Nematode-Trapping in Pleurotus tuberregium

Pleurotus tuberregium is a common basidiomycete in parts of tropical Africa and Australia that fruits from a subterranean true sclerotium. Evidence from field collections suggests that the sclerotia are formed underground. Because its basidiocarps have intercalary skeletal hyphae, P. tuberregium has also been classified in both Lentinus and Panus. We investigated nematode-trapping in P. tuberregium in an attempt to resolve its generic placement. Aerial hyphae of P. tuberregium cultures on agar produced droplets of toxin on stalked secretory processes. Nematodes that came in contact with toxin droplets were paralyzed and then colonized by hyphae. This mode of nematode capture has been demonstrated previously only in Pleurotus sensu stricto, which supports classification of this species in Pleurotus.