Laura Smith
Giant mushrooms, or giant fungi, did exist on Earth. Fossils of these towering organisms, known as Prototaxites, have been discovered and dated to between 350 and 420 million years ago. These giant fungi reached heights of up to 24 feet and had trunks up to 3 feet wide. The Prototaxites were the tallest organisms on land at the time and are believed to have been the fruiting bodies or spore-producing reproductive organs of a fungus. While they may not have been giant mushrooms in the literal sense, as they did not resemble the mushrooms of today, they were certainly giant fungus-like organisms that dominated the prehistoric landscape.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Height | Up to 24 feet (8 meters) |
| Width | Up to 3 feet (1 meter) |
| Weight | N/A |
| Time Period | Late Silurian to Late Devonian periods, approximately 420-370 million years ago |
| Location | Saudi Arabia, Schunnemunk Mountain in New York's Hudson Valley region |
| Scientific Name | Prototaxites |
| Other Names | Schunnemunk tree |
| Type of Organism | Fungus, possibly a lichen or giant mushroom |
| Discovery | First fossil described in 1859 by a Canadian |
| Habitat | Terrestrial, dominated the landscape before trees |
| Appearance | Tree-like trunk, tubular anatomy, primarily unbranched, non-septate tubes in concentric or eccentric rings |
| Size Debate | Difficult to classify due to unique anatomy and large size |
| Extinction | No modern equivalents, possibly due to competition from plants and herbivores |
| Giant Mushrooms Today | Termite mound mushroom in Africa, giant puffball |
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What You'll Learn
Giant mushrooms ruled the Earth before trees
Giant mushrooms, known as Prototaxites, ruled the Earth over 400 million years ago before trees became common. These towering fungi reached heights of up to 24 feet (8 meters) and had trunks with diameters of up to 3 feet (1 meter). The Prototaxites fossils, resembling tree trunks, date back to between 350 and 420 million years ago, a time when plants had barely colonized the land. The debate about the nature of Prototaxites has been ongoing for over 150 years, with suggestions ranging from giant algae to lichens or fungi.
The mystery surrounding Prototaxites' true identity was finally solved in 2007 through chemical analysis. Researchers examined the ratio of carbon isotopes in Prototaxites fossils and found that it differed significantly from that of plants, supporting the hypothesis that Prototaxites were fungi. These giant fungi were likely the largest organisms on land during their time, towering over the shorter plants and trees that existed.
The Prototaxites fossils have a consistent tubular anatomy, with unbranched, non-septate tubes arranged in concentric or eccentric rings. This anatomy is similar to the cross-section of a tree trunk, which may have contributed to the initial confusion about their classification. However, the fossils do not display the structures typically found in fungi, adding to the puzzle surrounding these giant organisms.
The extinction of Prototaxites occurred more than 350 million years ago, and they have no living descendants today. The disappearance of these giant mushrooms may be attributed to the emergence of trees, which shaded them out, and the presence of herbivores that fed on them. Additionally, the development of smaller fungi that could spread spores using bugs reduced the advantage of height for spore distribution.
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Prototaxites, a giant fungus
Prototaxites is a giant fungus that lived between 420 and 350 million years ago during the Silurian and Devonian periods. At the time, no animals with backbones lived on land; there were only millipedes, wingless insects, and worms. Land plants were also still simple and were only a few feet tall. Prototaxites is estimated to have grown up to 24 feet (8m) tall and 3 feet (1m) wide, making it the largest land-dwelling organism on Earth during its time.
The taxonomy of Prototaxites has long been a subject of debate. While it is widely considered a fungus, some scientists think it was a lichen, a community of fungus and green algae. The debate has been ongoing for over 150 years, with researchers offering various ideas for its identity, including kelp-like aquatic algae, fruiting bodies of fungi, or even lichens. The problem is that the anatomy of Prototaxites is evocative of many different things but diagnostic of none.
In 2001, after 20 years of research, Francis Hueber of the National Museum of Natural History in Washington, DC, published a paper proposing that Prototaxites was a fungus. This idea was initially met with disbelief and skepticism. However, further evidence has emerged to support it. In 2007, a team including Hueber and K.C. Boyce of the University of Chicago performed a chemical analysis of Prototaxites specimens and concluded that it was indeed a giant fungus. They found that the carbon isotope ratios in Prototaxites specimens were significantly different from those of plants, supporting the fungi hypothesis.
Despite the overwhelming evidence, some researchers continue to question the classification of Prototaxites as a fungus. In 2021, Gregory Retallack described a new species of Prototaxites from the Middle Ordovician period, marking the earliest known appearance of the genus. However, paleobotanist D. Edwards cautioned that fragmentary organic materials can be misinterpreted, leading to implausible attributions. Additionally, the internal structure of Prototaxites fossils has been found to differ from that of modern fungi, with tubes branching off and reconnecting in unique ways. Some researchers have even suggested that Prototaxites may belong to an entirely unknown branch of life, separate from fungi, plants, animals, and protists.
