Hyaloriaceae
Encyclopedia
The Hyaloriaceae are a family
Family (biology)
In biological classification, family is* a taxonomic rank. Other well-known ranks are life, domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, genus, and species, with family fitting between order and genus. As for the other well-known ranks, there is the option of an immediately lower rank, indicated by the...

 of fungi in the order
Order (biology)
In scientific classification used in biology, the order is# a taxonomic rank used in the classification of organisms. Other well-known ranks are life, domain, kingdom, phylum, class, family, genus, and species, with order fitting in between class and family...

 Auriculariales
Auriculariales
The Auriculariales are an order of fungi in the class Agaricomycetes. Species within the order were formerly referred to the "heterobasidiomycetes" or "jelly fungi", since many have gelatinous basidiocarps that produce spores on septate basidia...

. Species
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...

 within the family have gelatinous basidiocarps (fruit bodies) that produce spores on septate basidia and, as such, were formerly referred to the "heterobasidiomycetes" or "jelly fungi". All appear to be saprotrophic, growing on dead wood or plant remains. Less than 10 species are currently included within the Hyaloriaceae, but the family has not been extensively researched.

History

The family was established in 1900 by German mycologist Gustav Lindau
Gustav Lindau
Gustav Lindau , was a German mycologist and botanist.- Biography :Gustav Lindau studied natural history in Heidelberg and Berlin, where he studied under Simon Schwendener . He completed his doctoral thesis on the apothecia of lichens in1888...

 to accommodate a single, neotropical species, Hyaloria pilacre. Lindau considered his new family to be close to the Tremellaceae
Tremellaceae
The Tremellaceae are a family of fungi in the order Tremellales. The family is cosmopolitan and contains both teleomorphic and anamorphic genera, most of the latter being yeasts. All teleomorphic species of fungi in the Tremellaceae are parasites of other fungi, though the yeast states are...

, but distinguished by the "angiocarpous" or gasteroid
Gasteroid fungi
The gasteroid fungi are a group of fungi in the Basidiomycota. Species were formerly placed in the obsolete class Gasteromycetes Fr. , or the equally obsolete order Gasteromycetales Rea, because they produce their spores inside their basidiocarps rather than on an outer surface...

 development of its fruit bodies (meaning that the spore-bearing hymenia
Hymenium
The hymenium is the tissue layer on the hymenophore of a fungal fruiting body where the cells develop into basidia or asci, which produce spores. In some species all of the cells of the hymenium develop into basidia or asci, while in others some cells develop into sterile cells called cystidia or...

 were covered until maturity, rather than exposed). The Hyaloriaceae were placed within the order Tremellales
Tremellales
The Tremellales are an order of fungi in the class Tremellomycetes. The order contains both teleomorphic and anamorphic species, most of the latter being yeasts. All teleomorphic species in the Tremellales are parasites of other fungi, though the yeast states are widespread and not restricted to...

 by most subsequent authors, until 1984, when American mycologist Robert Bandoni revised this group of fungi and placed the family within the Auriculariales
Auriculariales
The Auriculariales are an order of fungi in the class Agaricomycetes. Species within the order were formerly referred to the "heterobasidiomycetes" or "jelly fungi", since many have gelatinous basidiocarps that produce spores on septate basidia...

. Wells (1994) later extended the Hyaloriaceae to include other genera with "myxarioid" basidia (septate basidia with an enucleate stalk), previously placed in the Aporpiaceae or Myxariaceae.

Current status

Initial molecular research, based on cladistic analysis of DNA sequences, has supported the placement of the Hyaloriaceae within the Auriculariales and has also supported Wells' placement of the genus Myxarium within the family, though other genera with "myxarioid" basidia are not included. The anamorphic species, Helicomyxa everhartioides, has also been shown to belong within the Hyaloriaceae.

Description

Species within the Hyaloriaceae form gelatinous fruit bodies that are pustular, lobed, or effused (Myxarium species) or resemble miniature puffballs (Hyaloria species). Microscopically, all possess "myxarioid" basidia.

Distribution and habitat

Species appear to be saprotrophic, growing on dead wood or plant remains. Their distribution is cosmopolitan
Cosmopolitan distribution
In biogeography, a taxon is said to have a cosmopolitan distribution if its range extends across all or most of the world in appropriate habitats. For instance, the killer whale has a cosmopolitan distribution, extending over most of the world's oceans. Other examples include humans, the lichen...

.
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