MAXED OUT ON BOOPS!!!

MAXED OUT ON BOOPS!!!🐾

LET'S GOOOOOOOO

APRIL 1ST, A DAY THAT WILL BE KNOWN IN HISTORY AS 🐾🐱THE BOOPING DAY🐱🐾

THANKS FOR ALL THE BOOPS

Mycena subcyanocephala

This post will discuss Mycena subcyancophala, a very recently discovered species of fungi, found in Taiwan.

Fruitbody, spores and microscopic features

Mycena subcyanocephala might be one of the smallest mushrooms in the world, being about 1 milimetre tall. It is a part of the Mycenaceae family.¹

This species is characterized by their tomentulose (seemingly covered with hair) fruitbodies, a white cap with pale blue toned, thin-walled pileiocystidia (on the cap) and white caulocystidia (on the stipe), smooth round-headed cheilocystidia, inamyloid basidiospores, and the 2-spored basidia (visible in the picture below: B). ²

Mycena subcyanocephala. A. Basidiospores. B. Basidia. C. Cheilocystidia. D. Pileipellis. E.

Ecology and distribution

Mycena subcyanocephala is a lignicolous species of the section Spinosae², meaning that it lives or grows in or on wood.

This species has been found in (sub)tropical Taiwan. ³

Images links:

iNaturalist

Mycena subcyanocephala

Mycena subcyanocephala is a species of fungi with 12 observations

ResearchGate

Fig. 2. Mycena subcyanocephala. A. Basidiospores. B. Basidia. C....

Download scientific diagram | Mycena subcyanocephala. A. Basidiospores. B. Basidia. C. Cheilocystidia. D. Pileipellis. E. from publication:

ResearchGate

Figure 1. Distribution of the ecozones of Taiwan. Green area represents...

Download scientific diagram | Distribution of the ecozones of Taiwan. Green area represents subtropical mountain system; blue area represent

Text references:

1.

2.

https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Chou-Neng-2/publication/334596263_Two_new_species_of_Mycena_in_Taiwan/links/6329151370cc936cd31f791f/Two-new-species-of-Mycena-in-Taiwan.pdf

3.

https://www.airitilibrary.com/Article/Detail/10132732-201912-201910010006-201910010006-9-17

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Note:

I was able to find very little on this species of fungi, I hope that most of it is correct. However, because so little is known, I cannot guarantee the validity of the information. Additionally, because of the lack of information, I cannot conclude anything or be sure about possibly correlated information.

Either way, I hope it is sufficient and you will enjoy the post:))

Mutuals:

@squidsandthings

@plants-and-thingz

@flamingears

@fairy-tales-of-yesterday

@lameotello

What is your favorite fungus that has a symbiotic relationship with trees and why?

I think it has to be the amethyst deceiver or Laccaria amethystina. A species which forms symbiotic associations with all kinds of trees, but most often with birch and oak trees.¹

There are so many reasons why I love this fungus, so many.

First of all, it is absolutely gorgeous. I remember seeing this species for the first time as a kid when visiting the forest and just being in pure awe because of how beautiful it was. I have been fascinated with this mushroom ever since. Besides sentimental and aesthetic reasons, I have other motives as to why I love this fungus so much.

I like how this fungus itself is edible, but when growing in arsenic rich soils can absorb the arsenic and become toxic. I would just love to research how the absorption of arsenic affects the fungus in different stages. Maybe I have not been looking thoroughly enough, but I have not been able to find anything about it. I find its ability to become toxic by absorbing arsenic from the soil really fascinating.

Another reason I love the amethyst deceiver so much is because of the genus it is in. Laccaria is so amazing! Another Laccaria species, Laccaria laccata which also forms symbiotic relationships with trees, is really awesome. Recently while researching this species, I came across an article written in the early 80's that for some reason I had not run across before. It wrote about the relationship of L. laccata with the douglas-fir, specifically with douglas-fir seedlings. L. laccata is extremely effective in suppressing diseases and promoting growth in the seedlings.² It is probably so effective because it has mycorrhization helper bacteria or MHB.³

But seriously, I do not know how I had not run across this research before, because there is a lot of it. If it interest you I would really recommend researching it because it is so interesting!

This Laccaria laccata btw:

To me the amethyst deceiver just has so many interesting properties which I would love to research myself, this is probably the main reason why I love this species so much. I would love an opportunity to look at this species under a microscope and just learn everything about it! I want to research if the amethyst deceiver is also very effective in preventing diseases or stimulating growth, maybe it has other awesome properties. I just want to know more about it!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I hope this properly answers your question, if you have any more questions let me know:)) It was tough choice btw, because I have like 500 favourite species of fungi lol.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Image sources:

Wild Food UK

Amethyst Deceiver

Very common and beautifully coloured, although the colour can be deceptive in photographs.

ePHOTOzine

Amethyst deceiver family by gill_f

Photograph posted by gill_f with the description: A group of Amethyst Deceiver fungi in our local woodland. Not been on EPZ for a while but

Text sources:

1.

