Named after a sandworm from Dune: New species of fungus that "explodes" with spores

Scientists have discovered a new species of fungus named after the terrifying giant sandworms from the cult sci-fi novel series Dune.

The fungus, called Tulostoma shaihuludii, is one of four new species described in a study published in the journal MycoKeys, newsweek reports.

All fungi belong to the genus (or group of species) known as Tulostoma, which is commonly known as stemmed puffballs. The other species are named Tulostoma dunense, Tulostoma hungaricum, and Tulostoma sacchariolens.

These fungi produce small, spherical fruiting bodies at the end of their stems that release a cloud of dusty spores into the air when they are ripe. Fungal spores are microscopic biological agents that allow fungi to reproduce.

Many downy fungi, including Tulostoma species, have lost the ability to forcefully release spores on their own, relying instead on mechanical pressure, such as trampling by animals or wind, to release them through a "bursting" mechanism.

All of the newly described downy fungi species have been documented in the sandy areas of the Pannonian Steppe, a diverse grassland ecosystem that extends across several countries in Central and Eastern Europe, including Austria, Bulgaria, Hungary, Romania, Serbia, and Slovakia. The species, which have several distinctive features among them, have been described on the basis of specimens collected in Hungary over more than 25 years.

Tulostoma shaihuludii stands out for its curved stem, which is a distinctive feature within this genus. The researchers chose to name this species after the sandworms from the novel Dune, as the fungus has a similar appearance and was found in a sandy habitat.

The sandworms from the novel Dune are colossal, worm-like creatures that grow up to hundreds of feet in length, with giant mouths filled to the brim with a set of crystalline teeth. They are aggressive and territorial, and are attracted to rhythmic sounds. As such, they are extremely dangerous even to the inhabitants of Arrakis, known as Freemen, who have learned to live alongside the huge creatures - and even ride them across the desert.

The latest study further emphasizes the diversity of these fungi. Currently, 19 species have been recorded in Hungary, including four new ones.

"Panonian, dry, and sandy meadows between the Danube and Tisza rivers, as well as adjacent areas in central Hungary, currently contain 66 percent of all described Tulostoma species known to occur in Europe," the authors write in the study.

Tulostoma species are generally rare, although locally widespread, and current information on their populations in Europe is limited, according to the study. But the researchers suggest that many more unrecorded Tulostoma species in Central Europe have yet to be found.

As a reminder, fishermen in Wisconsin discovered a ship that sank in the 19th century.

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