Four brand new mushroom species found in Hungary

Years of collecting samples in the Hungarian Great Plain have uncovered four brand new species of fungi. These four include one that scientists say bears a striking resemblance to a notorious sci-fi monster. Its worm-like body and sandy habitat prompted the team to name the new species Tulostoma shaihuludii, after the Shai-Hulud sandworm in the Dune novels of Frank Herbert.

In Europe, the extreme climatic conditions of the Carpathian Basin provide particularly favourable habitat conditions for different fungi, making Hungary one of the most diverse Winter Stalkball fungus (Tulostoma brumale) habitats in Europe, HellóMagyar writes.

All four new species belong to the genus Tulostoma. In the case of T. shaihuludii, one can look for reasons why researchers have linked Herbert’s monstrous worms – but one does not have to go as far as Arrakis to find such unusual life forms.

Perfect conditions for the Winter Stalkball fungus

The vast lowland plains near the border of Romania and Serbia are known to be a hotbed of the Winter Stalkball fungi. Sandy soil peppered with grassy thickets provides the perfect habitat for these gasteroid fungi and conditions can be harsh. The region receives little rainfall and sand temperatures can soar in summer and autumn, so Tulostoma species have had to develop resilience.

Hungarian researchers have done a huge amount of work: the new identifications are based on samples collected in the field over 25 years.

“So far, 19 species have been recorded in Hungary, including the four new species proposed in this study,” the authors write, suggesting that the earth has not yet revealed all its secrets.

“Our ongoing investigations indicate that there are many more undiscovered species of Tulostoma brumale present in central Europe.”

Understanding fungal species

Together with the new findings, the team’s comprehensive taxonomic research is an important contribution to our understanding of this group of organisms. For example, they have succeeded in showing that another species, Tulostoma dunense, is a new species that has evolved as a result of geographic isolation, being closely related but genetically distinct from similar species found in North America.

Unfortunately, as the authors point out, Tulostoma species are rare, most of them being on the European Council for the Conservation of Fungi’s red list. Learning the best ways to protect them starts with learning as much as possible about their diversity and habitat.

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