2.

OUP Academic

Disease Suppression and Growth Promotion in Douglas-fir Seedlings by the Ectomycorrhizal Fungus Laccaria laccata

Abstract. In pot tests, primary roots of Douglas-fir seedlings germinating in soil were inoculated by soil injection with suspensions of Lac

3.

ResearchGate

(PDF) Mycorrhization helper bacteria associated with the Douglas fir-Laccaria laccata symbiosis: effects in aseptic and in glasshouse condit

PDF | A range of bacterial isolates from Laccaria laccata mycorrhizas and sporocarps were tested for their effect on ectomycorrhizal develop

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Mutuals:

@squidsandthings

@plants-and-thingz

@fairy-tales-of-yesterday

@flamingears

@lameotello

@lovelyalicorn

Pixie's parasols - Mycena interrupta

This post will discuss multiple features of M. interrupta, including microscopic features. I would like to note that some of the given measurements in µm might not be entirely correct. The measurements differ per source I have found.

Biology and ecology

M. interrupta is a saprotrophic basidiomycete.¹ In other words it is a mushroom that feeds on non-living organic matter (detritus) and whose spores develop in the basidia.

This species primarily grows gregariously (in groups), however, sometimes it grows solitary or more dispersed. It can usually be found on eucalyptus logs or stumps in Oceania.¹ Otherwise they can be found in Nothofagus forests.²

Fruitbody, spores and microscopic features

The cap is 8 millimeters³ to 20 millimeters in diameter and about 4 milimeters high.¹ While it is globose when emergent, as they age they become convex with a slightly depressed center. The surface of the cap is shiny, gelatinous, transluscent, and striate (striped). The cap has a dull-blue hue in the center and near the edges have a more cyan-blue colour.¹

The gill attachment is adnate to free and the gills are moderately close to distant. The margins of the gills are blue and their sides white. There can also be one or two series of lamellulae.¹

M. interrupta has a central stipe which is up to 22 millimetres long and 2 millimetres thick. The surface of the stipe is often pruinose¹, meaning that it seems to be covered with some kind of frost or a powdery secretion. The stem is transluscent white and is attached to the wooden substrate by a bluish basal disc, which often fades to white.¹

The spores of M. interrupta are white, smooth, ellipsoid, or rarely sub globose. These basidiospores are 8-12 x 5.5-9 µm. The basidia are four-spored or sometimes two-spored, with stout sterigmata to 9 µm long; clavate or pear-shaped, with clamp connection at base.¹

Distribution and range

In Australia and New Zealand this species of Mycena is found in Victoria, Tasmania, New South Wales, South Australia, and Queensland.⁴ This species can also be found in South-America, specifically in Chile.

Two other species, Mycena cyanocephala found in Chile and Mycena veneta from New Zealand have been shown to be identical to Mycena interrupta. This distribution suggests that this species has its origins in the flora of Gondwana.⁵

Links to M. interrupta images:

Text references:

1.

https://www.fncv.org.au/fungi-in-australia/

-> https://www.fncv.org.au/wp-content/uploads/publications/fungi_in_australia/fia-3-basidio-agarico-I.pdf

-> Pages 316 to 317.

2.

3.

bie.ala.org.au

Species: Mycena interrupta (Pixie's Parasol)

Atlas of Living Australia species page for the Mycena interrupta

4.

Healing-Mushrooms.net

Mycena Interrupta: The Pixie’s Parasol Identification, Look Alikes & Toxicity

Mycena Interrupta aka The Pixie's Parasol is an inedible mushroom known for it's stunning blue appearance. Come find out if it's edible!

5.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Maybe a fun fact, if you aren't Australian, or just didn't know yet:))

Eucalyptus forests or sclerophyll forests are the most common types of forests in Australia and most species of eucalyptus are native to Australia.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Mutuals:

Hiyaaaa, some more mycology info:) I know that some of you quite like the Mycena genus, so I hope you'll enjoy this post:))

@squidsandthings

@plants-and-thingz

@fairy-tales-of-yesterday

@flamingears

@lameotello

Nidulariaceae and gemmae cups similarities

This post will discuss similarities between Nidulariaceae, otherwise known as bird's nest fungi, and the gemmae cups of specifically Tetraphis pellucida, a species of moss.

I decided to post this after reading 'Gathering Moss' by Robin Wall Kimmerer.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This image from Gathering Moss' by Robin Wall Kimmerer shows the gemmae cups of Tetraphis pellucida.

According to the book Tetraphis is unique in having specialized means of both sexual and asexual reproduction. It is remarkably flexible in making reproductive choices compared to other mosses.

