Seven new glowing mushroom species have been discovered

Wednesday, October 7th, 2009

Seven new glowing mushroom species have been discovered in Belize, Brazil, Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Japan, Malaysia and Puerto Rico:

Four of the species are completely new to scientists, and three previously known species were discovered to be luminescent. All seven species, as well as the majority of the 64 previously known species of luminescent mushrooms, are from the Mycena family.

Mycena silvaelucens (forest light) was collected in the grounds of an Orangutan Rehabilitation Center in Borneo, Malaysia and was found on the bark of a standing tree. The mushrooms are tiny with each cap measuring less than 18 millimeters in diameter.

Mycena luxarboricola (light tree dweller) was collected in Paraná, Brazil and was found on the bark of a living tree in old growth Atlantic forest. These mushrooms are tiny with each cap measuring less than 5 millimeters in diameter.

Mycena luxaeterna (light eternal) was collected in Sao Paulo, Brazil and was found on sticks in an Atlantic forest habitat. These mushrooms are tiny with each cap measuring less than 8 millimeters in diameter and their stems have a jelly-like texture. The species’ name was inspired by Mozart’s Requiem.

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