Tuber itzcuinzapotl: A new species of edible Truffle from Mexico.

Truffles, Tuber spp., are Ascomycote Fungi which from ectomycorrhizal relationships with a range of forest Plants, including Pines, Oaks, Hickories, and Orchids. They are distinguished for their large, tuber-like ascomata (fruiting bodies), which are formed underground, which often have highly distinctive aromas and flavours, leading to some species being traded as high-value gourmet items.

There are currently 25 species of Truffle known from Mexico, mostly from the temperate forests of the north and the mountains of the Neovolcanic axis. However, none of these are currently traded as foodstuffs, despite Mexico a globally leading countries in terms of the number of edible wild Fungi consumed, with about 500 species, making it second only China, where about 1000 are consumed. However, recent efforts have found that the non-native Black Truffle, Tuber melanosporum, will form ectomycorrhizal relationships with native Mexican Oaks, and several species found in Mexico are considered to have potential for commercial development, including the Pecan Truffle, Tuber lyonii, which is commercially exploited in the US and Canada, and can trade for up to US$400 per kg.

In a paper published in the journal Phytotaxa on 26 January 2024, Javier Isaac de la Fuente of the Colegio de Postgraduados at Campus Montecillo, Wendy Rosales-Rosales of the Instituto Tecnológico Superior de Zongolica of the Tecnológico Nacional de México, César Romero Martínez-González of the Instituto Tecnológico de Ciudad Victoria of the Tecnológico Nacional de México, Magdelana Martínez-Reyes, also of the Colegio de Postgraduados at Campus Montecillo, Andrea Carolina Elizondo-Salas, also of the Instituto Tecnológico Superior de Zongolica of the Tecnológico Nacional de México, and Jesús Pérez-Moreno, agian of the Colegio de Postgraduados at Campus Montecillo, describe a new species of edible Truffle from the Coniferous mixed forests of eastern Mexico.

The new species is named Tuber itzcuinzapotl, where 'itzcuinzapotl' means 'Dog's Zapote' in the Nahua language (a Zapote is a type of fruit). This Truffle produces subglobose fruiting bodies with a light brown, verrucous-granular outer surface, and an gray or pale brown interior, reaching up to 28 mm by 28 mm in size, with a distinctive fruity taste and smell. It is found growing in association with Mexcan Weeping Pines, Pinus patula, in Veracruz State, Mexico.

Tuber itzcuinzapotl (Holotype). Fresh ascomata fruiting body. De la Fuente et al. (2024).

Mexico has a significant culture of wild Fungus consumption, with over 500 types of Fungi consumed by members of all ethnic groups, and in particular rural communities living close to woodland. However, almost all consumed Fungi are epigeal, i.e, found above the ground, such as Mushrooms, with very little exploitation of subterranean species occurring. This is surprising, as Mexico is one of the most biodiverse regions in the world for Oaks, and Oaks are particularly associated with Fungi producing underground fruiting bodies. 

Tuber itzcuinzapotl is known to be consumed by members of the Nahua ethnic group living in the Sierra de Zongolica region of Veracruz State, Mexico, where it is referred to as 'itzcuinzapotl' (the specific name chosen for the species). Local folklore has it that people began to consume these Fungi after observing Dogs digging them up and eating them. Knowledge of the Fungus appeared to be restricted to older women in the community. Such local knowledge of wild foodstuffs is considered to be at risk in the region as traditional cultures are eroded, leading to loss of knowledge and a reduction and homogenisation in the number of foodstuffs consumed by Humans both in Mexico and globaly.

See also...

Anchonidium selvanum: A new species of Weevil from northern Portugal.

The Weevil genus Anchonidium currently contains three valid species, all of which are found in Western Europe. Several from Africa and the Caucasus region which were previously assigned to the genus are now considered to be erroneous, and some of these have been reassigned to other genera.

In a paper published in the journal Alpine Entomology on 24 October 2023, Christoph Germann of the Naturhistorisches Museum Basel and the Naturhistorisches Museum Bern, and Carlo Braunert of the Musée National d’Histoire Naturelle de Luxembourg, describe a new species of Anchonidium from northern Portugal. 

The new species is named Anchonidium selvanum, where 'selvanum' refers to the ancient native Oak-forests of Portugal, which are referred to in Portuguese as 'la selva', which is the environment in which the Weevils were found. These Weevils are 2.1-3.3 mm in length, excluding the rostrum (snout) and auburn in colour. Their dorsal surface is covered with large punctures arranged in lines which run lengthwise along the body, the ventral surface has similar punctures, but more randomly arranged.

