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.