''Termitomyces'' is a

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms as well as viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus comes above species and below family. In binomial nom ...

basidiomycete Basidiomycota () is one of two large divisions that, together with the Ascomycota, constitute the subkingdom Dikarya (often referred to as the "higher fungi") within the kingdom Fungi. Members are known as basidiomycetes. More specifically, Ba ...

fungi belonging to the family

Lyophyllaceae The Lyophyllaceae is a family of fungi in the order Agaricales. A 2008 estimate indicated eight genera and 157 species; , the Catalog of Life lists 13 genera in the family. Lyophyllaceae was circumscribed by mycologist Walter Jülich in 1981. S ...

. There are 30-40 species in the genus, all of which are completely dependent on termites to survive. They are the food source for a subfamily of

termite Termites are small insects that live in colonies and have distinct castes (eusocial) and feed on wood or other dead plant matter. Termites comprise the infraorder Isoptera, or alternatively the epifamily Termitoidae, within the order Blatto ...

s, the

Macrotermitinae The Macrotermitinae, the fungus-growing termites, constitute a subfamily of the family Termitidae that is only found within the Old World tropics. This subfamily consists of 14 genera and about 350 species and are distinguished by the fact t ...

, who enjoy an obligate symbiosis with the genus similar to that between '' Atta'' ants and '' Attamyces'' mushrooms. Despite this relationship, spore transfer is still accomplished mainly by shedding from mushrooms, which protrude from the termite mounds.

Characteristics

These mushrooms are edible for most people, and the larger species are a popular wild food where they occur. They include the largest edible mushroom in the world, '' Termitomyces titanicus'' of West Africa and Zambia, whose cap reaches 1 metre (3.28ft) in diameter. These fungi grow on 'combs' which are formed from the termites' excreta, dominated by tough woody fragments. ''Termitomyces'' was described by

Roger Heim Roger Heim (February 12, 1900 – September 17, 1979) 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 highe ...

in 1942. From 1955 to 1969 Arthur French worked in Uganda (as a hobby) on the subject of fungi and termites. Some scientific literature about these fungal species existed previously, but these texts failed to adequately discuss the relationship between termites and their fungal symbiotes, while the various edible varieties were merely termed "termite mushrooms." French conducted some investigations with the help of the elderly

Baganda The Ganda people, or Baganda (endonym: ''Baganda''; singular ''Muganda''), are a Bantu ethnic group native to Buganda, a subnational kingdom within Uganda. Traditionally composed of 52 clans (although since a 1993 survey, only 46 are official ...

women who gathered termite mushrooms, and published his findings.

Culinary use

This genus is a popular seasonal delicacy in the Indian state of

Goa Goa () is a state on the southwestern coast of India within the Konkan region, geographically separated from the Deccan highlands by the Western Ghats. It is located between the Indian states of Maharashtra to the north and Karnataka to the ...

. For about two weeks at the beginning of August every year, clusters of villagers dot the Goan roadside hawking the handpicked mushrooms. A spicy gravy known as "Tonak" is a popular method of preparation. Since ''Termitomyces'' mushrooms are difficult to mass produce, they command a high price. Mushroom_sellers

Species

Species Fungorum ''Index Fungorum'' is an international project to index all formal names (scientific names) in the fungus kingdom. the project is based at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, one of three partners along with Landcare Research and the Institute of M ...

accepted 47 species of ''Termitomyces''. # '' Termitomyces albidus'' (Singer) L.D. Gómez (1995) # '' Termitomyces aurantiacus'' (R. Heim) R. Heim (1977) # ''

Termitomyces biyi ''Termitomyces'' is a genus of basidiomycete fungi belonging to the family Lyophyllaceae. There are 30-40 species in the genus, all of which are completely dependent on termites to survive. They are the food source for a subfamily of termites, t ...

'' Otieno (1966) # '' Termitomyces bulborhizus'' T.Z. Wei, Y.J. Yao, Bo Wang & Pegler (2004) # '' Termitomyces citriophyllus'' R. Heim (1942) # '' Termitomyces clypeatus'' R. Heim (1951) # '' Termitomyces congolensis'' (Beeli) Singer (1948) # '' Termitomyces dominicalensis'' L.D. Gómez (1995) # '' Termitomyces entolomoides'' R. Heim (1951) # '' Termitomyces epipolius'' (Singer) L.D. Gómez (1995) # ''

Termitomyces eurrhizus ''Termitomyces eurrhizus'' species of agaric fungus in the family Lyophyllaceae native to Pakistan, India, Sri Lanka, Burma, southwestern China and Malaysia. The fungus has a symbiotic relationship with termites, its mushrooms growing out of mou ...

'' (Berk.) R. Heim (1942) # '' Termitomyces floccosus'' S.M. Tang, Raspé & S.H. Li (2020) # '' Termitomyces fragilis'' L. Ye, Karun, J.C. Xu, K.D. Hyde & Mortimer (2019) # '' Termitomyces fuliginosus'' R. Heim (1942) # '' Termitomyces globulus'' R. Heim & Gooss.-Font. (1951) # '' Termitomyces griseiumbo'' Mossebo (2003) # '' Termitomyces heimii'' Natarajan (1979) # '' Termitomyces indicus'' Natarajan (1976) # '' Termitomyces infundibuliformis'' Mossebo (2012) # ''

Termitomyces intermedius ''Termitomyces'' is a genus of basidiomycete fungi belonging to the family Lyophyllaceae. There are 30-40 species in the genus, all of which are completely dependent on termites to survive. They are the food source for a subfamily of termites, th ...

