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<p>We report the discovery of a complete fossilized fungal fruiting body preserved in mid-Cretaceous Kachin amber. The specimen is described as <i>Parolactarius pilosus</i> gen. nov., sp. nov. based on morphological characteristics compared with closely related modern mushroom species. The fruiting body is relatively small, measuring approximately 2.5&#xa0;mm in height and 2.7&#xa0;mm in diameter at its widest point (pileus). The surface is densely covered with fungal hairs. The basidiocarp appears to be immature, with morphological features suggesting an affinity to the family Russulaceae. This discovery represents the first fossil record of Russulaceae from Kachin amber and provides insights into the early evolutionary history and paleoecological relationships of ectomycorrhizal fungi during the mid-Cretaceous greenhouse period. It is hypothesized that <i>Parolactarius pilosus</i> inhabited the forest floor of the mid-Cretaceous ecosystem, likely thriving among forest litter.</p>

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A ‘Hairy’ Mushroom from the Mid-Cretaceous Kachin Amber

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2026年1月13日

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  • Qianhui Lin,
  • Alexandra Rusakova,
  • Huan Wang,
  • Siqi Hu,
  • Chao Shi,
  • Shuo Wang

摘要

We report the discovery of a complete fossilized fungal fruiting body preserved in mid-Cretaceous Kachin amber. The specimen is described as Parolactarius pilosus gen. nov., sp. nov. based on morphological characteristics compared with closely related modern mushroom species. The fruiting body is relatively small, measuring approximately 2.5 mm in height and 2.7 mm in diameter at its widest point (pileus). The surface is densely covered with fungal hairs. The basidiocarp appears to be immature, with morphological features suggesting an affinity to the family Russulaceae. This discovery represents the first fossil record of Russulaceae from Kachin amber and provides insights into the early evolutionary history and paleoecological relationships of ectomycorrhizal fungi during the mid-Cretaceous greenhouse period. It is hypothesized that Parolactarius pilosus inhabited the forest floor of the mid-Cretaceous ecosystem, likely thriving among forest litter.