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01/25/2019 | Pressemitteilung

New species of fungi discovered

Biologists at the University of Kassel have discovered and described about a dozen new species of fungi in the tropics. The fungi belong to the genus Subulicystidium, which is distributed worldwide and decomposes dead wood. At the same time, the group led by Prof. Dr. Ewald Langer established a new identification key that will help in the future to determine the relationships of other newly discovered species of this genus.

Image: Ewald Langer.
The fungal species Subulicytidium robustius Rico.

The Kassel researchers took DNA samples and analyzed specific sections of the fungi's genetic material, which they brought back from a field trip to the French island of La Réunion in the Indian Ocean. In addition, they evaluated samples from Latin America provided by other scientists. The research group from the Department of Ecology at the University of Kassel discovered a total of eleven new species. The results have now been published in the scientific journal MycoKeys.

The genus Subulicystidium is distributed worldwide and is also found in Germany with some species. The individuals feed on dead wood and only settle on the tree remains when other fungal species can no longer find sufficient nutrients.

Fungi contribute to a considerable extent to the stabilization of ecosystems, a fact that is only just beginning to be explored. The number of as yet undiscovered species is estimated at around 5 million worldwide. Scientists hope that the discovery of new species will not only provide insights into biodiversity and the functioning of ecosystems, but also lead to the discovery of new substances for the food and pharmaceutical industries.

The sample collection took place as part of the LOEWE research project "Integrative Fungal Research" (2013 - 2016). LOEWE is a program of the state of Hesse to promote cutting-edge research at universities and research institutions.

Original article: Ordynets, Scherf, Pansegrau, Denecke, Lysenko, Larsson, Langer: Short-spored Subulicystidium (Trechisporales, Basidiomycota): high morphological diversity and only partly clear species boundaries. MycoKeys 35: 41 - 99 (2018).

doi: 10.3897/mycokeys.35.25678

 

Contact:

Prof. Dr. Ewald Langer
University of Kassel
Department of Ecology
Tel.: +49 561 804-4364/4215
E-mail: ewald.langer@uni-kassel.de