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Other giant mushrooms today
While giant mushrooms like Prototaxites once dominated the prehistoric landscape, they have no modern equivalents. However, some giant mushrooms still exist today, though they are not as large as their ancient counterparts. Here are some examples:
- Termite mound mushroom: Found in Africa, this mushroom is bigger than most humans. A cluster of these mushrooms was discovered in Oregon, and their size was impressive, requiring both arms of an adult to carry.
- Giant puffball: Some specimens of this mushroom are so large that they cannot fit into a wheelbarrow.
- Honey Mushroom: The honey mushroom (Armillaria ostoyae) in Oregon's Blue Mountains is a colony of fungal clones that stretches over 2,385 acres, making it one of the largest living organisms on Earth. It was first discovered in 1998 when researchers found that mushrooms in a 2,385-acre area were genetically identical, meaning they are clones of a single individual.
- Michigan Honey Mushroom: In 1992, researchers discovered a colony of honey mushrooms in Michigan that weighed 10.5 tons and stretched across 37 acres. This colony was previously considered the world's largest organism.
While these mushrooms are impressive in size, they pale in comparison to the giant Prototaxites mushrooms that towered over the prehistoric landscape.
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Why giant mushrooms became extinct
Giant mushrooms, specifically the Prototaxites species, once dominated the Earth. These giant fungi reached towering heights of up to 24 feet (8 meters) and were the tallest organisms during the Silurian Period, long before trees took over the land. However, today, no such giant mushrooms exist. So, what led to the extinction of these towering fungi?
The extinction of giant mushrooms like Prototaxites is a puzzle due to the limited understanding of their biology and ecology. However, several factors likely contributed to their demise. One key factor is the emergence of vascular plants and trees. As plants evolved and grew taller, they may have shaded out the light-dependent Prototaxites, hindering their growth and survival. Additionally, the evolution of plants provided new habitats for animals, which may have contributed to the extinction of Prototaxites through unknown activities, as evidenced by the mazes of tubes found within some fossil specimens.
Competition from other species also played a role in the decline of giant mushrooms. With the advent of land plants and animals, the advantage of extreme spore-spreading structures diminished. Smaller fungi could utilize insects to spread their spores effectively, rendering the giant spore distributors of Prototaxites less necessary for long-distance spore dispersal. Moreover, herbivores, or fungivores, that feed on mushrooms could have prevented the survival of large, permanent aboveground fungal structures.
Habitat destruction and human mushroom pickers are also factors in the decline of potential giant mushroom species that could grow today. Additionally, it is important to note that giant mushrooms went extinct long before the evolution of hominids, indicating that their disappearance was likely due to ecological factors and competition from other life forms, rather than direct human influence.
While the exact reasons for the extinction of giant mushrooms remain partially speculative, the combination of evolving ecosystems, competition from plants and animals, and habitat destruction likely contributed to their disappearance from the Earth. Today, while there are no giant mushrooms, the largest known organism on Earth is a massive fungus in eastern Oregon, covering nearly four square miles of forest, reminding us of the enduring legacy and adaptability of fungi.
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Were giant mushrooms literal mushrooms?
Giant mushrooms, or Prototaxites, were not like the mushrooms we know today. They were towering fungi that ruled the Earth over 400 million years ago, before trees existed. These giant mushrooms reached heights of up to 24 feet (8 meters) and had trunks up to 3 feet (1 meter) wide. They were the tallest organisms on land at the time and are considered the largest land-based organisms of their time.
The debate about the true identity of Prototaxites has been ongoing for over 150 years. Initially, Prototaxites were thought to be conifers or giant algae. Some even believed them to be lichens, which are a partnership between fungi and algae. However, chemical analyses of fossil samples revealed that the carbon isotope values of Prototaxites were similar to those of fungi, indicating a fungal origin.
While Prototaxites are now widely accepted to be fungi, they did not resemble modern mushrooms. Their fossils resemble tree trunks, yet they existed before trees. Additionally, the fossils do not display the structures typically found in fungi, adding to the mystery surrounding these giant organisms.
Today, there are still some giant mushroom species, such as the termite mound mushroom in Africa, which can be bigger than many humans, and the giant puffball, which may not even fit in a wheelbarrow. However, these giant mushrooms are not on the same scale as the ancient Prototaxites.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, giant mushrooms or fungi existed between 350 and 420 million years ago. They were called Prototaxites and were the tallest organisms on land, reaching heights of up to 24 feet (8 meters).
Prototaxites fossils have a tubular anatomy, composed of primarily unbranched, non-septate tubes, arranged in rings. The fossil "trunks" could be up to 8.8 meters long and 1.37 meters in diameter.
The first Prototaxites fossil was discovered in 1859. Since then, researchers have debated whether these organisms were giant algae, fungi, or lichens. In 2007, a chemical analysis of fossil samples supported the hypothesis that they were fungi.
There are a few possible reasons for the extinction of giant mushrooms. One theory suggests that the development of large plants, such as trees, may have shaded and outcompeted the fungi. Additionally, the presence of animal life may have made the extreme spore-spreading structures of giant mushrooms unnecessary.
While there are no longer giant mushrooms, there are still large fungus species existing today. For example, the largest organism on Earth is a huge fungus located in eastern Oregon, covering nearly four square miles of forest.
