tarvitrea

Tarvitrea is a genus of fungi belonging to the family Tarvitreaceae. This genus was first described in 2010. The type species, Tarvitrea sphaerica, was discovered in a cave environment in China. Fungi within the genus Tarvitrea are characterized by their small, spherical ascomata, which are typically immersed in a substrate. They reproduce asexually through conidia. Little is currently known about the specific ecological roles or distribution of most Tarvitrea species beyond their initial discovery sites. Research into this genus is ongoing, aiming to better understand its biodiversity and evolutionary relationships within the fungal kingdom. The Tarvitreaceae family is considered to be part of the order Verrucariales, which includes many lichen-forming fungi, though Tarvitrea itself is not typically considered a lichen. Further taxonomic and phylogenetic studies are necessary to fully clarify the position of Tarvitrea within the fungal tree of life and to identify additional species.