''Myrmecopterula moniliformis'' is a species of fungus in the family ''

Pterulaceae The ''Pterulaceae'' are a family (biology), family of fungi in the order Agaricales. According to a 2008 estimate, the family contained 99 species previously distributed among 12 genus, genera. More recent data from molecular phylogenetic reconstr ...

'' and is the type species of the genus ''

Myrmecopterula ''Myrmecopterula'' is a genus of coral fungi in the ''Pterulaceae'' family with species which are associated with ant domestication by members of the genus ''Apterostigma''. Taxonomy The ''Myrmecopterula'' genus was created in 2020 when the ' ...

''. It is associated with fungi cultivating ants of the genus ''

Apterostigma ''Apterostigma'' is a genus of New World ants of the subfamily Myrmicinae. Two species have been described from fossils preserved in Dominican amber, while the others are extant. They are fungus-growing ants, though, unlike the majority of other ...

.''

Taxonomy

''M. moniliformis'' was originally classified as ''Lachnocladium moniliforme'' by the German mycologist

Paul Christoph Hennings Paul Christoph Hennings (November 27, 1841 – October 14, 1908) was a German mycologist and herbarium curator. He discovered the study of cryptogams and mushrooms as a volunteer at the botanical garden. Although circumstances initially prevent ...

in 1904. It was classified as ''Thelephora clavarioides'' by the Portuguese mycologist

Camille Torrend Camille Torrend (1875-1961) was a Portuguese clergyman and mycologist. He was active in France, Portugal, Ireland and Brazil. He was a professor of botany and phytopathology at the Imperial Agricultural School of Bahia. Torrend described the fungi ...

in 1914. It was reclassified as ''Pterula moniliformis'' by the English mycologist Edred John Henry Corner in 1952. The genus ''Myrmecopterula'' was created in 2020 by the mycologists Leal-Dutra,

Bryn Tjader Mason Dentinger Bryn is a Welsh word meaning hill. It may also refer to: Places United Kingdom See also UK location England * Bryn, Greater Manchester ** Bryn (ward), an electoral ward in Wigan ** Bryn railway station * Cornwall Wales * Bryn, an electoral di ...

& G.W. Griff when a major new reclassification took place of the ''

'' family based on phylogenetic analysis.

Description

''M. moniliformis'' produces two distinct forms of mushrooms. The first type resemble irregular strings of beads similar in appearance to some rhizomes produced by plants. These are sterile and lack an active

hymenium The hymenium is the tissue layer on the hymenophore of a fungal fruiting body where the cells develop into basidia or asci, which produce spores. In some species all of the cells of the hymenium develop into basidia or asci, while in others some ...

to produce spores. The second type are fertile branching coral structures which are more typical of mushrooms produced by other species in the ''

'' family. These forms may grow separately or together with fertile coral forms branching off from the infertile beads. The presence of fertile mushrooms means that ''M. moniliformis'' is capable of reproducing and surviving without the ants which separates it from the other two named species in this genus ''M. nudihortorum'' and ''M. velohortorum'' which appear to be reliant on ant domestication and have not been documented as producing fertile fruiting bodies. One hypothesis for the presence of fertile fruiting bodies in ''M. moniliformis'' is that it may have descended from a lineage of ant-domesticated fungi which escaped from cultivation to become free-living fungi. The presence of the sterile mushrooms may be a genetic relic from previous cultivation as this mutation is detrimental to non-domesticated fungi.

Etymology

''Myrmecopterula'' is derived from the Greek ''Myrmex'' meaning ant as in Myrmecology, the study of ants. ''Monile'' is Latin for necklace and ''liformis'' is a Latin suffix for shape or form so 'necklace shaped'. This is a reference to the bead like shapes formed by the infertile fruiting bodies. Myrmecopterula moniliformis 2

Similar species

'' Myrmecopterula nudihortorum'' and '' Myrmecopterula velohortorum'' are the only other named species belonging to the genus ''Myrmecopterula.''These are also associated with cultivation by

ants. Four other unnamed and poorly documented ''Myrmecopterula'' species are known.

Habitat and distribution

''Myrmecopterula'' species are found in the neotropics of South America and are usually found growing on top of living or dead ant nests or being cultivated by ants. Some species of ''Myrmecopterula'' grow from soil whilst others appear to grow from wood however closer inspection reveals that rather than using the wood itself as a substrate they are instead found growing from loose debris within cavities in the wood. This substrate is sometimes similar in appearance to that of the fungal gardens of Apterostigma pilosum group ants, which have been documented cultivating ''Myrmecopterula'' species. ''M. moniliformis'' is documented as growing from soil but has also been observed emerging from active and inactive ant nests. It is hypothesized that this species may be involved in residual decomposition of substrates in abandoned ant nests or even act as a

mycoparasite A mycoparasite is an organism with the ability to parasitize fungi. Mycoparasites might be biotrophic or necrotrophic, depending on the type of interaction with their host. Types of mycoparasitic organisms Myco-heterotrophy Various plants may ...

of the cultivated fungus. The ''

Apterostigma pilosum ''Apterostigma'' is a genus of New World ants of the subfamily Myrmicinae. Two species have been described from fossils preserved in Dominican amber, while the others are extant. They are fungus-growing ants, though, unlike the majority of othe ...

'' species itself has a distribution that covers parts of South America, Central America and Mexico this helps to understand the potential distribution of ''Myrmecopterula'' species. Due to some species of this genus being reliant upon ants and not producing mushrooms, observations are uncommon and would depend on observing the nests themselves. However as ''M. moniliformis'' produces both fertile and infertile mushrooms and can grow without the ants observations of fruiting bodies can be made which place the distribution around Peru, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica and Bolivia

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q113003655 Pterulaceae