Termitomyces

taxobox
superregnum=Eukaryota
regnum=Fungi
divisio=Basidiomycota
classis=Basidiomycetes
subclassis=Agaricomycetidae
ordo=Agaricales
familia=Tricholomataceae
genus="Termitomyces"

"Termitomyces" is a genus of basidiomycete fungus belonging to the family Tricholomataceae. They are the food source for a family of termites, the macrotermitidea, who enjoy an obligate symbiosis with the genus similar to that between "Atta" and "Attamyces". Despite this their spore transfer is mainly by shedding from mushrooms, which protrude from the termite mounds. These are edible for most people, and the larger species are a popular wild food where they occur. They include the largest mushroom in the world, "Termitomyces titanicus" of West Africa, whose cap reaches 1 metre (3 ft) in diameter. These fungi grow on 'combs' which are excreta from the termites, dominated by tough woody fragments.

See Tobias Frøslev's termitomyces page [http://www.mycokey.com/AU/WestAfrica/Termitomyces.htm] And an academic review of the relationship in Patterns of interaction specificity of fungus-growing termites and Termitomyces symbionts in South Africa Aanenet DK al BMC Evol Biol. 2007; 7: 115. [http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?artid=1963455]