A group of scientists have discovered two previously unknown species of fungi in Baritú National Park, in the province of Salta, in northwestern Argentina. To celebrate the discovery, one of the species was named Cercopemycesmessii, in honor of the famous Argentine soccer player Lionel Messi. The researchers involved in the discovery of the new fungi are from the Agaricus Fungi Laboratory of the Institute of Mycology and Botany (InMiBo) of the University of Buenos Aires (UBA) and the National Council for Scientific and Technical Research of Argentina (Conicet). The discovery is part of research carried out in this protected park in 2023. During this work, the scientists collected specimens of Cercopemyces messii and Clitocybe cedrelae, a second new species also described in a recent article published in the journal Mycological Progress.
“The discovery of Cercopemyces in Argentina was very interesting and we were very excited to see it. At first we thought it was another genus until we were able to confirm it through molecular analysis,” said Agustín Pastor Martínez, a biologist at the Faculty of Exact and Natural Sciences of the University of Buenos Aires and doctoral student at Conicet, in an exclusive interview with National Geographic. So far, only four species of this fungal genus are known: Cercopemyces crocodilinus, C. Ponderous, C. Rickenii and the recently discovered C. Messii. “This fungus grows very well, has a large size, texture and color. In addition, it tends to grow in groups and form rings near cedar trees,” describes Agustín Martínez.
Where was the “Messi Mushroom” found?
Baritú National Park, which covers more than 72,000 hectares of Yungas – a cloud forest ecosystem on the slopes of the Andes – is home to a great diversity of Agaricales (an order of fungi), many species of which are still awaiting discovery. The two newly identified species were found in an area of the park known as El Cedral, characterized by the presence of cedar trees. The researchers stress that these new species of fungi should be considered endangered because their natural habitats are under threat. “The identification of these creatures highlights the importance of protected areas for the conservation of biodiversity in Argentina’s different ecoregions and as fundamental places for research and the discovery of new species for science,” the Argentine government said on its website.
Why was the new species of mushroom named in honor of Lionel Messi?
The decision to name one of these new mushroom species after the award-winning Argentine footballer is based on the intention of drawing society’s attention to this part of the planet’s biodiversity and highlighting the importance of its conservation. “The name was chosen because of Lionel Messi’s global appeal. We thought it was a good idea to honour him because it is also an opportunity to connect the rediscovery of the mushroom species in Argentina with the rest of the world,” says biologist Pastor Martínez. “It is also an opportunity to reflect on our protected areas and how we are working to preserve them. It is very important that we know the biological potential that exists in Argentina and our responsibility to care for and respect it,” he adds.
The publication contains detailed descriptions of the two species, as well as field photographs, illustrations and electron micrographs comparing these fungal species with other similar species. As explained in the scientific article, to study the new species, the experts used phylogenetic analysis techniques that allowed for an accurate classification of the fungi found.
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