at 16,000 mature individuals following guidelines by Dahlberg and Mueller (2011), assuming a x 500 multiplier for unknown sites, two functional individuals per site and two mature individuals per functional individual.

Population Trend: Unknown

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Habitat and Ecology

It has been found on soil, subgregarious, solitary or subcaespitose under or near plant species belonging to Lauraceae, Myrtaceae, Sapindaceae, Ulmaceae, Fabaceae and others, in both natural habitats such as tropical forests and Tamaulipan matorral, and in coffee plantations. It has been suggested as saprotrophic and ectomycorrhizal by different authors, but its trophic mode has not yet been confirmed (Bandala et al. 2004, Jiménez 2013, Farid et al. 2018).

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Threats

Given its wide distribution, range of habitats and numerous potential hosts it is difficult to establish threats for this species.

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Conservation Actions

Targeted efforts in areas of suitable habitat are needed to define distribution limits and better estimate the population size. Research into its trophic mode and range of hosts is also needed to help establish threats.

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Source and Citation

Cunha, S.P. & Gonçalves, S.C. 2025. Phylloboletellus chloephorus. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2025: e.T273603518A273893843. Accessed on 20 November 2025.

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• Country occurrence