📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / UnpetitproleX
Science
Scientists Uncover New Ancient Fungus Species on 12‑Million‑Year‑Old Himachal Leaf
✍️ Research Matters
🗓 26 Sep 2026, 10:16 PM
👁 12
Researchers have identified a new species of ancient fungus on a 12‑million‑year‑old fossilized leaf found in Himachal Pradesh, offering fresh insights into prehistoric fungal life.
A team of paleobotanists and mycologists announced the discovery of a previously unknown species of ancient fungus attached to a 12‑million‑year‑old fossilized leaf collected from a site in Himachal Pradesh.
The fossil, preserved in the region’s limestone strata, shows microscopic fungal hyphae and spores that were meticulously analyzed using scanning electron microscopy and DNA sequencing techniques adapted for ancient samples.
Lead researcher Dr. Anil Kumar noted that the fungal morphology differs significantly from known Jurassic and Cretaceous species, suggesting a distinct evolutionary lineage that thrived during the early Miocene.
The find provides a rare glimpse into the symbiotic relationships between early angiosperms and fungi, and the team plans to survey additional fossil sites across the Himalayas for further evidence.
The fossil, preserved in the region’s limestone strata, shows microscopic fungal hyphae and spores that were meticulously analyzed using scanning electron microscopy and DNA sequencing techniques adapted for ancient samples.
Lead researcher Dr. Anil Kumar noted that the fungal morphology differs significantly from known Jurassic and Cretaceous species, suggesting a distinct evolutionary lineage that thrived during the early Miocene.
The find provides a rare glimpse into the symbiotic relationships between early angiosperms and fungi, and the team plans to survey additional fossil sites across the Himalayas for further evidence.