Science

When you think about magic mushrooms, you are likely thinking of Psilocybe cubensis, perhaps the most popular species. Where these fungi came from and how they evolved their psychoactive properties is somewhat of a mystery. But a newly discovered sister species could provide a clue.

In a new study published in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B, researchers describe Psilocybe ochraceocentrata, a magic mushroom found in Africa that is similar to P. cubensis but a unique species. The new species has been misidentified as P. cubensis or other mushrooms for years, but the new study suggests that the two species likely shared a common ancestor some 1.5 million years ago.

Interestingly, both P. cubensis and P. ochraceocentrata rely on dung—whether from cattle, bison, goats, horses, or other animals—to spread their spores. The researchers used “museomics,” or genetic analyses of mushroom species already held in museums or other collections, to determine that the two species likely diverged some 1.5 million years ago.

That timing aligns with other “major ecological and faunal transitions,” including herbivore migrations from Africa to Europe and Asia, the researchers note in the study, suggesting that changes in the dung landscape may be related to the species’ split.

As a writer, I'm jealous he got to write "changes in the dung landscape."