Most mosses clone themselves by dismemberment. In other words broken-off bits of moss can grow into new adults that are genitically identical to the parents. Tetraphis however has another means of asexually cloning itself.

Tetraphis grows in patches on old stumps and looking closely the surface of these colonies seem to be covered in tiny green cups. These are gemmae cups, formed at the end of the upright shoots of the moss. These gemmae cups resemble bird's nest including a clutch of tiny green eggs.

"The nest or gemmae cup is a circular bowl made of overlapping leaves and nestled within it lie egg-like gemmae. Each gemma is a roundish mass of only ten to twelve cells, which catch the light and shimmer. Already moist and photosynthesizing, each gemma is poised to establish itself as a new plant, cloned from its parent."

The gemma in the gemmae cups wait for rain. Tetraphis is just sturdy enough to harness a raindrop and for that it is designed.

"When a gemmae cup receives a direct hit , the raindrop breaks loose the gemmae and propels them outward, leaving the nest empty."

The gemmae can be propelled up to fifteen centimeters away, which is quite a significant distance for a plant that is only one centimeter tall.

A longitudinal section through the fruiting body of Cyathus olla showing 5 peridioles attached inside the funnel-shaped peridium.

Just like most other (but not all) bird's nest fungi, the cup-shaped fruiting body of Cyathus olla contains a few so-called "eggs". These eggs are structures called peridioles (2, 5) which contain basidiospores by which this fungus reproduces and disperses itself.

Each peridiole is attached to the inner surface of the cup by a thin and hollow stalk which contains an inner, coiled funicular cord (9, 12). The fragile outer layer of the stalk, called the purse (3, 6), is easily ruptured, thus releasing the funicular cord. When wet, the funicular cord elongates significantly and can reach a length 15-20 centimeters. The base of this elongated cord, called the hapteron (13), is very sticky and adheres to solid objects after it is released from the cup. When dried the peridiole splits open and releases its spores which fall to the ground or get carried away by the wind.

Cups of Nidulariaceae essentially serve as "splash-cups" during a rain storm, just like gemmae cups. So they both reproduce asexually by one or multiple raindrops hitting the "nest" and dislodging its gemmae or peridioles.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

References

The information about Tetraphis and the gemmae cups I sourced from Robin Wall Kimmerer's book called 'Gathering Moss'.

The information about Cyathus I got from this webpage:

https://www.waynesword.net/pljune96.htm

Tetraphis pellucida picture:

Cyathus olla picture:

commons.wikimedia.org

File:Bird's Nest Fungus (Cyathus olla) - Flickr - Andrea Westmoreland.jpg - Wikimedia Commons

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Mutuals:

@squidsandthings

@fungus-gnats

@fairy-tales-of-yesterday

@flamingears

@lameotello

@lovelyalicorn

Hiyaa! I've got a new post again, I hope you like it!:)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Anyone else who wants to be tagged in my mycology or other informative posts can comment or sent me a direct message:)

I FOUND SOME MORE AWESOME IMAGES OF LOKICERATOPS

IT'S SO COOL!!!

LINKS:

Fox News

Lokiceratops, a ‘remarkable’ new dinosaur species, has been found in Montana, researchers say

A new dinosaur species called Lokiceratops rangiformis, which has "several unique features," has been discovered following a dig in Montana,

Sci.News: Breaking Science News

New Species of Horned Dinosaur Had Unusual, Curving Blade-Like Horns on Back of Its Frill | Sci.News

Paleontologists have identified a new genus and species of centrosaurine dinosaur from the fossilized remains found in the Judith River Form

nytimes.com

Lokiceratops, a Horned Dinosaur, May Be a New Species

Researchers analyzed a skull found in Montana of a plant-eating member of the ceratops family, finding distinct traits.

deviantart.com

Lokiceratops rangiformis by CamusAltamirano on DeviantArt

A NEW DINOSAUR HAS BEEN DISCOVERED!!!!! NOT ONLY THAT, IT WAS ALSO NAMED AFTER THE NORSE GOD LOKI!!

BEHOLD THIS BEAUTIFUL DINOSAUR!! OH IT IS SO LOVELY!

HERE ARE SOME COOL PICTURES OF THE SKULL AND CASTS OF THE REAL BONES TO RECONSTRUCT THE SKULL

READ MORE ABOUT IT HERE:

NBC News

A dinosaur from Montana with huge blade-like horns is named after Norse god Loki

Lokiceratops rangiformis is an entirely new dinosaur previously undiscovered by paleontologists, scientists said in a journal Thursday.

CNN

Newly discovered dinosaur’s horns look ‘like something a heavy metal rocker would wear’ | CNN

A previously unknown species of dinosaur finally has a name five years after the horned specimen’s discovery in Montana: Lokiceratops rangif