Dichomitus squalens (P. Karst.) D.A. Reid is a wood rotting Basidiomycete, which produces basidiocarps with poroid hymenophores. The common name of the species, western red rot, indicates the ability of D. squalens to cause a white pocket rot, with the initial decay stage giving a red coloration to the wood followed by the full discoloration of the wood tissue with extensive damage of the structure due to lignin degradation. However, the species is mainly found on dead or decaying wood and therefore mainly has a saprobic life style. D. squalens is commonly found in the northern regions of Europe and Asia, and in North America. D. squalens grows on both softwood and hardwood and is also a relatively fast growing species under laboratory conditions with an extensive repertoire of lignocellulolytic enzymes. The genome sequencing of three additional monokaryotic strains of D. squalens will provide more information on the genomic diversity of this species and as such will be a reference for other basidiomycetes. Two of the strains, CBS 463.89 and CBS 464.89, are monokaryons derived from the commonly used dikaryon FBCC312 (CBS432.34), while OM18370.1 is derived from a recently isolated dikaryon in Helsinki, Finland, by Otto Miettinen.
