''Naematelia'' is a

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus com ...

fungi A fungus ( : fungi or funguses) is any member of the group of eukaryotic organisms that includes microorganisms such as yeasts and molds, as well as the more familiar mushrooms. These organisms are classified as a kingdom, separately from ...

in the

family Family (from la, familia) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its ...

Naemateliaceae. All ''Naematelia'' species are

parasites Parasitism is a Symbiosis, close relationship between species, where one organism, the parasite, lives on or inside another organism, the Host (biology), host, causing it some harm, and is Adaptation, adapted structurally to this way of lif ...

of other fungi (''

Stereum ''Stereum'' is the type genus of the Stereaceae family of fungi, in the Russulales order. Until recently, the genus was classified in the Corticiaceae family, of the Corticiales order. However, it was given its own family as a result of the spl ...

'' species) and produce

anamorph In mycology, the terms teleomorph, anamorph, and holomorph apply to portions of the life cycles of fungi in the phyla Ascomycota and Basidiomycota: *Teleomorph: the sexual reproductive stage (morph), typically a fruiting body. *Anamorph: an ase ...

yeast Yeasts are eukaryotic, single-celled microorganisms classified as members of the fungus kingdom. The first yeast originated hundreds of millions of years ago, and at least 1,500 species are currently recognized. They are estimated to constitut ...

states.

Basidiocarps In fungi, a basidiocarp, basidiome, or basidioma () is the sporocarp (fungi), sporocarp of a basidiomycota, basidiomycete, the Multicellular organism, multicellular structure on which the spore-producing hymenium is borne. Basidiocarps are chara ...

(fruit bodies), when produced, are gelatinous and are colloquially classed among the "

jelly fungi Jelly fungi are a paraphyletic group of several heterobasidiomycete fungal orders from different classes of the subphylum Agaricomycotina: Tremellales, Dacrymycetales, Auriculariales and Sebacinales. These fungi are so named because their ...

". Four species of ''Naematelia'' are currently recognized worldwide. One species, '' Naematelia aurantialba'', is commercially cultivated for food.

Taxonomy

History

''Naematelia'' was introduced in 1816 by

Elias Magnus Fries Elias Magnus Fries (15 August 1794 – 8 February 1878) was a Swedish mycologist and botanist. Career Fries was born at Femsjö (Hylte Municipality), Småland, the son of the pastor there. He attended school in Växjö. He acquired ...

for fungal fruit bodies having a gelatinous outer layer and a hard inner core, as in the

type species In zoological nomenclature, a type species (''species typica'') is the species name with which the name of a genus or subgenus is considered to be permanently taxonomically associated, i.e., the species that contains the biological type specimen ...

'' Naematelia encephala''. The name was subsequently used by some mycologists, whilst others considered ''Naematelia'' synonymous with ''

Tremella ''Tremella'' is a genus of fungi in the family Tremellaceae. All ''Tremella'' species are parasites of other fungi and most produce anamorphic yeast states. Basidiocarps (fruit bodies), when produced, are gelatinous and are colloquially classed a ...

'' since its basidia were ''Tremella''-like. In a 1961 paper, American mycologist Robert Bandoni showed that the hard inner core of ''Naematelia encephala'' was composed largely of host tissue ('' Stereum sanguinolentum'') and that ''Naematelia'' therefore represented no more than a ''Tremella'' species and its host.

Molecular A molecule is a group of two or more atoms held together by attractive forces known as chemical bonds; depending on context, the term may or may not include ions which satisfy this criterion. In quantum physics, organic chemistry, and bioche ...

research, based on

cladistic Cladistics (; ) is an approach to biological classification in which organisms are categorized in groups (" clades") based on hypotheses of most recent common ancestry. The evidence for hypothesized relationships is typically shared derived char ...

analysis of

DNA sequences A nucleic acid sequence is a succession of bases signified by a series of a set of five different letters that indicate the order of nucleotides forming alleles within a DNA (using GACT) or RNA (GACU) molecule. By convention, sequences are usua ...

, has however shown that ''Tremella'' is

polyphyletic A polyphyletic group is an assemblage of organisms or other evolving elements that is of mixed evolutionary origin. The term is often applied to groups that share similar features known as homoplasies, which are explained as a result of converg ...

(and hence artificial). A different generic name was therefore required for a group of species not closely related to ''

Tremella mesenterica ''Tremella mesenterica'' ( common names include yellow brain, golden jelly fungus, yellow trembler, and witches' butter) is a common jelly fungus in the family Tremellaceae of the Agaricomycotina. It is most frequently found on dead but attached ...

'' (the type species of ''Tremella'') and in 2015 ''Naematelia'' was selected as the earliest such name available. Comparatively few species, however, have yet been sequenced.

Description

Fruit bodies are gelatinous (but may have a hard inner core mainly composed of host hyphae) and are variously cephaliform (like a brain, with folds and ridges), lobed, or foliose (with leaf-like or seaweed-like fronds). Colours are typically pinkish, ochraceous, yellow, or brown.

Microscopic characters

''Naematelia'' species produce

hyphae A hypha (; ) is a long, branching, filamentous structure of a fungus, oomycete, or actinobacterium. In most fungi, hyphae are the main mode of vegetative growth, and are collectively called a mycelium. Structure A hypha consists of one or ...

that are clamped and have haustorial cells from which hyphal filaments seek out and penetrate the hyphae of the host. The

basidia A basidium () is a microscopic sporangium (a spore-producing structure) found on the hymenophore of fruiting bodies of basidiomycete fungi which are also called tertiary mycelium, developed from secondary mycelium. Tertiary mycelium is highly-c ...

are "tremelloid" (globose to ellipsoid, sometimes stalked, and vertically or diagonally septate), giving rise to long, sinuous

sterigmata In biology, a sterigma (pl. sterigmata) is a small supporting structure. It commonly refers to an extension of the basidium (the spore-bearing cells) consisting of a basal filamentous part and a slender projection which carries a spore at the ti ...

or epibasidia on which the

basidiospores A basidiospore is a reproductive spore produced by Basidiomycete fungi, a grouping that includes mushrooms, shelf fungi, rusts, and smuts. Basidiospores typically each contain one haploid nucleus that is the product of meiosis, and they are pro ...

are produced. These spores are smooth, globose to ellipsoid, and germinate by hyphal tube or by

cells.

Conidiophores A conidium ( ; ), sometimes termed an asexual chlamydospore or chlamydoconidium (), is an asexual, non-motile spore of a fungus. The word ''conidium'' comes from the Ancient Greek word for dust, ('). They are also called mitospores due to ...

are often present, producing conidiospores that are similar to yeast cells.

Habitat and distribution

Species are parasitic on fruit bodies of ''

'' species that grow on dead attached or fallen wood. Hosts include ''

Stereum hirsutum ''Stereum hirsutum'', also called false turkey tail and hairy curtain crust, is a fungus typically forming multiple brackets on dead wood. It is also a plant pathogen infecting peach trees. ''S. hirsutum'' is in turn parasitised by certain other ...

'' on broadleaf trees and '' Stereum sanguinolentum'' on conifers. As a group, ''Naematelia'' species occur worldwide, though individual species may have a more restricted distribution.

Species and hosts

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q27863232 Tremellomycetes