Kalaharituber

Kalaharituber is a fungal genus in the family Pezizaceae.^[1] It is a monotypic genus, whose single truffle-like species, Kalaharituber pfeilii, is found in the Kalahari Desert, which spans the larger part of Botswana, the east of Namibia and the Northern Cape Province of South Africa.^[2][3][4]

Kalaharituber
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Fungi
Division:	Ascomycota
Class:	Pezizomycetes
Order:	Pezizales
Family:	Pezizaceae
Genus:	Kalaharituber Trappe & Kagan-Zur (2005)
Species:	K. pfeilii
Binomial name
Kalaharituber pfeilii (Henn.) Trappe & Kagan-Zur (2005)
Synonyms
Terfezia pfeilii Henn. (1895)

Taxonomy

The fungus was first described scientifically in 1895 by German mycologist Paul Christoph Hennings as Terfezia pfeilii.^[5] It was moved to its own genus in 2005 by James Trappe and Varda Kagan-Zur.^[6]

Description

Fruiting bodies can be up to 12 centimetres (4+3⁄4 in) in diameter. These weigh approximately 200 grams (7 oz), although larger rains (which affect weight) can cause them to weigh twice as much.^[2] These fruits grow close to the surface, which causes surface cracks on the ground above^[3][7] after rains. These fruiting bodies can occur as much as 40 cm away from the main hyphae.^[7]

Habitat

Kalaharituber pfeilii is found the Kalahari Desert, as well as in other arid regions of South Africa, Angola, Botswana and Namibia. It is found in soils with a pH ranging from 5.5 to 6.5, with a sand content varying from 94%-97%, a clay content varying from 2%-5% and a silt content varying from 1%-4%.^[7]

Ecology

Kalaharituber pfeilii is known to form an ectomycorrhizal relationship with Citrillus lanatus (watermelon), and is suspected to have a number of other possible relationships with other plant species. These include Sorghum bicolor, Eragrostis spp., Grewia flava,^[3][4] several species of acacia,^[7] and Cynodon dactylon.^[3]

It is eaten by meerkats, hyenas, baboons and bat-eared foxes.^[2]

Conservation

The current populations of K. pfeilii are thought to be in deterioration, with possible causes advanced being over-harvesting, climate change or the land practices used in K. pfeilii habitats.^[3][4]

Edibility

Kalaharituber pfeilii is eaten by humans.^[2] According to a case study by the Australian National Botanic Gardens, the fruiting body is eaten by the Khoisan and other indigenous peoples of the Kalahari. Some commercial use of the species occurs.^[2]