Aquascypha

{{Short description|Genus of fungi}} {{Automatic_taxobox | image = | image_caption = | taxon = Aquascypha | authority = D.A.Reid (1965) | type_species = '''''Aquascypha hydrophora''''' | type_species_authority = (Berk.) D.A.Reid (1965) }}

'''''Aquascypha''''' is a fungal genus in the family Meruliaceae. It is a monotypic genus, containing the single species '''''Aquascypha hydrophora''''', found in Central and South America. This species forms cup-like structures with dimensions of {{convert|2.7|to|14.9|cm|in|abbr=on}} (average {{convert|9.2|cm|in|abbr=on}}) and heights of {{convert|6.1|to|18|cm|in|abbr=on}} (average {{convert|16.3|cm|in|abbr=on}}).<ref name="Ferreira 2001"/> Study of this fungus in the Amazon rainforest showed that on average, these cups hold 35 millitres of water, in addition to organic matter such as leaves, flowers and fruits that fall from trees;<ref name="Ferreira 2001"/> this provides an ideal environment for various insect species (especially filter-feeding species like mosquitoes) to breed.<ref name="Ferreira 2001"/><ref name="Serpa 2007"/>

==References== {{Reflist|refs=

<ref name="Ferreira 2001">{{cite journal |author1=Ferreira, R.L. |author2=Oliveira, A.F. |author3=Pereira, E.S. |author4=Hamada, N. |year=2001|title=Occurrence of larval Culicidae (Diptera) in water retained in ''Aquascypha hydrophora'' (Fungus: Stereaceae) in central Amazonia, Brazil |journal=Memórias do Instituto Oswaldo Cruz |volume=96 |issue=8 |pages=1165–7 |doi=10.1590/s0074-02762001000800023|pmid=11784940 |doi-access=free }}</ref>

<ref name="Serpa 2007">{{cite journal |author1=Serpa-Filho, Arlindo |author2=Ferreira, Ruth Leila Meneze |author3=Barbosa, Ulysses Carvalho |year=2007 |title=Occurrence of ''Polypedilum (Tripodura) amataura'' Bidawid-Kafka, 1996 (Diptera; Chironomidae) in ''Aquascypha hydrophora'' (Berk.) Reid (Fungi; Stereaceae), with description of the pupae in the Central Amazonian, Brazil |journal=Acta Amazonica |volume=37 |issue=1 |pages=151–56 |doi=10.1590/s0044-59672007000100020|doi-access=free }}</ref>

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Category:Taxa described in 1965 Category:Monotypic Polyporales genera Category:Meruliaceae Category:Taxa named by Derek Reid