Hymenochaete sinensis is new fungi species based on molecular phylogeny and morphology

NEWS - Phylogenetic analysis based on ITS+nLSU rDNA sequences confirmed that the new finding belongs to the genus Hymenochaete. A new wood-dwelling fungus Hymenochaete sinensis belonging to the family Hymenochaetaceae is described and illustrated based on morphological characteristics and molecular data.

H. sinensis is characterized by annual, resupinate basidiomata with aurantium to coconut brown and brownish black hymenal surfaces, a monomitic hyphal system with simple septa with thick-walled generative hyphae and ellipsoid to broadly ellipsoid basidiospores measuring 4-5 × 2.5-3.5 μm.

Recently, significant research progress has been made in the study of species diversity and divergence of fungi. To date, about 155,000 species of fungi have been described which constitutes 6.20% of the estimated 2.5 million species as a diverse group of microorganisms that play an important role in the ecosystem.

To date there are 20 phylum: Aphelidiomycota, Ascomycota, Basidiobolomycota, Basidiomycota, Blastocladiomycota, Calcarisporiellomycota, Caulochytriomycota, Chytridiomycota, Entomophthoromycota, Entorrhizomycota, Glomeromycota, Kickxellomycota, Monoblepharomycota, Mortierellomycota, Mucoromycota, Neocallimastigomycota, Olpidiomycota, Rozellomycota, Sanchytriomycota and Zoopagomycota.

Basidiomycota is the main phylum and the second most described taxon after Ascomycota. About 60 new genera have been recognized for agarics, 40 for boletes and 50 for bracket fungi. Fossil evidence and divergence dates within Basidiomycota have provided robust age estimates for higher taxa. The minimum age is 125 million years for Hymenochaetaceae.

Meanwhile, molecular dating studies of macrofungi have widely focused on ectomycorrhizal, saprotrophic and pathogenic. The family Hymenochaetaceae is a core macrofungi family consisting of about 670 pore species and an interesting subject for species diversity studies.

Wood-dwelling fungi play an important role in forest ecosystems as a group of decomposers found in living trees, dead trees, peeling trunks, fallen branches and processed wood. Researchers from Southwest Forestry University in Kunming used the ITS phylogenetic tree and revealed that H. sinensis is closely related to H. longispora and H. quercicola.

Original research

Yunchao Li, Minglan Chen, Wenyuan Xiao, Junzhong Zhang & Changlin Zhao (2024). Molecular phylogeny and morphology reveal a new Hymenochaete species (Hymenochaetaceae, Basidiomycota) from China. Phytotaxa 664 (3): 159-171, DOI:10.11646/phytotaxa.664.3.1

Dry Valleys on Antarctic continent is the driest place in the world

The Sahara Desert is the largest desert in the world, rainfall is very low, only stretches of sand and rocks without rivers and plants further strengthen the view of drought. However, it turns out that the place is not the driest place in the world. Dry Valleys in Antarctica, although the continent is covered in ice, but has one part that is completely dry. Although the average rainfall in most of the Sahara Desert is less than 20 millimeters per year, there are still drier places. Dry Valleys in Antarctica is much drier where the average rainfall is 0 millimeters per year and gets the title of the driest place in the world. The valleys have so low humidity that there is almost no ice. This is the largest ice free place on the Antarctic continent. The area is surrounded by mountains that block ice from flowing into the valley. Drought is also caused by strong katabalic gusts from mountain peaks where cold air blows down the hill due to gravity. The wind has speeds of up to 322 k...

Humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) manufacture bubble-nets as tools to increase prey intake

NEWS - Humpback whales ( Megaptera novaeangliae ) create bubble net tools while foraging, consisting of internal tangential rings, and actively control the number of rings, their size, depth and horizontal spacing between the surrounding bubbles. These structural elements of the net increase prey intake sevenfold. Researchers have known that humpback whales create “bubble nets” for hunting, but the new report shows that the animals also manipulate them in a variety of ways to maximize catches. The behavior places humpbacks among the rare animals that make and use their own tools. “Many animals use tools to help them find food, but very few actually make or modify these tools themselves,” said Lars Bejder, director of the Marine Mammal Research Program (MMRP), University of Hawaii at Manoa. “Humpback whales in southeast Alaska create elaborate bubble nets to catch krill. They skillfully blow bubbles in patterns that form a web with internal rings. They actively control details such ...

Tripa tiger moth (Nannoarctia tripartita)

Tripa tiger moth ( Nannoarctia tripartita ) is an animal species in the Erebidae, a moth with a forewing length of 14-18 mm, predominantly black or dark brown with white and orange hues, thick fur on the dorsal surface, long legs and antennae, living in forest scrub and agricultural land. N. tripartita in females has forewings 15-18 mm long, black or dark brown with slightly oblique transverse and few spots. The hind wings are yellow with large dark discal points and three other dots. Males have forewings 14-17 mm long, black or dark brown with transverse oblique postdiscal bands and several spots. The hind wings are yellow with brown costal margins, discal confluent points, wide ridges on the crest and angular points in the tornus. The head has a thin orange pattern and a pair of long black antennae. Long legs are black. Tripa tiger moths live in forest scrub, farmland and roadsides. More stationary by sticking to the leaf surface at the top. Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Arthropod...

Dlium