Scientists Discover Bursting ‘Dune Sandworm’ Fungus

Scientists have discovered a strange new species of fungus and named it after the monstrous giant sandworms from the iconic science fiction novel series Dune.

The fungus, dubbed Tulostoma shaihuludii, is one of four newly identified species that have been described in a study, published in the journal MycoKeys.

All of the fungi belong to the genus (or group of species) known as Tulostoma, which are commonly known as stalked puffballs. The other species have been named Tulostoma dunense, Tulostoma hungaricum and Tulostoma sacchariolens.

These fungi produce small, spherical fruiting bodies on the end of stalks that release a cloud of dust-like spores into the air when mature. Fungal spores are microscopic biological agents that allow fungi to be reproduced.

Many puffball fungi, including the Tulostoma species, have lost the ability to forcibly discharge the spores themselves, relying instead on mechanical pressure—such as trampling by animals or the wind—to release them through a “bursting” mechanism.

All of the newly described stalked puffball species were documented in sandy areas of the Pannonian Steppe—various grassland ecosystems that stretch across several countries in Central and Eastern Europe, including Austria, Bulgaria, Hungary, Romania, Serbia and Slovakia. The species, which have several notable features among them, were described based on samples collected in Hungary more than 25 years.

“Tulostoma sacchariolens stands out as the only fragrant stalked puffball species, a rarity among puffballs,” the authors told Newsweek. “Tulostoma hungaricum holds the title of the world’s smallest stalked puffball. Tulostoma shaihuludii’s curved stalk is a distinctive feature within its genus.”

The researchers chose the name Tulostoma shaihuludii because this species resembles the “Shai-Hulud” sandworms of the fictional desert planet Arrakis in the Dune series by Frank Herbert, as well as the fact that the fungus was found in a sandy habitat.

The sandworms of the books are colossal, worm-like creatures that grow to hundreds of feet in length, with giant mouths filled to the brim with an array of crystalline teeth. They are aggressive and territorial while also being attracted to rhythmic sounds. As such, they are extremely dangerous, even to the inhabitants of Arrakis, known as the Fremen, who have learned to live alongside the huge creatures—and even to ride them across the desert.

The Shai-Hulud—which are revered by the Fremen as sacred and awe-inspiring creatures—play a key role in the Dune series because their larvae produce a drug colloquially known as “spice” that is the most valuable commodity in the Dune universe. The drug makes safe and accurate interstellar travel possible.

Steppe vegetation on sandy soil in Hungary has recently been identified as one of the hot spots in Europe for stalked puffball fungi. The latest study further highlights the diversity of these fungi. So far, 19 species have been recorded in the country, including the four new ones.

“The Pannonian, dry and sandy grasslands between the rivers Danube and Tisza, as well as adjacent areas in central Hungary, harbour to date 66 percent of all described species of Tulostoma known to occur in Europe,” the authors wrote in the study.

Tulostoma species are generally rare—although locally abundant—and the current knowledge of their populations in Europe is limited, according to the study. But the researchers suggest there are likely many more unrecorded Tulostoma species in Central Europe that have yet to be found.

“This discovery underscores the significance of fungi in our lives and ecosystems, emphasizing the remarkable biodiversity within the fungal kingdom,” the authors told Newsweek.