List of bioluminescent fungi

This list of bioluminescent fungi has more than 125 known species found largely in temperate and tropical climates.Stevani, C. V., Zamuner, C. K., Bastos, E. L., de Nóbrega, B. B., Soares, D. M. M., Oliveira, A. G., Bechara, E. J. H., Shakhova, E. S., Sarkisyan, K. S., Yampolsky, I. V., & Kaskova, Z. M. (2024). The living light from fungi. Journal of Photochemistry and Photobiology C: Photochemistry Reviews, 58, 100654. They are members of the order Agaricales (Basidiomycota) with one possible exceptional ascomycete belonging to the order Xylariales. All known bioluminescent Agaricales are mushroom-forming, white-spored agarics that belong to four distinct evolutionary lineages. The Omphalotus lineage (comprising the genera Omphalotus and Neonothopanus) contains 12 species, the Armillaria lineage has 10 known species, while the Mycenoid lineage (Favolachia, Mycena, Panellus, Prunulus, Roridomyces) has more than 50 species. The recently discovered Lucentipes lineage contains two species, Mycena lucentipes and Gerronema viridilucens, which belong to a family that has not yet been formally named. Armillaria mellea is the most widely distributed of the luminescent fungi, found across Asia, Europe, North America, and South Africa.

The newly discovered Eoscyphella lineage, represented by Eoscyphella luciurceolata from the Atlantic Rainforest in southern Brazil, marks a significant expansion in understanding of fungal bioluminescence.

Bioluminescent fungi emit a greenish light at a wavelength of 520–530 nm. The light emission is continuous and occurs only in living cells. No correlation of fungal bioluminescence with cell structure has been found. Bioluminescence may occur in both mycelia and fruit bodies, as in Panellus stipticus and Omphalotus olearius, or only in mycelia and young rhizomorphs, as in Armillaria mellea. In Roridomyces roridus luminescence occurs only in the spores, while in Collybia tuberosa, it is only in the sclerotia.

Although the biochemistry of fungal bioluminescence has not fully been characterized, the preparation of bioluminescent, cell-free extracts has allowed researchers to characterize the in vitro requirements of fungal bioluminescence. Experimental data suggest that a two-stage mechanism is required. In the first, a light-emitting substance (called "luciferin") is reduced by a soluble reductase enzyme at the expense of NAD(P)H. In the second stage, reduced luciferin is oxidized by an insoluble luciferase that releases the energy in the form of bluish-green light. Conditions that affect the growth of fungi, such as pH, light and temperature, have been found to influence bioluminescence, suggesting a link between metabolic activity and fungal bioluminescence.

All bioluminescent fungi share the same enzymatic mechanism, suggesting that there is a bioluminescent pathway that arose early in the evolution of the mushroom-forming Agaricales. All known luminescent species are white rot fungi capable of breaking down lignin, found in abundance in wood. Bioluminescence is an oxygen-dependent metabolic process and therefore may provide antioxidant protection against the potentially damaging effects of reactive oxygen species produced during wood decay.

The physiological and ecological function of fungal bioluminescence has not been established with certainty. It has been suggested that in the dark beneath closed tropical forest canopies, bioluminescent fruit bodies may be at an advantage by attracting grazing animals (including insects and other arthropods) that could help disperse their spores. Conversely, where mycelium (and vegetative structures like rhizomorphs and sclerotia) are the bioluminescent tissues, the argument has been made that light emission could deter grazing.

The following list of bioluminescent mushrooms is based on a 2008 literature survey by Dennis Desjardin and colleagues, in addition to accounts of several new species published since then.

