Auricularia delicata (Mont. ex Fr.) Henn. 1893

Auricularia delicata is commonly found of wood of a variety of species within the Alnus and Quercus genera. (Montoya-Alvarez 2011)

Macrocharacters: Basidiocarps of Auricularia delicata are soft, rubbery and gelatinous when fresh Queensland Mycological Society 2011, Montoya-Alvarez 2011). Shape of the basidiocarp ranges from flabelliform, orbicular, and reniform. The fruiting bodies, or visual parts of the fungi, are translucent and range in color from yellow, red, to pinkish brown (Queensland Mycological Society 2011, Montoya-Alvarez 2011). The superior surface is pilose with fine hyaline hairs (Queensland Mycological Society 2011). The hymenium (inferior surface) has prominent meruloid to porose reticulate that are a pale hyaline cream color. A. delicata is sessile to substipitate with its stipe being only 1.0-3.5 cm long, cylindrical and solid (Montoya-Alvarez 2011). The full fruiting body of A. delicata can be 0.5-4.5 cm long, 2.0-6.5 cm wide and 0.1-0.2 cm thick. A. delicata lacks a medulla (Queensland Mycological Society 2011).

Microcharacteristics: The pileus of Auricularia delicata is comprised of densely compacted gelatinized hyphae with cuticular hairs that are 60-175 µm x 5-6µm with rounded tips. The basidia are cylindrical with transverse septa and 40-45 x 4-5 µm (Montoya-Alvarez 2011). Spores of A. delicata are allantoid with 2-3 prominent oil globules and 10-13 x 5-6 µm (Queensland Mycological Society 2011, Montoya-Alvarez 2011).

The pilose zone of Auricularia delicata is comprised of densely gelatinized hyphae with cuticular hairs ranging from 20-180 µm long, that are often blunt or irregularly rounded (Queensland Mycological Society 2011, Montoya-Alvarez 2011). The compact zone is 20-110 µm wide. Superior subcompact zone is 40-270 µm wide. Intermedia laxa zone is 60-700 µm wide. Inferior subcompact zone is 40-270 µm wide. The basidia are cylindrical with transverse septa and 30-70 µm long. Spores are allantoid with 2-3 prominent oil globules, ranging from 9.4-13 µm long and 4-6 µm wide (Queensland Mycological Society 2011, Montoya-Alvarez 2011).

Auricularia delicata is a saprotroph, meaning that it derives nourishment from decaying organic matter (Museo Nacional de Costa Rica 2013). A. delicata produces a white rot on dead and decaying wood. It produces class II heme peroxidases such as lignin peroxidases LiP and manganese peroxidases MnP. Dye-decolorzing peroxidases with manganese-independent peroxidases activities have been demonstrated (Floudas et al. 2012).

Auricularia delicata can be found growing on fallen tree trunks or branches, and occasionally on the moss of living trees (Mata 1999). A. delicata is primarily found in wet forest (Museo Nacional de Costa Rica 2013).

Auricularia delicata is found in forests ranging from 0-2600m in Tropical, subtropical, and temperate areas (Museo Nacional de Costa Rica 2013, Global Biodiversity Information Facility 2015). Specimens from North America, Central America, Caribbean islands, South America, Thailand, Japan, China, India, Kenya, West Indies, Australia and New Zealand have been reported (Global Biodiversity Information Facility 2015). In Costa Rica, A. delicata is found on both slopes of the Coridellera de Guanacaste, Tilaran and Central Volcanic areas. It is also found throughout the Pacific slope, and the southern Caribbean slope (Museo Nacional de Costa Rica 2013).

Auricularia delicata isa gelatinous basidiocarp fungus found throughout the world, but is very commonly found in the tropics. (Montoya-Alvarez 2011, Global Biodiversity Information Facility 2015).It’s fruiting body can be found year round but is most commonly found during times of high moisture (Mata 1999). A. delicata is most commonly found growing gregariously (in clusters) on fallen trees and branches (Mata 1999). It is easily identified from other species of Auricularia by its lack of medulla and conspicuous merloid to porose-reticulate hymenium (Mata 1999). A. delicata is dispersed through allantoid spores (Montoya-Alvarez 2011).

Auricularia delicata produces fruiting bodies year round. In Costa Rica, fruiting bodies of A. delicata are usually found from May-January (Mata 1999). Occasional specimens are found during the dry season, dehydrated, which then rehydrate when exposed to moisture (Mata 1999, Museo Nacional de Costa Rica 2013). A. delicata is usually found growing cespitose, in dense mats or clumps, and gregariously but can also occasionally be found as solitary individuals (Museo Nacional de Costa Rica 2013, Queensland Mycological Society 2011).

Auricularia delicata is an edible species of fungi and is mostly commonly used as food (Museo Nacional de Costa Rica 2013).

El relleno(contexto)es de 0,1-0,3 cm de ancho, semitransparente y de textura viscosa. La parte inferior (fértil) está formada por venaciones que forman una red de color pardo amarillento de textura finamente aterciopelada.

Los cuerpos están adheridos de forma lateral al sustrato.

Auricularia delicata je grzib, co go nojprzōd ôpisoł Jean François Montagne, a terŏźnõ nazwã doł mu Henn. 1893. Auricularia delicata nŏleży do zorty Auricularia i familije Auriculariaceae. Żŏdne podgatōnki niy sōm wymianowane we Catalogue of Life.