Scientists have found a peculiar new type of fungus and named it after the monstrous giant sandworms from the famous Dune science fiction novels.
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| Image Source: Péter Finy/Illustration by Dániel G. Knapp |
The fungus, called Tulostoma shaihuludii, is part of four recently identified species outlined in a study published in the MycoKeys journal.
All of these fungi belong to the Tulostoma group, also known as stalked puffballs. The other three species are Tulostoma dunense, Tulostoma hungaricum, and Tulostoma sacchariolens.
These fungi create small, round fruiting bodies on stalks, releasing a cloud of dust-like spores into the air when they mature. Fungal spores are tiny agents that help fungi reproduce.
Many puffball fungi, including Tulostoma species, have lost the ability to forcefully discharge spores themselves. Instead, they rely on external pressure, like trampling by animals or the wind, to release spores through a "bursting" mechanism.
All these newly identified puffball species were found in sandy regions of the Pannonian Steppe, grassland ecosystems in Central and Eastern Europe, including Austria, Bulgaria, Hungary, Romania, Serbia, and Slovakia. The species were documented based on samples collected in Hungary over 25 years.
Among them, Tulostoma sacchariolens is unique as the only fragrant stalked puffball species, which is uncommon among puffballs. Tulostoma hungaricum is the world's smallest stalked puffball, and Tulostoma shaihuludii stands out with its curved stalk in its genus.
The scientists named Tulostoma shaihuludii because it resembles the "Shai-Hulud" sandworms from the fictional desert planet Arrakis in the Dune series by Frank Herbert, and because the fungus was discovered in a sandy habitat.
The sandworms in the books are colossal worm-like creatures that can grow to hundreds of feet in length, with giant mouths filled with crystalline teeth. They are aggressive, territorial, and attracted to rhythmic sounds, posing a danger to the Fremen inhabitants of Arrakis, who have learned to live alongside them and even ride them across the desert.
The Shai-Hulud play a crucial role in the Dune series, as their larvae produce a valuable drug known as "spice," enabling safe and accurate interstellar travel in the Dune universe.
Recent studies have identified sandy soil in Hungary as a hotspot in Europe for stalked puffball fungi. This research emphasizes the diversity of these fungi, with a total of 19 species recorded in the country, including the newly discovered ones.
The dry and sandy grasslands between the rivers Danube and Tisza, along with adjacent areas in central Hungary, currently host 66 percent of all known Tulostoma species in Europe. Although generally rare, these fungi are locally abundant, and there is a likelihood of more undiscovered Tulostoma species in Central Europe.
This discovery underscores the importance of fungi in our ecosystems, highlighting the remarkable biodiversity within the fungal kingdom.
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