Home ยป Glossary of Mycological Terminology

Glossary of Mycological Terminology

Glossary will be developed over time

Saprobe – A saprobe is an organism that feeds on dead or decaying organic matter. Saprobes are also known as saprotrophs, and they play an essential role in ecosystems by breaking down dead organisms and plant debris. Saprobes help recycle nutrients back into the soil.

Temporary Codes – Stephen Russell, of MycoMap, says the “temporary code name is not a claim that the species is novel. It is a claim that our determination of the species unit has not been outlined/named satisfactorily in DNA repositories. This is not only based on sequence data, but morphology, ecology, and phenology as well. If a type has been sequenced and we can confidently put a name on it, then that is great. If the type has not been sequenced, or reasonable reference data is not available, we place a temp code name on it until solid reference data is available. That allows us to link specimens together and communicate about the species in the interim.”

Furthermore, “reasons to use a temporary code name is when there is conflicting reference data, multiple names in play, a single name being used across multiple species, etc. The temporary code name is a signal that more work needs to be done in some context.”

Cornerstone Index: