Hypomyces hyalinus

Hypomyces hyalinus
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Fungi
Division:	Ascomycota
Class:	Sordariomycetes
Order:	Hypocreales
Family:	Hypocreaceae
Genus:	Hypomyces
Species:	H. hyalinus
Binomial name
Hypomyces hyalinus

Hypomyces hyalinus is a species of parasitic fungi that attacks fungi of the genus Amanita. The earliest recording of this parasite was in 1822 in Salem, North Carolina, but microscopic descriptions of H.hyalinus do not appear in the literature until 1886.

H.hyalinus is a host-specific pathogen which exclusively attacks species of the genus Amanita, which is famous for containing some of the most toxic mushrooms in the world. Species in the genus Amanita account for approximately 95% of all deaths resulting from mushroom consumption Despite containing many toxic fungi, Amanita also contains edible species, including the Blusher, and Caesar's Amanita.

H. hyalinus specifically attaches to the basidiocarp on the sporocarp (fruiting body) of the fungus.

The parasitic effects of H. hyalinus thoroughly disfigures its host and in the absence of a nearby healthy specimen it can be impossible to determine the identity of the host in the field.

Infection often covers the host mushroom preventing the expansion of the pileus (cap) and causing the pileus to deform and fuse to the stipe (stalk). As a consequence of this, the gills of the mushroom are also destroyed and the fruiting body dies without dispersing spores.

The life cycle for H. hyalinus is not currently completely understood. The life cycle of fungi in the division Ascomycota generally alternates between an asexual stage and a sexual stage respectively termed the anamorph stage and the teleomorph stage. Each of these stages contains intermediary steps that vary depending on the species.

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Wikipedia