''Melanogaster'' is a genus of

fungus A fungus (: fungi , , , or ; or funguses) is any member of the group of eukaryotic organisms that includes microorganisms such as yeasts and mold (fungus), molds, as well as the more familiar mushrooms. These organisms are classified as one ...

that resemble

truffles A truffle is the fruiting body of a subterranean ascomycete fungus, one of the species of the genus ''Tuber''. More than one hundred other genera of fungi are classified as truffles including '' Geopora'', '' Peziza'', '' Choiromyces'', and ' ...

, and are often mistaken for them. However, they do not have the characteristic aroma and value of truffles, although some have been used culinarily. None are known to be

poison A poison is any chemical substance that is harmful or lethal to living organisms. The term is used in a wide range of scientific fields and industries, where it is often specifically defined. It may also be applied colloquially or figurati ...

ous. The genus contains 25 species that collectively have a widespread distribution. A new

polyene In organic chemistry, polyenes are polyunsaturated organic compounds that contain multiple carbon–carbon double bonds (). Some sources consider dienes to be polyenes, whereas others require polyenes to contain at least three carbon–carbon d ...

pigment A pigment is a powder used to add or alter color or change visual appearance. Pigments are completely or nearly solubility, insoluble and reactivity (chemistry), chemically unreactive in water or another medium; in contrast, dyes are colored sub ...

, melanocrocin, has been isolated either from fruit bodies or

mycelial Mycelium (: mycelia) is a root-like structure of a fungus consisting of a mass of branching, thread-like hyphae. Its normal form is that of branched, slender, entangled, anastomosing, hyaline threads. Fungal colonies composed of mycelium are fou ...

cultures of the subterranean fungus ''

Melanogaster broomeianus ''Melanogaster'' ("''black-bellied''") may refer to the following organisms: * Genera: ** ''Melanogaster'' (fungus), a genus of false truffles ** ''Melanogaster'' (fly), a genus of hoverflies * Species: ** ''Drosophila melanogaster'', a species ...

''. The structure of the pigment was determined by spectroscopic methods and chemical transformations. Melanocrocin is the N-acyl derivative of L-

phenylalanine Phenylalanine (symbol Phe or F) is an essential α-amino acid with the chemical formula, formula . It can be viewed as a benzyl group substituent, substituted for the methyl group of alanine, or a phenyl group in place of a terminal hydrogen of ...

methyl ester In chemistry, an ester is a compound derived from an acid (either organic or inorganic) in which the hydrogen atom (H) of at least one acidic hydroxyl group () of that acid is replaced by an organyl group (R). These compounds contain a distinct ...

with a polyolefinic carboxylic acid.

Species

*'' Melanogaster ambiguus'' *'' Melanogaster broomeiani'' *'' Melanogaster variegatus'' *'' Melanogaster tuberiformis'' *''

'' *'' Melanogaster wilsonii''

References

External links

* Boletales Boletales genera Taxa named by August Carl Joseph Corda Taxa described in 1831 {{Boletales-stub