Aquascypha

Aquascypha
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Fungi
Division: Basidiomycota
Class: Agaricomycetes
Order: Polyporales
Family: Meruliaceae
Genus: Aquascypha
D.A.Reid
Type species
Aquascypha hydrophora
(Berk.) D.A.Reid

Aquascypha is a genus of fungi in the family Meruliaceae. It is a monotypic genus, containing the single species Aquascypha hydrophora, found in Central and South America. This species forms cup-like structures with dimensions of 2.7 to 14.9 cm (1.1 to 5.9 in) (average 9.2 cm (3.6 in)) and heights of 6.1 to 18 cm (2.4 to 7.1 in) (average 16.3 cm (6.4 in)).[1] Study of this fungus in the Amazon rain forest showed that on average, these cups hold 35 millitres of water, in addition to organic matter such as leaves, flowers and fruits that fall from trees;[1] this provides an ideal environment for various insect species (especially filter-feeding species like mosquitoes) to breed.[1][2]

References

  1. 1 2 3 Ferreira RL, Oliveira AF, Pereira ES, Hamada N (2001). "Occurrence of larval Culicidae (Diptera) in water retained in Aquascypha hydrophora (Fungus: Stereaceae) in central Amazonia, Brazil". Memorias do Instituto Oswaldo Cruz. 96 (8): 1165–7. doi:10.1590/s0074-02762001000800023.
  2. Serpa A, Menezes Ferreira R, Barbosa UC (2007). "Occurrence of Polypedilum (Tripodura) amataura Bidawid-Kafka, 1996 (Diptera; Chironomidae) in Aquascypha hydrophora (Berk.) Reid (Fungi; Stereaceae), with description of the pupae in the Central Amazonian, Brazil". Acta Amazonica. 37 (1): 151–56. doi:10.1590/s0044-59672007000100020.

External links

This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the 5/15/2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.