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New fungi species discovered in China

  • Posted By
    10Pointer
  • Categories
    Science & Technology
  • Published
    7th Jul, 2020
  • A subterranean expedition by a group of researchers in China has led to the discovery of four novel fungal species on bat carcasses.
  • The four new species are
  • Mortierella rhinolophicola  
  • M multispora
  • M yunnanensis
  • Neocosmospora pallidimors.
  • Neocosmospora pallidimors is particularly important as the Neocosmospora genus is known to contain numerous aggressive pathogens that can infect mammals.
  • Three out of the four new species belong to Mortierella, a genus of well-known saprophytic fungi (meaning they obtain nutrients through dissolving organic matter).
  • Fusarium incarnatum, Mucor hiemalis and Trichoderma harzanium comprised the final three species.
  • White-nose syndrome, caused by fungi Pseudogymnoascus destructans, has claimed at least six million bat lives since 2006.

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