Myxomycetes from different forest types in Puerto Rico

Forty-four species of myxomycetes, collected during a four-week survey in 1998, are reported from Puerto Rico. Two species are recorded as new for the Caribbean Region, and eight species are new records for Puerto Rico. Information about the distribution within the Caribbean Region is provided for each of the species collected. Among different forest types occurring along an elevation gradient that extends from sea level to 1000 m, remarkable differences in myxomycete distribution were observed, with a clear pattern of decreasing myxomycete diversity with increasing elevation.