New Report of Termitophilic Fungi from Nepal
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
http://elynsgroup.com Copyright: © 2017 Aryal HP, et al. Research Article Journal of Basic and Applied Plant Sciences Open Access New Report of Termitophilic Fungi from Nepal Hari P Aryal1* and U. Budhathoki2 1Bhairahawa Multiple Campus, Siddarthanagar, Institute of Science and Technology, Tribhuvan University, Nepal 2Central Department of Botany, Kirtipur, Kathmandu, Tribhuvan University, Nepal Received Date: July 07, 2016, Accepted Date: March 09, 2017, Published Date: March 16, 2017. *Corresponding author: Hari Prasad Aryal, Bhairahawa Multiple Campus, Siddarthanagar, Institute of Science and Technology, Tribhuvan University, Nepal; E-mail: [email protected] presence of small conical pileus, ornamented pleurocystidia and Abstract hollow stipe. Termitomyces fuliginosus R. Heim, T. globulus R. Heim and T. heimii Natarajan, collected within an altitudinal range of 500-1500 m a.s.l. Investigation and study of these fungi in Nepal was started in in subtropical deciduous forest during 2010–2012 are described and 1986 [15]. Since then several mycological investigations have been illustrated. Their macro and microscopic features delimit these taxa as done [16–21] and 19 taxa that are taxonomically described till the new species in Nepal. present [22–27]. All the species are edible and highly priced due Keywords: Agaricales; Symbiosis; Taxonomy to their good nutritive value, in Nepal and elsewhere in the world [25,28]. Abbreviations The species are characterized by typical agaricoid carpophores VDC: Village Development Committee; WN: Ward Number. sharply, differentiated umbo, stipe central, spore print brownish topluteoid, pinkish, entire lamellae and incurvedfree to adnexed margin, butusually with fleshy, decurrent large teeth,often Introduction crowded, white to pink in colour. Their stipe is cylindrical, solid, Termitophilous fungi are a monophyletic group [1] of tropical cylindrical and gilled mushrooms belonging to the genus Termitomyces. They belong widening at a depth of 5–7 cm, then narrowing down to the point of to the basidiomycete family Tricholomataceae, latter named attachmentfibrous and to smooth the termite with nest, pseudorrhiza. its length determined It is by the depth Lyophyllaceae (Agaricales, Agaricomycetidae) [2–4]. The family was of the termite comb and with a simple veil, hyphae, inamyloids, with a hilum of the open pore type, ellipsoid, smooth, basidia normal, are unique as they grow on or near Termitoria built by termites their cystidia present, tramal hyphae inamyloids, with or without clamp excretafirst described in various by localitiesR. Heim for of aNepal. group The of termitophilous mycelium of Termitomyces agarics. They is connection, trame system monomitic, presence of thin walled a good source of food for termites and they are also used for culinary pyriform cheilocystidia and hymenophoral trama hyaline. In India, purposes by humans. They live in an obligate symbiosis with termites the Government has restricted the collection of Termitomyces for of the subfamily Macrotermitinae [5]. Their spore transfer is mainly the purpose of conservation of genetic diversity in Western Ghats by shedding from mushrooms, which protrude from the termite that lies in the wildlife sanctuaries in Goa (http://www.mamud. mounds [6]. These fungi grow on combs which are excreta from the com/Docs/Biodiversity_in_the_ Western_Ghats.htm). termites, dominated by tough woody fragments. Termitomyces is a paleotropical genus of agarics interesting both to mycologists and Key to Identification of Species entomologists [7]. Basidiocarp small to large. Pileus 2–30 cm broad, with or without scales, smooth, dry to viscid, umbonate, with or The diagnostic characters of the Termitomyces species are without perforations. With or without annulus. Stipe with long the pinkish spores, the termite association and the subterranean pseudorrhizea. Hyphae without clamps. Spores pinkish in deposits elongation of the stipe called a pseudorrhiza, through which the – Termitomyces fruit bodies of most species are connected to the comb in the termite nest. Furthermore, most of the species have a pronounced 1a. Fruit-body differentiated into prominent head and tail on umbo or papilla called a perforatorium, which play a role during mound penetration of the soil. 1b. Fruit bodies in groups, growing on the sandy soil or on the Singer [8] placed this genus in the family Tricholomataceae, shaded ground in association with termites’ nests but Pegler [9] kept it in Pluteaceae. A molecular study [10] 2a. Pileus medium, without papilla and annulus, ochraceous brown dark unicolor, concentric “scrobiculate” stipe not genus of epigaeic species (i.e. T. microcarpus) in the subgenus annulate – T. badius Praetermitomycessupported Singer’s and[8] classification.all the other Heim species was infirst the to placesubgenus this Eutermitomyces. He further devided Eutermitomyces into six 2b. Pileus continuation of the Perforatorium, obtuse, not spiniform, no rhizomorphs, brownish orange, concentrically scrobiculate, umbo obtuse – T. fuliginosus Vanhaecke,stirpes, more [12], for whereas convenience Singer than [8] placesto reflect T. microcarpus relationships. in 3a. Pileus globose, smaller, cystidia dimorphic, pseudorrhiza theThis genus classification Podabrella is followed by Pegler [9,11] and Pegler and brownish perforatorium low, small and poorly developed, termitophilous species. Gomez [13] transferred Podabrella to stipe usually without annulus, grayish brown – Termitomyces. Sinotermitomyces together with five small, neotropical, non- T. globules by Mu [14] from Yunnan, China. The genus Sinotermitomyces is 3b. Pileus medium, up to 10 cm diam, whitish, smooth, with distinguished from Termitomyces of by five comparing species wasthe expandingdescribed grayish brown, broad umbo, without papilla, stipe with a pileus, solid stipe and, non-ornamented pleurocystidia in the thick, ochraceous brown, persistent annulus – T. heimii J Bas Appl Pl Sci ISSN: 2574-3449 Page 1 of 5 J Bas Appl Pl Sci ISSN: 2574-3449 Vol. 1. Issue. 1. 36000104 Materials and Methods [8,31–34] and on line data base [35–38]. Herbarium specimens were rehydrated in an aqueous solution of 3 % KOH and have Collections were made in the pre- and post- monsoon seasons, been deposited at the Natural History Museum (NHM), Tribhuvan University, Nepal. grow in the study area which lies in central Nepal (Makawanpur districtpossibly of as Churiyamai a result of itsVDC, subtropical WN-9) (Figure affinities, 1). Severalwhen most samples agarics of Results and Discussion Termitomyces species were collected growing on termitaria among vegetation, dominated by members of the Dipterocarpaceae, Termitomyces fuliginosus R. Heim, Arch. Mus. Hist. Nat. Combretaceae and Leguminosae. The collection was entirely based Paris, ser. 6, 18: 147 (1942) on their sexual reproductive structures [29]. The samples were Description: This species has a prominent, cone-like pointed, photographed in their natural habitat. They were well dried and dark coloured projection at the center of the cap i.e., spiniform packed in wax paper bags with proper tag numbers. The habit papilla. Caps are ochraceous-orange, perforatorium bullate- and habitat including ecological parameters were recorded by the accessory equipment. Sporophores, growing on the sandy soil in groups, or on the shaded The collections were examined from fresh material both macro- groundumbonate in ratherassociation than withspinifirm termite’s papilla, nests, and characterized grey, medium by size. its and microscopically with a compound microscope (Olympus CX obligate symbiont with termites; usually centrally stipitate white 22). Xanthochoric reaction was determined by placing a small but olivaceous near the umbonal region (Figure 2). piece of materials in an aqueous solution containing 5% KOH. Pileus: 4.75–5.50 cm in diameter, convexoapplanate, smooth, The cynophility was observed in 0.01% cotton blue mounted surface grayish brown to yellow brown, perforatorium spiniform, in lactophenol [3]. Amyloidity of spores was observed by using Melzer’s reagent [30]. The measurements were taken with the help white to pink, adnexed. Stipe: Buffy-brown, medium cylindrical, 5.0 of an ocular micrometer (1div = 11.66 µm under 100X, 3.75 µm ×radially 0.9 cm, fibrillose, solid, cylindrical sometimes or radially slightly striate. tapering Lamellae: downward; free, crowed,surface under 400X and 1.66 µm under 1000X). At least 20 spores were measured from lamellae. Selected macrographs were taken using a below it grey in colour, annulus absent. Pseudorrhiza: Present, solid, Sony DSC-S 980 camera mounted on the microscope. white above and pale brown on the bulb, fibrous, pellicle thick, and soft, buffy-brown, hyaline, thin walled, clamp connection absent. fibrous, grey to brown in colour and size up to 3.5 × 0.7 cm. Flesh: The voucher specimens were identified using publications Figure 1: Sample collection sites. Citation: Aryal HP, Budhathoki U (2017) New Report of Termitophilic Fungi from Nepal. J Bas Appl Pl Sci 1(1): 104. Page 2 of 5 J Bas Appl Pl Sci ISSN: 2574-3449 Vol. 1. Issue. 1. 36000104 2a b c d 3a b c d 4a b c d Figures 2: T. fuliginosus. 2 a = Basidiocarp, b = spore print, c = spores with basidium (1div = 3.75 µm), d = spores under immerssion oil (1div T. globulous. 3 a = Basidiocarp, b = spore print, c = spore with basidium (1 div = 11.66µm), d = spores under immerssion oil (1div = 2 a˗d isT. heimii, 4 a = Basidiocarp, b = spore print, c = spores with basidium (1 div =