Anchonidium selvanum. (1) Male. (2) Female. (3) Male underside. Germann & Braunert (2023).

The distribution of all four species of Anchonidium follow mountain chains and river valleys in Portugal. Anchonidium braunerti is found in the Serra de Monchique south of the Rio Tajo, at altitudes of about 890 m above sealevel, on the upper parts of mountains where heather and mosses dominate, but where Oak forests were found on the lower slopes in the past but are now gone. Anchonidium spathiferum is found in the Serra da Estrela at altitudes of about 1290 m above sealevel, again in an environment dominated by heather and mosses, above slopes that were once covered by Oak woodland. Both of these species are considered rare. Only Anchonidium unguiculare is more widely distributed being found in Oak forests from Morocco to southern England. Anchonidium selvanum is still relatively common within its environment, the ancient Oak woodlands of the Serra do Marão and Serra do Alvão, at altidudes of between 750 m and 1180 m above sealevel.

Records from Anchonidium sensu stricto in Western Europe. Anchonidium unguiculare (blue dots), Anchonidium braunerti (green dot), Anchonidium spathiferum (red dot) and Anchonidium selvanum (yellow dots). Germann & Braunert (2023).

The Oak woodlands in which Anchonidium selvanum is found are a relic of ancient woodlands which once covered much of the mountains of Portugal, and which today are threatened by over-extraction of timber, and replacement of the Oaks by plantations of straighter, faster growing species valued by the timber industry, such as Eucalyptus and Mimosa trees from Australia or the Aleppo Pine. Pinus halepensis. Monocultural stands of these trees create a very different environment to ancient Oak wooklands, which is not a usable habitat for species which evolved in those woodlands. Worse still, all of these trees are addapted to survive periodic forest fires, which clear rival trees (and the wildlife dependant on those trees) from the environments where they are found. Their introduction has led to an increased fire frequency in mountainous areas of Portugal, presenting an additional threat to its indigenous wildlife. For this reason, Germann and Braunert conclude that Anchonidium selvanum should be regarded as a threatened species, but also that it can serve as a useful indicator species for the health of the woodlands in which it is found.

(Top) Habitat at type locality of Anchonidium selvanum at Bobal, 880 m above sealevel, Serra do Alvão. A small remaining part of the ancient Oak forest with Mosses, Lichens and a deep leaf litter layer at ground where the new species lives in remarkable densities. (Bottom) Remains and replantation of Oak forest in the Serra do Marão close to Ansiães. A good example for small remains of the ancient forests where only few individuals of Anchonidium selvanum were found. Carlo Braunert in Germann  Braunert (2023).

See also...

Follow Sciency Thoughts on Facebook.

Follow Sciency Thoughts on Twitter.

Quercus mangdenensis: A new species of Oak from Vietnam.

Oaks, Quercus spp., are a large and diverse group of deciduous and evergreen trees, found throughout the temperate woodlands of the Northern Hemisphere, and extending south into subtropical and even tropical areas in some areas. In Southeast Asia they form a significant component of tropical montane forests, with 52 species known from Vietnam alone, seven of which were described as new species within the past five years, suggesting that the diversity of the group in this area is still not fully understood.

In a paper published in the journal Phytokeys on 15 December 2022, Nguyen Van Ngoc and Hoang Thi Binh of the Faculty of Biology at Dalat University, describe a new species of Oak from Kon Tum Province, Vietnam.

The new Oak was discovered while carrying out fieldwork around the town of Mang Den in Kon Plong District, at the northern end of the Central Highlands of Vietnam. The area has a cool tropical climate, with average temperatures varying between about 18.7 and 24.9°C over the course of the year, and a rainy season which lasts from August to February.

Type locality of Quercus mangdenensis. (A) Map of Vietnam. (B) Map of Kon Tum Province. (C) map of Kon Plong District, the red star indicated the type locality: Mang Den Town, Dak Long Commune. Ngoc & Binh (2022).

The new species is named Quercus mangdenensis, where 'mangdenensis' means 'from Mang Den'. It is an evergreen tree reaching 20-25 m high, with a trunk diameter of 60-80 cm. Leaves are lance-shaped with entire margins, and darker above than below. Bark is pale grey, except on the newest twigs, where it is green. Acorns are large, reaching 6-10.5 cm high and 4-5 cm wide. 

