Psathyrella atlantica is found in the Atlantic Forest of Brazil, described as occurring in regenerating lowland ombrophilous dense forest (Coimbra et al. 2020). The species is currently known only from one site growing on litter deposited on the soil at ‘Reserva Biológica de Saltinho’, a biological reserve with Atlantic Forest remnants located in Pernambuco State, Northeast Brazil.
However, the species is expected to be distributed along the Atlantic Forest in the dense ombrophilous forest areas/remnants. Although it seems to be a rare species, becoming even rarer with the continued loss and degradation of its habitat in the Atlantic Forest due to human activity and climate change, the habitat preferences and its distribution are unclear, making it difficult to estimate its population size and trends. This species is assessed as DD.

Psathyrella atlantica V. Coimbra & Wartchow, Acta Botanica Brasilica 34 (2): 395 (2020). Psathyrella atlantica was described by Coimbra et al. (2020), based on both morphological and molecular evidence.

This is a probably rare species, since it was found only once in a fragment of Atlantic Forest in Northwest Brazil. Although more data is necessary to better understand the species ecology and distribution it must be assessed.

Psathyrella atlantica is found in the Atlantic Forest of Brazil, described as occurring in regenerating lowland ombrophilous dense forest (Coimbra et al. 2020). The species is currently known only from one site growing on litter deposited on the soil at ‘Reserva Biológica de Saltinho’, a biological reserve with Atlantic Forest remnants located in the municipalities of Tamandaré and Rio Formoso, Pernambuco State, Northeast Brazil. Nonetheless, the species is expected to be distributed along the Atlantic Forest in the dense ombrophilous forest areas/remnants. Comparing the vegetation structure of the ombrophilous dense forest found in the ‘Reserva Biológica de Saltinho’ in Pernambuco with the structure of ombrophilous forests that occur in the Amazon region (Condé et al. 2013), it is likely that P. atlantica can reach these areas where vegetation cover is more conserved than that found in the Atlantic Forest biome.

Psathyrella atlantica is a recently described species, currently known from only one site, with one collection (Coimbra et al. 2020). This site is located in a lowland ombrophilous dense forest inside the Atlantic Forest which is a highly fragmented biodiversity hotspot reduced to only 28% of its original area (Myers et al. 2000, Rezende et al. 2018). It is expected that the species also occurs in similar ombrophilous dense forest areas in the Atlantic Forest. Psathyrella atlantica is likely rare as it has only been recorded from one sited despite the fact that Northeastern Brazil has been intensively studied for fungi (see Maia et al. 2015 and their cited references). However, the habitat preferences of the species and its distribution are unclear, making it difficult to estimate its population size and trends.

Psathyrella atlantica is a saprotrophic species, growing in litter deposited on soil. This species forms caespitose basidiomata composed of slender, whitish basidiomata with small orange floccose-squamulose veil remnants adhering to the pileus (Coimbra et al. 2020).

The Atlantic Forest is considered a hotspot for biodiversity conservation due to various anthropogenic pressures, vegetation cover conversion, and the high rate of endemism observed in the biome (Myers et al. 2000). Because remnants of the biome are highly fragmented and the annual rate of deforestation is still high from the consequences of the effects of environmental changes due to climate change, the areas where the species can occur are highly threatened (Salazar et al. 2007, Tabarelli et al. 2010, Rezende et al. 2018). Furthermore, an emerging threat is the flexibility observed in public policies for the conservation of the Atlantic Forest. Recent deregulating acts from the current Brazilian government reduced protection and provided amnesty for deforestation in the Atlantic Forest (Vale et al. 2021). Psathyrella atlantica was observed in one site that is included as a protected area by Brazilian law (Law nº 9.995/2000), close to urban centers, sites that may be heavily threatened, even under legal protection. In addition, the areas with ombrophilous dense forests are located in flat coastal areas. These coastal forest formations have been fragmented, converted, and occupied since the beginning of colonization, and overall, 65% of the biome surface is covered by anthropic areas. The few remnants are under intense anthropogenic pressure due to the expansion of coastal cities, illegal hunting, and excessive exploitation of natural resources (Joly et al. 2014, Schneider et al. 2018).

Ensuring the conservation of Atlantic Forest under the Brazilian Native Vegetation Protection Law (Law No. 12.651/2012), known as the Brazilian Forest Code, and primarily under the most specific law of protection for the biome (Law No. 11.428/2006) is the most efficient short-term measure. Forest restoration actions, the creation of new preservation areas, management, maintenance, and protection of existing preservation areas are also strategies that should be adopted for the conservation of habitats where the species can potentially occur (IIS 2021).

More surveys in suitable areas for the occurrence of the species should be explored to determine the extent of its geographic distribution along the Atlantic Forest and even in other biomes in the country, such as other ombrophilous dense forests regions. Additionally, new collections may help to document any variability of its morphological characters or ecological/microbiome interactions (Coimbra et al. 2020) as well as better understand its population size and trends.

No use/trade known.

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