Myrmecopterula velohortorum is a species of fungus in the family Pterulaceae. It is associated with fungi cultivating ants of the genus Apterostigma.
| Myrmecopterula velohortorum | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Fungi |
| Division: | Basidiomycota |
| Class: | Agaricomycetes |
| Order: | Agaricales |
| Family: | Pterulaceae |
| Genus: | Myrmecopterula |
| Species: | M. velohortorum
|
| Binomial name | |
| Myrmecopterula velohortorum | |
| Synonyms | |
|
Pterula velohortorum Dentinger (2014) | |
Taxonomy
editM. velohortorum was originally classified as Pterula velohortorum by the American mycologist Bryn Tjader Mason Dentinger in 2014.[1][2] Before being formally classified it was referred to in studies on fungus growing ants as ant cultivar G2 and was found in ant nests belonging to the Apterostigma dentigerum subclade.[3]
It was placed in the new genus Myrmecopterula by the mycologists Caio A. Leal-Dutra, Bryn Tjader Mason Dentinger and Gareth W. Griffith in 2020.[3][4]
Description
editM. velohortorum is cultivated in hanging 'veiled gardens' where the mycelium forms a thin envelope which surrounds the fungal garden. Gardens are found hanging under logs or inside cavities within them or rarely found in cavities in the ground. A single hole may exist in the veil serving as the entrance to the nest. It is hypothesized that M. velohortorum descended from M. nudihortorum with the two species then taking different evolutionary paths due to co-evolving with ants engaged in varying behaviors. Such as the weaving of mycelial threads to produce the veil which the ants are hypothesized to engage in.[5]
Similar species
editMyrmecopterula moniliformis and Myrmecopterula nudihortorum are the only other named species belonging to the genus Myrmecopterula. These are also associated with cultivation by Apterostigma ants. Four other unnamed and poorly documented Myrmecopterula species are known.[3]
References
edit- ^ "Species Fungorum - Myrmecopterula velohortorum". www.speciesfungorum.org. Retrieved 2022-07-10.
- ^ "Nomenclatural novelties : Bryn Dentinger" (PDF).
- ^ a b c Leal-Dutra, Caio A.; Griffith, Gareth W.; Neves, Maria Alice; McLaughlin, David J.; McLaughlin, Esther G.; Clasen, Lina A.; Dentinger, Bryn T. M. (December 2020). "Reclassification of Pterulaceae Corner (Basidiomycota: Agaricales) introducing the ant-associated genus Myrmecopterula gen. nov., Phaeopterula Henn. and the corticioid Radulomycetaceae fam. nov". IMA Fungus. 11 (1): 2. doi:10.1186/s43008-019-0022-6. ISSN 2210-6359. PMC 7325140. PMID 32617254.
- ^ Leal-Dutra, C. A.; Griffith, G. W.; Neves, M. A.; McLaughlin, D. J.; McLaughlin, E. G.; Clasen, L. A.; Dentinger, B. T. (2020). "Reclassification of Pterulaceae Corner (Basidiomycota: Agaricales) introducing the ant-associated genus Myrmecopterula gen. nov., Phaeopterula Henn. and the corticioid Radulomycetaceae fam. nov". Ima Fungus. 11: 2. doi:10.1186/s43008-019-0022-6. PMC 7325140. PMID 32617254.
- ^ Villesen, Palle; Mueller, Ulrich G.; Schultz, Ted R.; Adams, Rachelle M. M.; Bouck, Amy C. (April 3, 2003). "Evolution of Ant-Cultivar Specialization and Cultivar Switching in Apterostigma Fungus-Growing Ants". Evolution. 58 (10): 2252–2265. doi:10.1111/j.0014-3820.2004.tb01601.x. ISSN 0014-3820. PMID 15562688. S2CID 202842261.