Species Binomial Luminescence Distribution References Mycelium Fruit bodyArmillaria calvescensBérubé & Dessur.YesYesEastern NAArmillaria cepistipesVelen.Yes?NA, EurasiaArmillaria fuscipesPetchYesNoMalaysia, AfricaArmillaria gallicaMarxm. & Romagn.YesNoEU, NA, Africa, JapanArmillaria geminaBérubé & Dessur.Yes?Eastern NAArmillaria limonea(G.Stev.) Boesew.NoYesAustralasia, SAArmillaria mellea(Valh.) P.Kumm.YesNoEurasia, NAArmillaria nabsnonaT.J. Volk & Burds.Yes?Western NA, AsiaArmillaria novae-zelandiae(G.Stev.) Boesew.YesYesNZ, Australia, New Guinea, SAArmillaria ostoyae(Romagn.) HenrikYesNoEU, NAArmillaria sinapinaBérubé & Dessur.Yes?NA, AsiaArmillaria tabescens(Scop.) EmelYesNoEU, NACollybia tuberosa(Bull.) P. KummNoOnly sclerotiaEU, NA, LithuaniaCruentomycena orientalisHar. Takah., Taneyama & HadanoYesYesJapan, TaiwanCruentomycena viscidocruenta(Cleland) R.H. Petersen & Kovalenko 2008YesNoNew ZealandDesarmillaria ectypa(Fr.) R.A. Koch & AimeYesYes (gills)EUDictyopanus foliicolusKobayasiYesYesJapanEoscyphella luciurceolataSilva-Filho, Stevani & DesjardinNoYesBrazilFavolaschia manipularis(Berk.) Teng?YesMalaysia, Pacific islandsFavolaschia tonkinensis(Pat.) Kuntze, 1898NoYesEastern India, China (Yunnan)Filoboletus hanedae(as 'hanedai′) Kobayasi?YesJapanFiloboletus pallescens(Boedijn) Maas Geest.?YesMalaysia, Indonesia (Krakatoa)Favolaschia peziziformis(Berk. & M.A.Curtis) Sacc.?YesJapanFiloboletus yunnanensisP.G.Liu?YesChinaGerronema viridilucensDesjardin, Capelari & StevaniYesYesSAMarasmiellus venosusHar. Takah., Taneyama & HadanoNoYesJapanMycena aspratilisMaas Geest. & de Meijer?Yes (Hymenophore)SAMycena asterinaDesjardin, Capelari & StevaniYesYesSAMycena cahayaA.L.C.Chew & DesjardinYesYesMalaysiaMycena citricolor(Berk. & M.A.Curtis) Sacc.YesNoSA, CA, Jamaica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Mexico, Puerto Rico Mycena chlorophos(Berk. & M.A.Curtis) Sacc.YesYesMalaysia, Indonesia, Japan, Pacific IslandsMycena cristinaeJ.S. OliveiraYesYesBrazilMycena crocata (Schrad.) P. Kumm.YesNoEuropeMycena coralliformisA.L.C. Chew & DesjardinYes?MalaysiaMycena daisyogunensisKobayasi?YesJapanMycena deepthaAravind. & Manim.YesNoIndia, MalaysiaMycena deformisMaas Geest. & de MeijerYesNoBrazilMycena deustaMaas Geest. & de Meijer?YesBrazilMycena discobasisMetrod?YesSA, AFMycena sp. "Erua (PDD 80772)"YesYesNZMycena epipterygia(Scop.: Fr.) S.F.GrayYesNoEU, NA, JapanMycena feraMaas Geest. & de Meijer?YesSAMycena flammiferaHar. Takah. & Taneyama?Yes JapanMycena fulgorisCortés-Pérez, DesjardinNoYes (stipe)MexicoMycena fuscaCleland??South AustraliaMycena galopus(Pers.: Fr.) P.Kumm.YesNoEU, NA, JapanMycena globulisporaMaas Geest. & de MeijerYesYes (basidiomes)BrazilMycena gombakensisA.L.C. Chew & DesjardinYesYesMalaysiaMycena guzmaniiCortés-Pérez, DesjardinYesYesMexicoMycena haematopus(Pers.: Fr.) P.Kumm.YesYesEU, NA, JapanMycena illuminansHenn.YesYesMalaysia, JapanMycena inclinata(Fr.) Quél.YesNoEU, NA, AFMycena jingyingaC.C. Chang, C.Y. Chen, W.W. Lin & H.W. KaoYesNoTaiwanMycena kentingensisY.S. Shih, C.Y. Chen, W.W. Lin & H.W. Kao?YesTaiwanMycena lacrimansSinger?YesSA (Brazil)Mycena lazulinaHar. Takah., Taneyama, Terashima & Oba?YesJapan, Taiwan, Vietnam, AustraliaMycena lividorubra SegedinYesNoAustralia, NZMycena lucentipesDesjardin, Capelari & StevaniYesYesSA, CAMycena luguensisC.C. Chang, C.Y. Chen, W.W. Lin & H.W. KaoYesNoTaiwanMycena luminaCortés-Pérez, DesjardinNoYesMexicoMycena luxaustralisP Sandoval-Leiva?YesChileMycena lux-coeliCorner?YesJapanMycena luxaeternaB.A.Perry & DesjardinYesYesSAMycena luxarboricolaB.A.Perry & DesjardinNoYesSAHar. Takah., Taneyama & TerashimaYesNoJapanMycena luxfoliicolaCortés-Pérez, Desjardin & Ram.