Who are the marine fungi?

Abstract

Fungi are widespread throughout marine habitats. Most marine fungi are microscopic, either microfungi, yeasts, or swimming zoospore-producing groups such as the Chytridiomycota (‘the chytrids’). The macroscopic exceptions are the marine lichens along coastlines. Marine mushrooms are yet to be discovered. The functional roles of marine fungi include parasites (e.g., infecting phytoplankton; Hassett & Gradinger, 2016), saprotrophs recycling organic matter (e.g., degrading phytoplanktonproduced polysaccharides; Cunliffe et al., 2017) and in symbiosis with other marine life (e.g., seaweeds; Bonthond et al., 2022). Here, I briefly summarize my perspective of marine fungi with an emphasis on identity. Looking into the crystal ball, I see a possible near future for marine mycology highlighting some conceptual and technical developments.