Quercus mangdenensis. (A) Twigs with young fruit. (B) Terminal buds. (C) Infructescences. (D) Fallen mature fruit. (E), (F) Adaxial and abaxial surface of the leaves. (G) Nuts. (H) Outside of cupule. (I) Densely reddish hairs inside of cupules. (J) Basal scar of the nut. (K), (L) Inside and outside of bud scale. Ngoc & Binh (2022).

Ngoc and Binh were able to find five subpopulations of Quercus mangdenensis, all growing at between 1050 and 1200 m above sealevel in fragmented evergreen forest. The area is under pressure from logging, farming and other Human activities, with the majority of the trees belonging to the new species on the border between forest clumps and farmland. For this reason Ngoc and Binh recommend that Quercus mangdenensis be classified as Critically Endangered under the terms of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature's Red List of Threatened Species.

See also...

Follow Sciency Thoughts on Facebook.

Follow Sciency Thoughts on Twitter. 

International Union for the Conservation of Nature declares 31 species extinct in 2020.

The European Bison, Bison bonasus, Europe’s largest land Mammal, has moved from Vulnerable to Near Threatened thanks to continued conservation efforts, according to a press release issued by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature on 10 December 2020. With this update, 31 species also move into the Extinct category, and all of the world’s Freshwater Dolphin species are now threatened with extinction.

 

European Bison, Bison bonasus. Rafał Kowalczyk/International Union for the Conservation of Nature.

There are now 128 918 species on the International Union for the Conservation of Nature's Red List of Threatened Species, of which 35,765 are threatened with extinction.

'The European Bison and twenty-five other species recoveries documented in today’s IUCN Red List update demonstrate the power of conservation,' said Bruno Oberle, International Union for the Conservation of Nature's Director General. 'Yet the growing list of Extinct species is a stark reminder that conservation efforts must urgently expand. To tackle global threats such as unsustainable fisheries, land clearing for agriculture, and invasive species, conservation needs to happen around the world and be incorporated into all sectors of the economy.'

'The conservation successes in today’s Red List update provide living proof that the world can set, and meet, ambitious biodiversity targets. They further highlight the need for real, measurable commitments as we formulate and implement the post-2020 global biodiversity framework,' said Jane Smart, Global Director of International Union for the Conservation of Nature's Biodiversity Conservation Group. 

As a result of long-term conservation management, the wild population of European Bison, Bison bonasus, has grown from around 1800 in 2003 to over 6200 in 2019, justifying the move from Vulnerable to Near Threatened. The species survived only in captivity in the early 20^th century, and was reintroduced to the wild in the 1950s. The largest subpopulations are now found in Poland, Belarus and Russia. There are currently 47 free-ranging European Bison herds. However, herds are largely isolated from one another and confined to non-optimal forest habitats, and only eight of them are large enough to be genetically viable in the long term. The species remains dependent on ongoing conservation measures such as translocations of Bison to more optimal open habitats and reduction of Human-Bison conflicts.

'Historically, European Bison were reintroduced mostly to forest habitats, where they don’t find enough food in winter. However, when they move out of the forest into agricultural areas, they often find themselves in conflict with people. To reduce the conflict risk and the bison’s dependence on supplementary feeding, it will be important to create protected areas that include open meadows for them to graze”, said Rafał Kowalczyk, co-author of the new assessment and member of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature's Bison Specialist Group. 

 

A European Bison, Bison bonasus. Rafał Kowalczyk/International Union for the Conservation of Nature.

With the Tucuxi, Sotalia fluviatilis, moving from Data Deficient to Endangered, all of the world’s Freshwater Dolphin species are now listed as threatened on the International Union for the Conservation of Nature's Red List. This small grey Dolphin species found in the Amazon river system has been severely depleted by incidental mortality in fishing gear, damming of rivers and pollution. Eliminating the use of gillnets, curtains of fishing net that hang in the water, and reducing the number of dams in Tucuxi habitat are priorities to enable numbers to recover. Enforcing the ban on the deliberate killing of Tucuxis is also essential.

 

Tucuxi, Sotalia fluviatilis. Fernando Trujillo/International Union for the Conservation of Nature.

The Lost Shark, Carcharhinus obsoletus, which was only formally described last year, enters the Red List as Critically Endangered (Possibly Extinct). The species was last recorded in 1934. Its habitat in the South China Sea has been extensively fished for more than a century and remains one of the most overexploited marine regions in the world. As it is unlikely that the species could have persisted under this heavy pressure, the Lost Shark may already be extinct.