-CruzYesYesMexicoMycena luxperpetuaB.A. Perry & DesjardinYesYesPuerto RicoMycena maculataP.Karst.Yes?EU, NA, AFMycena margarita(Murrill) Murrill?Yes (yellowish green light in all parts of the basidiome, or nonluminescent in some populations)Caribbean - Florida (USA), Belize, Jamaica, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Trinidad, Venezuela, BrazilMycena nebulaCortés-Pérez, Desjardin & RockefellerNoYesMexicoMycena nocticaelumA.L.C. Chew & DesjardinYesYesMalaysiaMycena noctilucensKawam. ex Corner?YesMalaysia, Pacific islands, South SolomonsMycena olivaceomarginata (Massee apud Cooke) MasseeYesNoEU, NAMycena oratiensis SegedinYesNoNew ZealandMycena oculisnymphaeDesjardin, B.A. Perry & Stevanir?Yes (basidiome)BrazilMycena perlaeCortés-Pérez, Desjardin & RockefellerNoYesMexicoMycena podocarpiG. Stev.YesNoNZMycena polygramma(Bull.: Fr.) S.F.GrayYesNoAF, EU, NA, JapanMycena pruinosoviscidaCorner?Yes (and spores)AU, Malaysia, Japan (Hachijō-jima)Mycena pseudostylobatesKobayasiYes?JapanMycena pura(Pers.: Fr.) P.Kumm.YesNoEU, NA, SA, JapanMycena rosea(Bull.) GrambergYesNoEUMycena roseoflava(G.Stev.)YesYesNZMycena rubroglobulosa(Segedin)YesYesNZMycena sanguinolenta(Alb. & Schwein.: Fr.) P.Kumm.YesNoEU, NA, JapanMycena seminauA.L.C.Chew & DesjardinYesYesMalaysiaMycena silvaelucensB.A.Perry & Desjardin?Yes (pileus, lamellae, stipe)MalaysiaMycena sinarA.L.C.Chew & DesjardinYesYesMalaysiaMycena sinar var. tangkaisinarA.L.C.Chew & Desjardin?YesMalaysiaMycena singeriLodge?YesSA, CAMycena stellarisHar.Takah., Taneyama & Hadano?YesTaiwanMycena stylobates(Pers.: Fr.) P.Kumm.YesNoAF, EU, NA, JapanMycena sublucensCornerNoYesMalaysiaMycena tintinnabulum(Fr.) Quél.YesNoEUMycena venusC.C. Chang, C.Y. Chen, W.W. Lin & H.W. KaoYesNoTaiwanMycena vinaceaCleland?Yes (basidiomes)AU, NZMycena zephirus(Fr.: Fr.) P.Kumm.YesNoEUNeonothopanus gardneri(Berk. ex Gardner) Capelari, Desjardin, Perry, Asai & StevaniYesYesSANeonothopanus nambi(Speg.) Petersen & Krisai-GreilhuberYesYesAU, SA, CA, MalaysiaNothopanus eugrammus(Mont.) Singer NoYesJapan, Malaysia, SingaporeNothopanus noctilucens(Lév.) Singer?YesJapanOmphalotus flagelliformisZhu L. Yang & B. FengYesYesChinaOmphalotus illudens(Schwein.) Bresinsky & Besl.YesYesEU, NAOmphalotus japonicus(Kawam.) Kirchm. & O.K.Mill.YesYesChina, Korea, Japan, TaiwanOmphalotus mangensis(J.Li & X.Hu) Kirchm. & O.K.Mill.?YesChinaOmphalotus nidiformis(Berk.) O.K.Mill.?YesAUOmphalotus olearius(DC.: Fr.) SingerYesYesEU, USOmphalotus olivascensH.E.Bigelow, O.K.Mill. & ThiersNoYesNAOmphalotus subilludens(Murrill) H.E.BigelowYesYesUSPanellus luminescens(Corner) CornerYesYesMalaysiaPanellus luxfilamentusA.L.C. Chew & DesjardinYes?MalaysiaPanellus pusillus(Pers. ex Lév.) Burdsall & O.K.Mill.YesYesAF, AU, NA, SA, Malaysia, JapanPanellus stipticus(Bull.: Fr.) P.Karst.YesYesAU, AF, EU, NA, SA, JapanPoromycena hanedaiYesYesJapanPleurotus decipiensCorner?YesMalaysiaResinomycena petarensisDesjardin, B.A. Perry & StevaniYesNoBrazilRoridomyces irritans(E.Horak) RexerNoYesAURoridomyces phyllostachydisKarun., Mortimer and AxfordNoYesIndiaRoridomyces pruinosoviscidusA.L.C. Chew & DesjardinYesYesMalaysia, Bismark ArchipelagoRoridomyces lamprosporus(Corner) RexerNoYes (spores)Malaysia, AURoridomyces roridus(Fr.) RexerYesNoEU, NA, SA, JapanRoridomyces sublucensEdred John Henry CornerCornerNoYes (stipe and gills)Amboina (Indonesia)Roridomyces viridiluminusL.A.P. Dauner, Karunarathna & P.E. MortimerYesYesChina (Yunnan)Tricholoma sciodes(Pers.) C. MartínYesNoLithuaniaXylaria hypoxylon(L.) Grev.?Allegedly (?)EU

See also List of bioluminescent organisms

Notes

References

External links Glow-in-the-Dark Mushrooms National Geographic A Fungal Fairy-land, Revisited Bioluminescence in the Bush - Glow in the Dark Mushrooms in New Zealand A Luminous Pursuit