Journal
MYCORRHIZA
Volume 28, Issue 5-6, Pages 561-565Publisher
SPRINGER
DOI: 10.1007/s00572-018-0840-1
Keywords
Mycophagy; Truffles; Faeces; Spores; Spore germination
Categories
Ask authors/readers for more resources
Truffles, as hypogeous, ectomycorrhizal fungi, have no means to actively discharge spores into the environment and thus depend on mycophagists for spore dispersal. After consumption of fruiting bodies by animals and passage through the digestive tract, the spores are released in faecal pellets. Recently, in the Abruzzo region (Italy), Hystrix cristata has been spotted inside private truffieres, but its role in spore dispersal has never been investigated. Here, we report our research on the occurrence of Tuber aestivum spores in porcupine's faecal contents in a truffiere in L'Aquila, Italy, where a H. cristata specimen was photographed. The spores were isolated from faeces by using a suspension of 0.7M ZnSO4. We also verified degradation and disfiguration of the digested spores' reticular ornamentation compared to that of fresh spores from ascomata collected inside the truffiere, through measurements performed by scanning electron microscopy. A few truffle spores had germinated within the faeces.
Authors
I am an author on this paper
Click your name to claim this paper and add it to your profile.
Reviews
Recommended
No Data Available