The new mushroom species in Kızıldağ National Park Isparta, known as Türkiye's rose city, was introduced to scientific literature with a study carried out recently.
Professor of the Isparta University of Applied Sciences at Atabey Vocational School Oğuzhan Kaygusuz identified a new mushroom species within the scope of his field studies.
This new mushroom species, seen in Kızıldağ National Park and collected from different habitats between 2018-2023, was introduced to the scientific world under the name "Melanogaster Anatolicus."
The study on the mushroom species was published in the magazine "Persoonia," which publishes about mushrooms in the Netherlands.
Kaygusuz told Anadolu Agency (AA) that Isparta has different habitat characteristics because of its different climate types and geological structure.
Highlighting that there is a high diversity of mushrooms throughout the province, Kaygusuz said: "In our studies, we identified a type of fungus that has mycorrhizal (symbiosis with the roots of some plants), especially under cedar trees. We collected the first samples of this fungus, which grows under the trees we know as Taurus cedar, from Kızıldağ National Park. We examined them and thought they were different. Then we investigated its distribution and realized that this fungus grows abundantly on our university campus."
Explaining that microscopic examinations determined that this fungal species differed from other species in the world, Kaygusuz said: "We isolated its DNA. We compared it with other DNA in the existing database. We expanded our study. Our examinations were carried out with Professor Gabriel Moreno from Madrid Alcala University (UAH), Spain. As a result, we determined that it grows only in the Isparta region in the world."
Kaygusuz emphasized that the mushroom species they introduced to the literature is frequently seen under cedar trees, adding: "We found that the mushroom is distributed in areas at altitudes of 1000 and 1700 feet. In addition, this mushroom is distinct from other similar mushrooms.
"There are differences. We compiled our results into a report. Since our mushroom grows in Isparta, an important place in Anatolia, we registered our mushroom by giving its name. This mushroom species is known only in Isparta. We have previously introduced other mushroom species from the Isparta region to the literature.
Kaygusuz added that Isparta University of Applied Sciences has carried out very important studies to introduce the mushroom diversity in Türkiye to the world.