'' Har. Takah. & Taneyama (2016) # '' Termitomyces lanatus'' R. Heim (1977) # ''

Termitomyces le-testui ''Termitomyces le-testui'' is a species of agaric fungus in the family Lyophyllaceae. It was first described scientifically from Africa by French mycologist Narcisse Théophile Patouillard in 1916, and transferred to the genus ''Termitomyces'' b ...

'' testui (Pat.) R. Heim (1942) # '' Termitomyces magoyensis'' Otieno (1966) # '' Termitomyces mammiformis'' R. Heim (1942) # '' Termitomyces mboudaeinus'' Mossebo (2003) # '' Termitomyces medius'' R. Heim & Grassé (1951) # '' Termitomyces meipengianus'' (M. Zang & D.Z. Zhang) P.M. Kirk (2014) # ''

Termitomyces microcarpus ''Termitomyces microcarpus'' is a species of agaric fungus in the family Lyophyllaceae. An edible species, it is found in Africa and Asia, where it grows in groups or clusters in deciduous forests near the roots of bamboo stumps associated with ...

'' (Berk. & Broome) R. Heim (1942) # ''

Termitomyces narobiensis ''Termitomyces'' is a genus of basidiomycete fungi belonging to the family Lyophyllaceae. There are 30-40 species in the genus, all of which are completely dependent on termites to survive. They are the food source for a subfamily of termites, th ...

'' Otieno (1966) # ''

Termitomyces perforans ''Termitomyces'' is a genus of basidiomycete fungi belonging to the family Lyophyllaceae. There are 30-40 species in the genus, all of which are completely dependent on termites to survive. They are the food source for a subfamily of termites, th ...

'' R. Heim (1977) # ''

Termitomyces poliomphax ''Termitomyces'' is a genus of basidiomycete fungi belonging to the family Lyophyllaceae. There are 30-40 species in the genus, all of which are completely dependent on termites to survive. They are the food source for a subfamily of termites, th ...

'' (Singer) L.D. Gómez (1995) # '' Termitomyces rabuorii'' Otieno (1966) # ''

Termitomyces radicatus ''Termitomyces'' is a genus of basidiomycete fungi belonging to the family Lyophyllaceae. There are 30-40 species in the genus, all of which are completely dependent on termites to survive. They are the food source for a subfamily of termites, th ...

'' Natarajan (1977) # '' Termitomyces reticulatus'' Van der Westh. & Eicker (1990) # ''

Termitomyces robustus ''Termitomyces robustus'' is a mushroom in the genus ''Termitomyces''. Attempts at cultivation by humans have failed in past trials. As with all members of the genus ''Termitomyces ''Termitomyces'' is a genus of basidiomycete fungi belonging ...

'' (Beeli) R. Heim (1951) # '' Termitomyces sagittiformis'' (Kalchbr. & Cooke) D.A. Reid (1975) # ''

Termitomyces schimperi ''Termitomyces schimperi'' is a large mushroom associated with the termite species '' Macrotermes michaelseni''. It grows in the northern part of Southern Africa, from northern Namibia up to Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), eastwards to Malawi ...

'' (Pat.) R. Heim (1942) # '' Termitomyces singidensis'' Saarim. & Härk. (1994) # ''

Termitomyces songolarum ''Termitomyces'' is a genus of basidiomycete fungi belonging to the family Lyophyllaceae. There are 30-40 species in the genus, all of which are completely dependent on termites to survive. They are the food source for a subfamily of termites, th ...

'' (Courtec.) Furneaux (2020) # '' Termitomyces spiniformis'' R. Heim (1977) # ''

Termitomyces striatus ''Termitomyces'' is a genus of basidiomycete fungi belonging to the family Lyophyllaceae. There are 30-40 species in the genus, all of which are completely dependent on termites to survive. They are the food source for a subfamily of termites, th ...

'' (Beeli) R. Heim (1942) # ''

Termitomyces subclypeatus ''Termitomyces'' is a genus of Basidiomycota, basidiomycete fungi belonging to the family Lyophyllaceae. There are 30-40 species in the genus, all of which are completely dependent on termites to survive. They are the food source for a subfamily ...

'' Mossebo (2003) # '' Termitomyces subumkowaan'' Mossebo (2003) # '' Termitomyces titanicus'' Pegler & Piearce (1980) # '' Termitomyces tylerianus'' Otieno (1966) # '' Termitomyces umkowaan'' (Cooke & Massee) D.A. Reid (1975) # '' Termitomyces upsilocystidiatus'' S.M. Tang, Raspé & K.D. Hyde (2020)

Other termite-associating fungi that may be confused with ''Termitomyces''

* Inedible fruiting bodies of the genus '' Podaxis'', which may also grow from termitaria. ''Podaxis'' species can be easily distinguished from those of ''Termitomyces'' in that ''Podaxis'' fruiting bodies resemble a "stalked puffball," or an unopened shaggy mane, while those of ''Termitomyces'' resemble a stereotypical mushroom or toadstool. * In China, fruiting bodies of the unrelated, but edible ''

Macrolepiota albuminosa ''Macrolepiota albuminosa'', or termite mushroom, is a species of agaric fungus in the family Agaricaceae that is an obligate symbiont of termites. The fruit bodies (mushrooms) of the fungus are edible. It is found growing from termitaria in gra ...

'' may also grow from termitaria. ''M. albuminosa'' was once incorrectly placed within this genus as "''Termitomyces albuminosa''".

References

See Tobias Frøslev's ''Termitomyces'' pag

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.

External links

Image of a Termitomyces
{{Taxonbar, from=Q2382732 Lyophyllaceae Agaricales genera