''Muscodor'' is a
genus
Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus com ...
of
fungi
A fungus ( : fungi or funguses) is any member of the group of eukaryotic organisms that includes microorganisms such as yeasts and molds, as well as the more familiar mushrooms. These organisms are classified as a kingdom, separately from ...
in the family
Xylariaceae
The Xylariaceae are a family of mostly small ascomycetous fungi. It is one of the most commonly encountered groups of ascomycetes and is found throughout the temperate and tropical regions of the world. They are typically found on wood, seeds, f ...
noted for their ability to produce a variety of
volatile organic compounds, which inhibit growth of other fungi. The first species to be identified was ''
M. albus''.
[ Other known species include '' M. roseus'' and '' M. vitigenus''.
Known habitats of ''Muscodor'' species include Honduras, Venezuela, Thailand, Brazil, and Australia's Northern Territory. Members of the genus are believed to prefer ]tropical
The tropics are the regions of Earth surrounding the Equator. They are defined in latitude by the Tropic of Cancer in the Northern Hemisphere at N and the Tropic of Capricorn in
the Southern Hemisphere at S. The tropics are also referred to ...
or monsoonal rainforests as habitats; efforts made to find them in the temperate
In geography, the temperate climates of Earth occur in the middle latitudes (23.5° to 66.5° N/S of Equator), which span between the tropics and the polar regions of Earth. These zones generally have wider temperature ranges throughout t ...
rainforests of southern Australia and southern Chile have been unsuccessful.
References
New endophytic isolates of ''Muscodor albus'', a volatile-antibiotic-producing fungus
Xylariales
{{Xylariales-stub