Kalaharituber is a fungal genus in the family Pezizaceae.[1] It is a monotypic genus, whose single truffle-like species, Kalaharituber pfeilii, is found in the Kalahari Desert, which spans the larger part of Botswana, the east of Namibia and the Northern Cape Province of South Africa.[2][3][4]
| Kalaharituber | |
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Scientific classification 
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| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Fungi |
| Division: | Ascomycota |
| Class: | Pezizomycetes |
| Order: | Pezizales |
| Family: | Pezizaceae |
| Genus: | Kalaharituber Trappe & Kagan-Zur (2005) |
| Species: | K. pfeilii
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| Binomial name | |
| Kalaharituber pfeilii | |
| Synonyms | |
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Taxonomy
editThe fungus was first described scientifically in 1895 by German mycologist Paul Christoph Hennings as Terfezia pfeilii.[5] It was moved to its own genus in 2005 by James Trappe and Varda Kagan-Zur.[6]
Description
editFruiting bodies can be up to 12 centimetres (4+3⁄4 in) in diameter. These weigh approximately 200 grams (7 oz), although larger rains (which affect weight) can cause them to weigh twice as much.[2] These fruits grow close to the surface, which causes surface cracks on the ground above[3][7] after rains. These fruiting bodies can occur as much as 40 cm away from the main hyphae.[7]
Habitat
editKalaharituber pfeilii is found the Kalahari Desert, as well as in other arid regions of South Africa, Angola, Botswana and Namibia. It is found in soils with a pH ranging from 5.5 to 6.5, with a sand content varying from 94%-97%, a clay content varying from 2%-5% and a silt content varying from 1%-4%.[7]
Ecology
editKalaharituber pfeilii is known to form an ectomycorrhizal relationship with Citrillus lanatus (watermelon), and is suspected to have a number of other possible relationships with other plant species. These include Sorghum bicolor, Eragrostis spp., Grewia flava,[3][4] several species of acacia,[7] and Cynodon dactylon.[3]
It is eaten by meerkats, hyenas, baboons and bat-eared foxes.[2]
Conservation
editThe current populations of K. pfeilii are thought to be in deterioration, with possible causes advanced being over-harvesting, climate change or the land practices used in K. pfeilii habitats.[3][4]
Edibility
editKalaharituber pfeilii is eaten by humans.[2] According to a case study by the Australian National Botanic Gardens, the fruiting body is eaten by the Khoisan and other indigenous peoples of the Kalahari. Some commercial use of the species occurs.[2]
References
edit- ^ Lumbsch TH, Huhndorf SM. (December 2007). "Outline of Ascomycota – 2007". Myconet. 13. Chicago, USA: The Field Museum, Department of Botany: 1–58. Archived from the original on 2009-03-18.
- ^ a b c d e "Desert truffles - Australia and the Kalahari". www.anbg.gov.au. Australian National Botanical Gardens. Retrieved 2017-01-27.
- ^ a b c d e "Home - Kalaharituber pfeilii F3 v1.0". genome.jgi.doe.gov. Retrieved 2017-01-29.
- ^ a b c Initiative, The Global Fungal Red List. "Kalaharituber pfeilii". iucn.ekoo.se. Retrieved 2017-03-26.
- ^ Hennings, P. (1895). "Fungi camerunenses I". Botanische Jahrbücher für Systematik, Pflanzengeschichte und Pflanzengeographie. 22: 72–111.
- ^ Ferdman, Y.; Aviram, S.; Roth-Bejerano, N.; Trappe, J.M.; Kagan-Zur, V. (2005). "Phylogenetic studies of Terfezia pfeilii and Choiromyces echinulatus (Pezizales) support new genera for southern African truffles: Kalaharituber and Eremiomyces". Mycological Research. 109 (2): 237–245. doi:10.1017/S0953756204001789. PMID 15839107.
- ^ a b c d "Desert Truffles" (PDF). FUNGI Magazine.
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