''Agaricus lanatoniger'' is an

agaric An agaric () is a type of fungal fruiting body characterized by the presence of a pileus (cap) that is clearly differentiated from the stipe (stalk), with lamellae (gills) on the underside of the pileus. It is a type of mushroom (or toadstool) ...

fungus in the family

Agaricaceae The Agaricaceae are a family of basidiomycete fungi and include the genus ''Agaricus'', as well as basidiomycetes previously classified in the families Tulostomataceae, Lepiotaceae, and Lycoperdaceae. Taxonomy The family Agaricaceae was publishe ...

, endemic to

New Zealand New Zealand () is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and List of islands of New Zealand, over 600 smaller islands. It is the List of isla ...

Taxonomy

''A. lanatoniger'' was first described in 1974 by Belgian mycologist

Paul Heinemann Paul Heinemann (February 16, 1916 – June 18, 1996) was a Belgian botanist and mycology, mycologist. Heinemann specialized in African mycology. In his long career, he published 435 names, including 2 family (biology), families, 6 genera, 346 speci ...

and collected by

Egon Horak Egon Horak (born Innsbruck in 1937) is an Austrian mycologist who has described more than 1000 species of fungi, including many from the Southern Hemisphere, particularly New Zealand and South America. He was an executive editor of the scientific ...

in December 1967. The

holotype A holotype (Latin: ''holotypus'') is a single physical example (or illustration) of an organism used when the species (or lower-ranked taxon) was formally described. It is either the single such physical example (or illustration) or one of s ...

specimen was collected in the

Westland Province The Westland Province was a province of New Zealand from 1873 until the abolition of provincial government in 1876. The capital was Hokitika. Area and history The area was part of Canterbury Province when the provinces were created in 1853. B ...

, of

by Lake Haupiri, underneath red beech (''

Nothofagus fusca ''Nothofagus fusca'', commonly known as red beech (Māori: tawhai raunui) is a species of southern beech, endemic to New Zealand, occurring on both the North and South Island. It is generally found on lower hills and inland valley floors where s ...

'') and rimu (''

Dacrydium cupressinum ''Dacrydium cupressinum'', commonly known as rimu, is a species of tree in the family Podocarpaceae. It is a dioecious evergreen conifer, reaching heights of up to , and can have a stout trunk up to in diameter. It is endemic to New Zealand ...

'') trees. The original paper reference number was incorrect, but is correctly listed as PDD 27107 in a report on New Zealand ''

Agaricus ''Agaricus'' is a genus of mushroom-forming fungi containing both edible and poisonous species, with over 400 members worldwide and possibly again as many disputed or newly discovered species. The genus includes the common ("button") mushroom ...

'' species in 1999.

Description

The pileus of ''Agarcius lanatoniger'' can vary from a spherical to a convex shape. Smaller specimens tend to have more spherical pileus, while larger are more flattened convex shape, although both have round shape when viewed from above. The dark brown, felt-like pileus or cap can be up to wide in diameter. The

gills A gill () is a respiratory organ that many aquatic organisms use to extract dissolved oxygen from water and to excrete carbon dioxide. The gills of some species, such as hermit crabs, have adapted to allow respiration on land provided they are ...

consist of thin pink filaments, stemming from the underside of the pileus without touching the stem. This forms a small ring around the stem less than long. About a third of the length of the stem is a thick skirt. This extends out from the stem. Above the skirt, the stem is tan or pale colour. While underneath, the colour transitions from light brown to dark brown or black like the cap's colour. The

spores In biology, a spore is a unit of sexual (in fungi) or asexual reproduction that may be adapted for dispersal and for survival, often for extended periods of time, in unfavourable conditions. Spores form part of the life cycles of many plant ...

are opaque chocolate brown, ellipsoid and 5,3-6,0(6,5) X 3,4-3,7 μm in size. The

basidia A basidium (: basidia) is a microscopic spore-producing structure found on the hymenophore of reproductive bodies of basidiomycete fungi. The presence of basidia is one of the main characteristic features of the group. These bodies are also ...

are 18-24 X 6,5-7,2 μm, transparent and have 4 spores each. The gills have abundant transparent

cheilocystidia A cystidium (: cystidia) is a relatively large cell found on the sporocarp of a basidiomycete (for example, on the surface of a mushroom gill), often between clusters of basidia. Since cystidia have highly varied and distinct shapes that are oft ...

which are pear to club shaped and 20-25 X 7-12 μm. The stem ranges from in length and with a diameter of , generally thicker toward the base. Inside the stem is a white, hollow column beginning at

gill A gill () is a respiration organ, respiratory organ that many aquatic ecosystem, aquatic organisms use to extract dissolved oxygen from water and to excrete carbon dioxide. The gills of some species, such as hermit crabs, have adapted to allow r ...

level but sealed at the bottom. Beneath the ground, the bulbous shape has many small root-like filaments. The stem's insides are white with a hollow center. Agaricus lanatoniger imported from iNaturalist photo 264655667 on 17 May 2023

Agaricus lanatoniger imported from iNaturalist photo 264655667 on 17 May 2023

Similarity to ''Agaricus purpureoniger''

The sequence of ''A. lanatoniger'', when compared to '' A. purpureoniger'' differed only by one nucleotide, suggesting that they be the same species. When physically compared, the ''A. purpureoniger'' is more purple. However, over the last three decades, all samples of ''A. purpureoniger'' have been found in similar locations as ''A. lanatoniger'', specifically in the northwestern regions of both the

islands.

Habitat

''Agaricus lanatoniger'' has been found in nine different terrestrial locations primarily in

The mean annual temperature for all locations ranges from . Due to New Zealand's

temperate climate In geography, the temperate climates of Earth occur in the middle latitudes (approximately 23.5° to 66.5° N/S of the Equator), which span between the tropics and the polar regions of Earth. These zones generally have wider temperature ra ...

, this fluctuates throughout its four distinct seasons. Most samples show ''A. lanatoniger'' in the ground of forests, however, the type of forest has not been noted.

Etymology

Lanatoniger originates from the

Latin Latin ( or ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic languages, Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally spoken by the Latins (Italic tribe), Latins in Latium (now known as Lazio), the lower Tiber area aroun ...

"lanatus" (adj) meaning wooly or downy. This refers to the felt-like texture of its pileus.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q10403043 lanatoniger Edible fungi Fungi described in 1974 Fungi of New Zealand Fungus species