Fungal Word Friday: Tinea

Well, since last weeks Fungal Word Friday was dermatophyte, I thought that it only fair to make this one the result of that one. Also known as dermatophytosis, or ringworm, tinea is a skin infection by fungus.
If you read about fungal infections you will see things like, "Tinea barbae, Tinea  capitis, Tinea pedis, or Tinea cruris." These may sound like they are different species, and you know what... maybe they are. But that isn't what those different names mean. As I said, tinea means fungal infection; and the second word in each of those terms actually indicates the area of the infection.
So Tinea barbae means Fungal Infection of the beard area:

Tinea capitis means Fungal Infection of the Cap(head):

   
Tinea pedis, you guessed it, fungal infection of the pedal, or foot:
  

And Tinea cruris... That one is a fungus on the Crotch:

  
All of these infections could be different dermatophytes, or they could be the same species, without microscopic details it is impossible to tell. But, to avoid colloquial diagnosis such as jock's itch, or athlete's foot, or even the completely misnamed ringworm(It isn't a worm!) a simple system of "Tinea" and "Body part" can tell us what and where of an infection, no matter what part of the world we are in.




Photo Creds:
Tinea Barbae-  CDC Creation Date: 1975
Tinea capitis- By Rotatebot [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html) or CC-BY-SA-3.0-2.5-2.0-1.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
Tinea Pedis- By James Heilman, MD (Own work) [CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
Tinea cruris- By Robertgascoign (Own work) [CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

Pleomorphic Programming: Nothing Quite Like a Morel

So, here we are: winter in Kansas is finally dying down, and the warmer spring weather is bringing the need to venture outdoors. Why? Morels of course!
I know that I try to share scientific papers, but deep down I can't imagine a mycologist that doesn't want to get out in the trees and find mushrooms. But if, for some crazy reason , you are not geared up and ready to go... Let me share some videos of morel hunting.

Hopefully you are excited now. Get out there, Harvest responsibly and have a good time... And if your still not ready, I give you one last video:

Mmmmmmmm. Can't you just taste them?

Fungal Word Friday: Dermatophyte

A dermatophyte is a fungus with the ability to utilize keratin; which allows it to infect hair, skin, and nails. While there are a large number of dermatophytes, they mostly fall into a few genera; including Microsporum, Trichophyton, and Epidermophyton.

Mycrosporum gypseum

Trychophyton rubrum

Epidermophyton floccosum

Basically, what this means is: next time you or a loved one have ringworm, or jock itch, or athlete's foot... take a gander at those culprits above; because if it isn't one of them, it looks a whole lot like them.

 

Photo Creds: Microsporum gypseum By Microrao (Own work) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons;Trychophyton rubrum By Photo Credit: Content Providers(s): CDC/Dr. Libero Ajello [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons; Epidermophyton floccosum By MarcoTolo at en.wikipedia [Public domain], from Wikimedia Commons

Tuesday Treat: Anna McHugh on YouTube

Today I want you to take an hour and go watch this YouTube video. It is a fun Speech by Anna McHugh regaling us with interviews of mushroom lovers.


Enjoy it :-) and go check out more of Anna's work at Crazy About Mushrooms

Fungal Word Friday: Aerial mycelium

Aerial mycelium is any portion of mycelium growing above the nutrient media it is found on as opposed to being in actual contact with the surface. This mycelia produces asexual spores.

Streptomyces sp grown on tap water agar, displaying aerial mycelium.

Photo Cred:Obtained from the CDC Public Health Image Library. CDC/Dr. David Berd (PHIL #2983), 1972.

Fungal Word Friday: Pleomorphic

Pleomorphic is a term referring to having more than one form, or appearance. Many fungi have multiple forms, which has caused a lot of consternation to taxonomists over the years, and some have completely different lifecycles depending on which form they exist in.

Today I bring you not a picture of pleomorphism, but a video of Mucor circinelloides transitioning from one form into another. Enjoy.



Video cred: By Li C, Cervantes M, Springer D, Boekhout T, Ruiz-Vazquez R, Torres-Martinez S, Heitman J, Lee S [CC-BY-2.5 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.5)], via Wikimedia Commons

First Monday Mushroom: Smoked Oysterling

OK, first I need to apologize (yet again): In February the first of the month fell on a Friday, which meant there should have been a Mushroom of the Month AND a Fungal Word Friday. I decided to just do the Fungal Word Friday and postpone the Mushroom of the month, so that they wouldn't clash... then I forgot the mushroom :-(
And then fast forward a month and the first of March was ALSO on a Friday. This gave me an idea to prevent this clash from happening again. Introducing Mushroom of the Month 2.0 aka First Monday Mushroom!
The principle is the same, it is just that now you will get the mushroom and identification on the first Monday of the month as opposed to the first day. See, easy.
So without further adieu:

March's First Monday Mushroom

Let's run this through our handy Audobon's Field Guide Key to identification and see what it is (Yes, I know the name is in the post title.):

1. Mushrooms tough to leathery or woody--2
1. Mushrooms fleshy to firm-- 10
2. Mushrooms tough--3
2. Mushrooms leathery to woody -- 7
3. Gill edges saw-toothed or uneven--4
3. Gill edges smooth--5
4. Stalkless or funnel shaped--Lentinellus p. 765
4. Stalk off-center or central--Lentinus pp. 766-767
5. Veil present over gills--Tectella patellarls pp. 798-
799
5. Veil absent--6
6. Mushroom often densely, coarsely hairy--Panus p.
791
6. Mushroom somewhat hairy; gills often brownish;
taste sharply acrid--Panellus stipticus p. 790
7. Mushroom fanlike; "gills" irregular, fleshy--8
7. Mushroom shelflike; "gills" regular, leathery--9
8. Cap white-hairy; "gills" split lengthwise--
Schizophyllum commune pp. 493-494
8. Cap tan to brownish; "gills" crisped-curly and
veined--Plicaturopsis crispa p. 493
9. Multizoned cap; white "gills"; usually on deciduous
wood--Lenzites betulinus pp. 469-470
9. Yellow-red to brown cap; brownish "gills", usually
on conifer wood--Gloeophyllum sepiarium p. 463
10. Very small (less than one inch across)--11
10. Medium to large--14
11. Mushroom white--12
11. Mushroom blackish-- Resupinatus applicatus

Wow that one was quick and easy.
Resupinatus applicatus, has a small convex or sometimes cuplike fruiting body that is blue-gray to a dark almost black gray. The mushroom is firm and fleshy, with no stem; and covered with small fine hairs.
This fungus grows on decaying wood in North America, Europe and Australia. And as The title says: its common name is the Smoked Oysterling.
Thanks for joining me for another month of mushrooms and fungi, see you soon.


Photo cred: By Boleslaw Kuznik (Mushroom Observer) [CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

Fungal Word Friday: Universal Veil

The universal veil is a membranous tissue that covers some mushrooms as they develop.

Two developing Amanita species encased in universal veils.

This membrane will rupture at some point due to the force of the maturing mushroom. It will generally leave behind remnants however, such as the volva or in some cases white patches or warts on the cap of the fully matured mushroom.

Amanita ceasarea with volva.

Amanita muscaria with its famous warty cap.

Photo Creds:
Amanita muscaria: Onderwijsgek at nl.wikipedia [CC-BY-SA-3.0-nl (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/nl/deed.en)], via Wikimedia Commons
Amanita ceasarea and Universal veil encased Amanitas: Wiki Commons contributor Archenzo