Thanatomycetes

**Thanatomycetes** are a class under the phylum/division Portcopa and comprise the first members of the clade Lenguabesodelamuerte and some of their descendants. As for distinguishing characteristics, there is no specific characteristic that separates these fungi from others, rather, they are distinguished primarily through evolution and HXA sequencing. However, most members of this class do produce a poisonous substance, usually simply known as poison but sometimes called "bebida de muerto" that is used to deter predators. To further communicate this poisonous nature, many have developed bright colors as a form of warning, such as the vibrant yellow and orange of *Tromalampros kitrinos* or the iridescent hue of (TBD). Their primary target with these poisons are small omnivorous and fungivorous Septempollicems, often members of the genus *Manitarofagoi* (named after Greek for "mushroom eaters") in some South Primaterran species. Specific compounds used in these poisons vary between species, though most use a form of acid, including acetic acid, chlorocyanic acid, and trichloroisocyanuric acid, developed to deter the digestive systems of potential attackers.

However, some groups eventually took advantage of this and lost their poisons in favor of a short life cycle in which they appear and taste as appealing as possible to release spores through the feces of the animals by which they are consumed. This was done convergently multiple times, though one of the most notable is that of the suborder Skopimatrogeta (named after Greek for "purposely eaten") of the order (TBD). They develop to be large and nutritious to the animals, leading to what could be considered an unintentional parasitic symbiotic relationship, in which the animals recieve nutrition and nourishment from the fungus while the animal carries and spreads the fungus's spores. One example of this is that of the fungus *Threpsiparago pediada* (named after Greek for "nutrition", "reproduction", and "plain") and other members of the family Threpsiparagacae and some Herbivores of the superfamily Ergaleiokefaloidea, which have evolved this to the extent of each relying solely on the other for nutrition and reproduction specifically, giving the animal a safe but sometimes lacking diet and the fungus a guaranteed high spread of spores. This gave rise to the small family Manitaritzankidae, specialized Herbivores that came to rely partially or solely on fungi of this suborder. In some small populations, this became so extreme that both the fungus and the animal died out. The animals became so reliant on the fungus that they stay in specific places where they know they will be, leading to less spread of the fungus, defeating the purpose of the nutrition and causing the fungi to compete with each other for food to the point of mutual starvation and making the few remaining eaten by the animals, which then died out from lack of food. Because of this, both groups have evolved to become more generalized on multiple occasions, leading to members of Thanatomycetes such as the family Diachorismacae (named after Greek for "separation"), having various methods of spreading their spores.

## Anatomy

Members of the class Thanatomycetes are very morphologically diverse, even between individuals of the same species, as, like all other fungi, their lack of locomotion leads to a lack of need for a specific shape, conforming to whatever restrictions they may be presented with otherwise. Because of this, they are relatively anatomically simple, though they do have some general anatomical similarities. This often includes poison-producing cells, sometimes located all around the fungus or otherwise lumped together into organ-like bodies. These cells are usually referred to simply as poison-generating cells, though they are sometimes abbreviated as poison-gens or PGCs. PGCs are typically found in the portcopum, or main fruiting body, of the fungus, though in some cases are located in the stem or roots.

The portcopum of members of this class is generally no different from that of other clades in the division Portcopa, aside from PGCs. It contains reproductive organs that produce spores

## Reproduction

All Thanatomycetes reproduce sexually through a process called nodulating. In nodulating, a fungus, in this case, a Thanatomycete, will grow a mature portcopum, ready to reproduce. The portcopum will produce either male or female spores, as Thanatomycetes are gonochoric, in small "packets" known as nodes. A male spore will have many structures known as zoipylones (named after Greek for "life" and "pillars), which are long strands of HXA linked together with one open unit, having only one hexagonal structure and all six open HXA compounds. Half of these zoipylones will be opposite and therefore able to bond with each other, but will not at this stage. A female spore will also contain zoipylones, though it will contain less. Spores are released into the air through pores in the skin of the portcopum, or in the case of some, are eaten by animals to be excreted through feces. There are various other methods of spreading spores present in this class, but regardless as to which is used, when two nodes of the same species and opposite genders meet, they begin to fuse. Once they touch, they will dissolve the touching part of their membranes and quickly develop membranes that connect into one body. To prevent from being separated prematurely, this process can happen in a matter of hours or faster. Once combined, the spores inside the two nodes will meet, not too unlike how the nodes themselves combine. Once spores are fused, they will all undergo the same process in which their zoipylones will connect at the open ends. These will form full genetic structures, and the newly combined spores will have all the genetic material needed to form a new fungus. Finally, the node bursts and spores are spread, each growing into a full fungus if the right conditions are met (water, nutrients, climate, temperature, etc.).

## Taxonomy

Kingdom: Hongosalienigenas

Divison: Portcopa

Clade: Lenguabesodelamuerte

Class: **Thanatomycetes**