Termitomyces
Encyclopedia
Termitomyces is a genus
of basidiomycete
fungi belonging to the family Lyophyllaceae
. There are about 30 species in the genus. They are the food source for a subfamily of termite
s, the Macrotermitinae
, who enjoy an obligate symbiosis
with the genus similar to that between Atta and Attamyces
. Despite this their spore transfer is mainly by shedding from mushrooms, which protrude from the termite mounds. These are edible for most people, and the larger species are a popular wild food where they occur. They include the largest mushroom in the world, Termitomyces titanicus
of West Africa, whose cap reaches 1 metre (3 ft) in diameter. These fungi grow on 'combs' which are excreta from the termites, dominated by tough woody fragments. Termitomyces was circumscribed by Roger Heim
in 1942.
Arthur French worked in Uganda (1955–1969) on the subject of fungi and termites. There was some scientific literature, in French, by Belgians, but it dealt inadequately with the relationship between mushrooms and termites, and the best edible varieties were 'termite mushrooms'. He did some work on them, with the help of the elderly Baganda women who gathered them, and published the results. For a year or two he was a world expert on termite mushrooms.
See Tobias Frøslev's Termitomyces page http://www.mycokey.com/AU/WestAfrica/Termitomyces.htm
And an academic review of the relationship in Patterns of interaction specificity of fungus-growing termites and Termitomyces symbionts in South Africa Aanenet DK al BMC Evol Biol. 2007; 7: 115.
http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?artid=1963455
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
of basidiomycete
Basidiomycota
Basidiomycota is one of two large phyla that, together with the Ascomycota, comprise the subkingdom Dikarya within the Kingdom Fungi...
fungi belonging to the family Lyophyllaceae
Lyophyllaceae
The Lyophyllaceae are a family of fungi in the Agaricales order. The family contains 8 genera and 157 species....
. There are about 30 species in the genus. They are the food source for a subfamily of termite
Termite
Termites are a group of eusocial insects that, until recently, were classified at the taxonomic rank of order Isoptera , but are now accepted as the epifamily Termitoidae, of the cockroach order Blattodea...
s, the Macrotermitinae
Macrotermitinae
Macrotermitinae constitute a subfamily of the harvester termites and allies . The termites are traditionally classified as order Isoptera, but have been found to be a subgroup of the Blattaria and consequently should be treated as part to this group; what taxonomy entomologists eventually will...
, who enjoy an obligate symbiosis
Symbiosis
Symbiosis is close and often long-term interaction between different biological species. In 1877 Bennett used the word symbiosis to describe the mutualistic relationship in lichens...
with the genus similar to that between Atta and Attamyces
Attamyces
Attamyces is a genus of fungi in the family Agaricaceae. This is a monotypic genus, containing the single species Attamyces bromatificus.-External links:*...
. Despite this their spore transfer is mainly by shedding from mushrooms, which protrude from the termite mounds. These are edible for most people, and the larger species are a popular wild food where they occur. They include the largest mushroom in the world, Termitomyces titanicus
Termitomyces titanicus
Termitomyces titanicus is a species of fungi in the Lyophyllaceae family. Found in Southern Africa, it has a reputation for being the largest edible fungi in the world....
of West Africa, whose cap reaches 1 metre (3 ft) in diameter. These fungi grow on 'combs' which are excreta from the termites, dominated by tough woody fragments. Termitomyces was circumscribed by Roger Heim
Roger Heim
Roger Heim was a French botanist specialising in mycology and tropical phytopathology. He was known for his studies describing the anatomy of the mushroom hymenium, the systematics and phylogeny of higher fungi , the mycology of tropical fungi such as...
in 1942.
Arthur French worked in Uganda (1955–1969) on the subject of fungi and termites. There was some scientific literature, in French, by Belgians, but it dealt inadequately with the relationship between mushrooms and termites, and the best edible varieties were 'termite mushrooms'. He did some work on them, with the help of the elderly Baganda women who gathered them, and published the results. For a year or two he was a world expert on termite mushrooms.
See Tobias Frøslev's Termitomyces page http://www.mycokey.com/AU/WestAfrica/Termitomyces.htm
And an academic review of the relationship in Patterns of interaction specificity of fungus-growing termites and Termitomyces symbionts in South Africa Aanenet DK al BMC Evol Biol. 2007; 7: 115.
http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?artid=1963455
Species
- Termitomyces albuminosusTermitomyces albuminosusTermitomyces albuminosus is a long-stemmed mushroom grown in Yunnan province, China. Its Chinese name is and it was formerly known scientifically as collybia albuminosa....
- Termitomyces aurantiacus
- Termitomyces bulborhizus
- Termitomyces clypeatus
- Termitomyces eurhizus
- Termitomyces globulus
- Termitomyces heimii
- Termitomyces mammiformis
- Termitomyces microcarpus
- Termitomyces robustus
- Termitomyces sagittiformis
- Termitomyces schimperi
- Termitomyces striatus
- Termitomyces titanicusTermitomyces titanicusTermitomyces titanicus is a species of fungi in the Lyophyllaceae family. Found in Southern Africa, it has a reputation for being the largest edible fungi in the world....
- Termitomyces umkowaan
