genus
Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family (taxonomy), family as used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In bino ...
of ten species of poroid
crust fungi
The corticioid fungi are a group of fungi in the Basidiomycota typically having effused, smooth basidiocarps (fruit bodies) that are formed on the undersides of dead tree trunks or branches. They are sometimes colloquially called crust fungi or pa ...
in the family
Fomitopsidaceae
The Fomitopsidaceae are a family (biology), family of fungi in the order Polyporales. Most species are parasitic on woody plants, and tend to cause Wood-decay fungus#Brown rot, brown rots. The name comes from ''Fomitopsis'' (meaning "looking like ...
. The genus contains species similar to those in genus ''
Antrodia
''Antrodia'' is a genus of fungi in the family Fomitopsidaceae. ''Antrodia'' species have fruit bodies that typically resupinate (i.e., lying flat or spread out on the growing surface), with the hymenium exposed to the outside; the edges may be t ...
'', but they are
phylogenetic
In biology, phylogenetics () is the study of the evolutionary history of life using observable characteristics of organisms (or genes), which is known as phylogenetic inference. It infers the relationship among organisms based on empirical dat ...
ally distinct.
Taxonomy
The genus was
circumscribed In geometry, a circumscribed circle for a set of points is a circle passing through each of them. Such a circle is said to ''circumscribe'' the points or a polygon formed from them; such a polygon is said to be ''inscribed'' in the circle.
* Circum ...
in 1968 by Estonian mycologist
Erast Parmasto
Erast Parmasto (28 October 1928 – 24 April 2012) was a noted Estonian mycologist, bioscientist and botanist and onetime director of the Estonian Institute of Zoology and Botany.
Parmasto was born in Nõmme. He became a member of the Estonian I ...
with ''
Fibroporia vaillantii
''Fibroporia vaillantii'', also known as mine fungus, white pore fungus, ''Antrodia vaillantii'', ''Polyporus vaillantii'', and various other namesDC.
Augustin Pyramus (or Pyrame) de Candolle (, , ; 4 February 17789 September 1841) was a Swiss botanist. René Louiche Desfontaines launched de Candolle's botanical career by recommending him at a herbarium. Within a couple of years de Candolle ...
) as the
type species
In International_Code_of_Zoological_Nomenclature, 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 spe ...
. He defined the genus as containing species with fimbriate (hairlike) to
rhizomorphic
Mycelial cords are linear aggregations of parallel-oriented hyphae. The mature cords are composed of wide, empty vessel hyphae surrounded by narrower sheathing hyphae. Cords may look similar to plant roots, and also frequently have similar functi ...
margins, and
ellipsoid
An ellipsoid is a surface that can be obtained from a sphere by deforming it by means of directional Scaling (geometry), scalings, or more generally, of an affine transformation.
An ellipsoid is a quadric surface; that is, a Surface (mathemat ...
to slightly thick-walled
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 ...
. In 1991,
Leif Ryvarden
Leif Randulff Ryvarden (born 9 August 1935) is a Norwegian mycologist.
Early life and education
Leif Ryvarden was born in Bergen as a son of Einar Norberg Johansen (1900–1959) and Hjørdis Randulff (1912–1975).
He finished his secondary ed ...
did not consider the rhizomorphs to be a characteristic worthy of creating a separate genus, and proposed ''Fibroporia'' to be
synonymous
A synonym is a word, morpheme, or phrase that means precisely or nearly the same as another word, morpheme, or phrase in a given language. For example, in the English language, the words ''begin'', ''start'', ''commence'', and ''initiate'' are a ...
with ''
Antrodia
''Antrodia'' is a genus of fungi in the family Fomitopsidaceae. ''Antrodia'' species have fruit bodies that typically resupinate (i.e., lying flat or spread out on the growing surface), with the hymenium exposed to the outside; the edges may be t ...
''. Several
molecular
A molecule is a group of two or more atoms that are held together by attractive forces known as chemical bonds; depending on context, the term may or may not include ions that satisfy this criterion. In quantum physics, organic chemistry, ...
studies support the separation of ''Fibroporia'' as a distinct genus from ''Antrodia''.
'' Pseudofibroporia'' is a
phylogenetic
In biology, phylogenetics () is the study of the evolutionary history of life using observable characteristics of organisms (or genes), which is known as phylogenetic inference. It infers the relationship among organisms based on empirical dat ...
ally related genus circumscribed by Chinese scientists in 2017. It is distinguished from ''Fibroporia'' by its distinct pileate fruit bodies that have entire margins (without notches or indentations) and the lack of
rhizomorphs
Mycelial cords are linear aggregations of parallel-oriented hyphae. The mature cords are composed of wide, empty vessel hyphae surrounded by narrower sheathing hyphae. Cords may look similar to plant roots, and also frequently have similar functi ...
.
Ecology
Wooden stakes decayed by '' Fibroporia radiculosa'' were shown to have a deterrent effect on the termite ''
Reticulitermes speratus
''Reticulitermes speratus'', the Japanese termite, is a species of subterranean termite found in Japan, North Korea, and South Korea. It eats decayed wood. It is adapted to withstand the cold temperatures of the temperate regions it inhabits.
T ...