The Ministry of Higher Education, Research and Innovation, through Oman Centre for Animal and Plant Genetic Resources (Mawarid), unveiled the identification of novel fungal species during a press briefing held on Wednesday.
The announcement was made by Dr Rahma bint Ibrahim al Mahrouqiyah, Minister of Higher Education, Research and Innovation, to coincide with the United Nations' International Day for Biological Diversity on May 22.
In attendance were the research team behind the discoveries, representatives from scientific research, investment, and industry sectors, members of the local community, as well as students from schools and universities.
Among the findings were three previously undocumented large fungi species, in addition to ten other fungi species newly documented in Oman and the Arabian Peninsula. These fungi were gathered from various areas in the Dhofar Governorate in the autumn of 2023 and were identified using cutting-edge laboratory techniques.
Among the recently discovered fungi, one of the most remarkable is an edible species called Qumba (Photo A) by locals. This well-known mushroom in Dhofar has been officially identified as Termitomyces dhofarensis. Another newly recognized mushroom has been given the name Hymenagaricus wadijarzeezicus, named after its discovery site, Wadi Jarzeez in Dhofar.
The third new species is known as Hymenagaricus parvulus, named for its unique morphology. Furthermore, some of the ten newly documented fungi are recognized for their medicinal properties.
These findings are the result of a collaborative research project that began in 2018 involving various governmental and private organizations. They build upon previous discoveries from 2022 and 2023, which described five other large fungi species that were previously unknown to science.
