Assessment Notes

Justification

Ceriporia amazonica is endemic to the Brazilian Amazon. It is a wood-inhabiting saprotropic fungus that causes white rot, characterized by a vivid salmon colour. The species has only been recorded from two sites, each with few individuals, even with surveys for the species at the type locality and other areas of Eastern Amazonia since 2009. Thus, the species is potentially rare. It has only been recorded 12 times but considering the large area of the Amazonian Forest, there are an estimated 1,000 - 2,000 additional sites where the species may occur, each with around 24 mature individuals. The total population size is inferred to be less than 50,000. A population decline of 22% is suspected for the next 30 years (three generations), based on the loss of suitable habitat and the putative influence that habitat degradation has on species occupation in a given environment. Therefore, this species is assessed as Near Threatened under criterion A3c.

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Geographic range

The species is only known in Brazil from two sites in the Eastern Amazon, covered by ombrophilous dense rain forest, in Serra do Navio and Floresta Nacional (FLONA) do Amapá, both areas in the Amapá state (Soares et al. 2014, Xavier et al. 2018, speciesLink 2021). These two sites are separated by over 60 km. The species is endemic to the Amazon forest domain, potentially restricted to the Eastern Brazilian Amazon.

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Population and Trends

A total of 12 records of this species are registered according to the databases for fungi in Brazil and scientific research (Xavier et al. 2018, speciesLink 2021). Only one collection was recorded when the species was described (Soares et al. 2014). After several surveys in the type locality (FLONA do Amapá), the species was only found in 2014 (eight specimens) and Serra do Navio (three specimens) in the same year. Although other areas of the Brazilian Amazon were sampled in the same period, and the species is highly detectability – it has bright salmon basidiomata – it was only found in these two areas of Amapá. Considering the large area of the Brazilian Amazon, approximately 1,000- 2,000 sites of occurrence are estimated, each one with around 24 mature individuals. Hence, the total population is estimated to be no more than 50,000 mature individuals. A population decline of 22% is suspected for the next 30 years (three generations), based in the loss of suitable habitat (Zhang et al. 2015) and the putative influence that habitat degradation has on species occupation in a given environment (Berglund and Jonsson 2002, Haddad et al. 2015).

Population Trend: decreasing

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Habitat and Ecology

Ceriporia amazonica is a wood-inhabiting saprophytic fungus that causes white rot on dead wood. The species occurs in logs and branches of dead wood, but no host information is known. It is registered only from Dense Ombrophilous forest in the Brazilian Amazon.

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Threats

Brazil has the largest area of the Amazon Forest, with vast areas at risk due to human pressure. In several areas of the Brazilian Amazon, almost 20% of the original forest has been devastated due to increased fire frequency, pasture, agriculture, mineral extraction, urban expansion and illegal logging (Fearnside 2015, Aguiar et al. 2016, Gomes et al. 2019). Ongoing deforestation and habitat loss are the main threats to Amazon diversity. In 2020, the deforestation rate of the Amazonia was the highest in the decade (Silva-Junior et al. 2020). In mining sites, one of the areas where the species was collected (Serra do Navio), after mineral extraction occurs there are changes in the landscape, deforestation, and replacement of native species by exotic species which can be harmful to many species (Monteiro 2003). Moreover, even in protected areas, deforestation for logging and pastures for cattle raising and small-scale gold mining which cause pollution and forests damages also occur (Ferreira 2016, Jesus and Catojo 2020).

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Conservation Actions

Even species in protected areas of the Brazilian Amazon may be threatened. Management plans and emergency action plans to stop illegal logging in conservation units and mandate reforestation of mining sites with native species need to be enforced. Additionally, forest restoration is needed to improve habitat quality. More surveys are needed in other areas of the Brazilian Amazon are also needed, especially in the dry season to better understand the distribution of the species as well habitat and host specificity and other ecological aspects.

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Use and Trade

No use/trade is known for this species.

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Source and Citation

Soares, A., Costa-Rezende, D.H., Kossmann, T. & Drechsler-Santos, E.R. 2022. Ceriporia amazonica. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2022: e.T211814789A211815672. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2022-1.RLTS.T211814789A211815672.en .Accessed on 6 August 2024

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• Country occurrence