All of the 17 Freshwater Fish species endemic to Lake Lanao and its outlet in the Philippines are now Extinct (15 species) or Critically Endangered (Possibly Extinct) (two species). The extinctions were caused by predatory introduced species, compounded by overharvesting and destructive fishing methods.

 

 

Extinct Cyprinid Fish from Lake Lanao, the Philippines. Armi Torres/International Union for the Conservation of Nature.

Three Central American Frog species have been newly declared Extinct. Additionally, twenty-two Frog species across Central and South America were listed as Critically Endangered (Possibly Extinct). The main driver of these drastic declines is Chytridiomycosis disease. Conservation efforts to protect critical habitat are helping populations of several other Amphibian species to recover. Among them is the Oaxaca Treefrog, Sarcohyla celata, which moved from Critically Endangered to Near Threatened thanks to actions by local communities in Mexico.

The Protea family has been comprehensively assessed with this update, revealing that 45% (637 of 1464 species) of these striking Flowering Plants that grow mainly across the Southern Hemisphere are Vulnerable, Endangered or Critically Endangered. Many of the species have highly restricted ranges, making them more vulnerable to the spread of invasive alien species, changes to natural fire cycles caused by Humans and linked with climate change, and loss of habitat to agriculture. The Protea family includes three Macadamia species, the same species that produce the farmed Macadamia nut crop, which have entered the International Union for the Conservation of Nature's Red List as threatened with extinction in the wild. The Macadamia Nut (Macadamia integrifolia) is listed as Vulnerable, while Macadamia ternifolia and Macadamia tetraphylla are listed as Endangered.

 

The Protea, Grevillea caleyi, from New South Wales, now classified as Critically Endangered. Tony Auld/International Union for the Conservation of Nature.

Oak trees have been comprehensively assessed, revealing that almost one third (31%, 113 of 430 species) are threatened with extinction. Nine Asian oaks enter the International Union for the Conservation of Nature's Red List already Critically Endangered (Possibly Extinct or Possibly Extinct in the Wild). The highest numbers of threatened species are in China and Mexico, followed by Viet Nam, the United States and Malaysia. Land clearance for agriculture and logging are the most common threats in China, Mexico and Southeast Asia. Invasive alien species and diseases and climate change are the key threats to Oaks in the United States.

 

Quercus liaoi, a species of Oak known only from Taiwan. Béatrice Chassé/International Union for the Conservation of Nature.

See also...

Follow Sciency Thoughts on Facebook.

Follow Sciency Thoughts on Twitter.

Cassytha filiformis: A Parasitic Plant targetting Insects.

Parasirism is very common in the natural world, with many species of Prokaryotic and single-celled Eukaryotic life-forms relying on the strategy, Fungi frequently parasitising Animals, Plants and other Fungi, Animals parasitising other Animals and Plants, and Plants parasitising both other Plants and Fungi. However, Plants, whilst occasionally directly consuming Animals (carnivory) do not generally parasitise Animals.

In a paper published in the journal Current Biology on 20 August 2018, Scott Egan, Linyi Zhang, Mattheau Comerford, and Glen Hood of the Department of BioSciences at Rice University describe an example of parasitism of Animals by Plants, a trophic interaction which they suspect, while not previously recorded, may in fact be widespread in nature.

Egan et al. were inspecting Sand Live Oaks, Quercus geminata, targetted by the parasitic Love Vine, Cassytha filiformis, in a native scrub habitat in southern Florida, when they observed that the galls (tumors induced by the action of a parasitc Animal on a Plant, in which the Animal, typically a larval Arthropod, lives, protected by the gall tissue and feeding on the fluids of the host Plant) of two parasitic Wasp species, Belonocnema treatae and Callirhytis quercusbatatoides, were penetrated by the haustoria (root like projection from a Parasitic Plant, that penetrates the tissues of the host) of the vine. This was despite the fact that the galls of these Wasps are located on the underside of the leaves, an area not usually targeted by the Vine, suggesting that this food source is actively sought out, rather than being attacked purely by chance.

(A) Cassytha filiformis Vine attaching haustoria to a leaf gall induced by the Wasp Belonocnema treatae on the underside of their host Plant, Quercus geminata. (B) Labeled graphic of Insect gall, parasitic Vine, and Vine haustoria. Egan et al. (2018).

