Black Tooth (Phellodon niger)
Key Details
| Taxonomic Groups: | Fungus or lichen > fungus > Fungus |
| Red List Status: | (Not Relevant) [(not listed)(nr)] |
| D5 Status: | |
| Section 41 Status: | (not listed) |
| Taxa Included Synonym: | (none) |
| UKSI Recommended Name: | Phellodon niger agg. |
| UKSI Recommended Authority: | (not specified) |
| UKSI Recommended Qualifier: | (none specified) |
| Red List Citation: | (not listed) |
| Notes on taxonomy/listing: | (none) |
Criteria
| Question 1: | Does species need conservation or recovery in England? |
| Response: | Yes |
| Justification: | The taxonomy of this species in the UK published August 2024, part of hydnoid assemblage of conservation importance |
| Question 2: | Does recovery/ conservation depend on species-specific actions? |
| Response: | Yes |
| Justification: | Until the taxonomy of this species is resolved, there is no reliable data relating to it's current distribution |
| Question 3: | At a landscape scale, would the species benefit from untargeted habitat management to increase habitat mosaics, structural diversity, or particular successional stages? |
| Response: | Yes |
| Justification: | Structural diversity in mature pine stands and plantations is likely to affect if and where this species produces fruitbodies. While it is not known whether the fungus is responding to a negative (edge of territory) or positive (break In vegetation) stimulus, this species usually fruits along river banks, well-beaten paths or other breaks in the woodland habitat. |
Species Assessment
| Current step on the Species Recovery Curve (SRC): | 1. Taxonomy established |
| Recovery potential/expectation: | Low - Policy conflict (detail in comments) |
| National Monitoring Resource: | Combination - insufficient |
| Species Comments: | There is ongoing work to establish the taxonomy of British collections. This species is found on mineral soils with mature Fagales in areas with lower nitrogen deposition. Any attempts at Species recovery are likely to be hampered by high levels of atmospheric nitrogen deposition, this is a policy conflict due to demands of industry and agriculture. |
Key Actions
Key Action 1
Proposed Action: A series of targeted surveys at known sites for this species should be carried out to collect samples for DNA sequencing. These sequences should be compared to the sequences of voucher specimens as part of ongoing taxonomic work on this species.
Action targets: 1. Taxonomy established
Action type: Scientific research
Duration: 3-5 years
Scale of Implementation: ≤ 50 sites
High priority sites: N/A
Comments: Assessment of this species so far suggests at least 2 if not 3 species have previously been recorded as P.melaleucus
Key Action 2
Proposed Action: An assessment of the necessary national species records should be made according to IUCN guidelines to provide a recognised redlist status criteria for this species.
Action targets: 2. Biological status assessment exists
Action type: Status survey/review
Duration: 1 year
Scale of Implementation: National
High priority sites: N/A
Comments: As no IUCN recognised assessment exists for this species, this action should be prioritised.
Key Action 3
Proposed Action: Consider the potential for site protection of stipitate hotspots.
Action targets: 7. Best approach adopted at appropriate scales
Action type: Site protection
Duration: 2 years
Scale of Implementation: ≤ 5 sites
High priority sites:
Comments:
Acknowledgment:
Data used on this website are adapted from Threatened species recovery actions 2025 baseline (JP065): Technical report and spreadsheet user guide (Natural England, 2025). Available here.