The oldest fossil mushroom

PLoS One. 2017 Jun 7;12(6):e0178327. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0178327. eCollection 2017.

Abstract

A new fossil mushroom is described and illustrated from the Lower Cretaceous Crato Formation of northeast Brazil. Gondwanagaricites magnificus gen. et sp. nov. is remarkable for its exceptional preservation as a mineralized replacement in laminated limestone, as all other fossil mushrooms are known from amber inclusions. Gondwanagaricites represents the oldest fossil mushroom to date and the first fossil mushroom from Gondwana.

MeSH terms

  • Agaricales / physiology*
  • Agaricales / ultrastructure
  • Fossils*
  • Paleontology
  • Time Factors

Grants and funding

This work was partly supported by US National Science Foundation grant EF-1304622 (to SWH) and EF-1205935 and EF-1502735 (to ANM).