The galls of Belonocnema treatae attacked by the Vine were on average 35% larger than those that were not, though this appeared to be driven by the Vine not attacking smaller galls, with no gall smaller than 3.5 mm in diameter, being attacked, rather than the Vine causing larger galls. Inspection found 45% of parasitised galls contained a dead and mummified Wasp, compared to just 2% of non-parasitised galls, suggesting the interaction had a highly adverse effect on the Wasps. A wider inspection of the area found the Vine was parasitising the galls of a further four species of Wasps, Andricus quercuslanigera, Neuroterus minutissimus, Disholcaspis quercusvirens, and Andricus quercusfoliatus, as well as the Gall Midge Arnoldiola atra.

See also...

Follow Sciency Thoughts on Facebook.

Petaurista leucogenys: How the Japanese Giant Flying Squirrel selects its food.

Many arboreal (tree dwelling) Mammals are reliant on leaves as a food for at least part of the year, and some feed exclusively on such fodder. However leaves leaves are difficult food, as, unlike fruits or nectar, these are parts of the plant which the plant does not want eaten, and many plants put considerable effort into making their leaves as unpalatable as possible, minimising the amounts of nutrients stored in the leaves, defending them physically with tough fibres or spines, and packing them with toxins such as phenols or tannins. Leaf-eating Mammals avoid these defences by carefully selecting both which leaves and which parts of the leaves they consume, and choosing different food sources and feeding methods at different times of the year.

The Japanese Giant Flying Squirrel, Petaurista leucogenys, is a large arboreal Rodent (adults often reach 50 cm plus a meter-long tail) with a wing-membrane between its fore- and hindlimbs which enables it to glide between trees. It is found in sub-alpine forests and boreal evergreen forests on Honshu, Shikoku and Kyushu islands in Japan, as well as in Guangdong Province in China. It has a varied diet, which includes a variety of fruits, nuts, and flowers, but also includes leaves. Usefully, it is prone to detaching leaves before partially consuming them, then allowing partially consumed leaves with distinctive feeding traces to fall to the forest floor, where they can be picked up by interested scientists.

In a paper published in the journal Ecology and Evolution on 15 June 2017, Mutsumi Ito of the Department of Biology at Tokyo Metropolitan University, Noriko Tamura of the Tama Forest Science Garden, and Fumio Hayashi, also of the Department of Biology at Tokyo Metropolitan University, describe the results of a three-year study of the leaf-feeding behaviour of the Japanese Giant Flying Squirrel in the Tama Forest Science Garden.

A Japanese Giant Flying Squirrel, Petaurista leucogenys. 飯能に棲むいきものたちのこと.

Ito et al. collected leaves of two Oak species along a 2 km census route between one and five times a month between May 2013 and November 2015. These were the deciduous Sawtooth Oak, Quercus acutissima, and the evergreen Tsukubanegashi Oak, Quercus sessilifolia.

They found that while the leaves of the evergreen Quercus sessilifolia were the preferred food of the Squirrels in winter, they were seldom eaten in summer when the leaves of the deciduous Quercus acutissima were available. The leaves of the evergreen Quercus sessilifolia were almost always eaten apically, i.e. from the tip, while the leaves of the deciduous Quercus acutissima were eaten basally, or centrally, i.e. from the base or centre, with the tip being avoided.

Three types of leaf debris eaten by the Japanese Giant Flying Squirrel (Type A, apically eaten; Type B, basally eaten; Type C, only centrally eaten). The total length (Lt) and width (Lw) of intact leaves are measured, as well as the remaining length for basally (La) and apically (Lb) eaten leaves, and the maximum width of the centrally eaten circle (Ld) of leaf debris. All leaves shown are the evergreen Quercus sessilifolia. Ito et al. (2017).

Examination of the leaves in the laboratory revealed that those of Quercus acutissima had a far higher sugar content that those of Quercus sessilifolia. This explains the preference of the Squirrels for these leaves when they are available, as most Mammals preferentially select food that has a higher sugar content (is sweeter) as this relates directly to the energy available from the food. However, the leaves of Quercus acutissima also have far higher levels of phenols, toxic chemicals that Mammals generally avoid (though this is not the first time that leaf-eating Mammals have been shown to overcome an aversion to leaf toxins if the sugar content is high enough). Importantly the phenols in the leaves of Quercus acutissima were found to be concentrated around the tips of the leaves, which the Squirrels were consciously avoiding, showing that they were capable of adjusting their feeding behaviour to avoid toxins in a seasonally available food.

See also...

Follow Sciency Thoughts on Facebook.