Melanogaster variegatus
Melanogaster variegatus (Vittad.) Tul. & C. Tul.
Melanogastraceae
Conservation status. Endangered [EN B1ab(iii,iv)+2ab(ii,iv)].
Morphology and biology. Fruit-bodies hypogeous, irregularly tuber-shaped, 3–6 cm in diameter, yellow-brown or red-brown. Peridium soft, fleshy, tightly covering the gleba, persistent. Gleba thick, with numerous small chambers, 0.2–0.3 mm in diameter, filled with black substance. Chambers walls at first whitish, then golden yellow to dark yellow. Spores ellipsoid, 6–11 × 3–5 µm, smooth. VII–IX.
Habitats and populations. Hypogeous, in deciduous and coniferous forests.
Distribution in Bulgaria. Znepole Region (Golo Burdo Mt), Sredna Gora Mts (Western – Lozenska Mt), Strandzha Mts.
General distribution. Europe, Asia.
Threats. Habitat loss/degradation caused by stock breeding, wood plantations, logging, urbanization, development of infrastructure tourism/recreation, soil pollution.
Conservation measures taken. Included in the Red List of Fungi in Bulgaria. One of the localities is situated on the territory of Strandzha Nature Park. Some localities are in sites of the European ecological network Natura 2000 in Bulgaria.
Conservation measures needed. Study of the population numbers and range; better understanding of the species biology and ecology; conservation of the habitats; regular monitoring.
References. Hinkova 1965; Hinkova & Fakirova 1970; Gyosheva 1991; Denchev & Assyov 2010.
Author: Roumyana D. Petrova & Cvetomir M. Denchev
