Phallaceae is a family of fungi, commonly known as stinkhorns, within the order Phallales. Stinkhorns have a worldwide distribution, but are especially prevalent in tropical regions. They are known for their foul-smelling, sticky spore masses, or gleba, borne on the end of a stalk called the receptaculum. The characteristic fruiting-body structure, a single, unbranched receptaculum with an externally attached gleba on the upper part, distinguishes the Phallaceae from other families in the Phallales. The spore mass typically smells of carrion or dung, and attracts flies, beetles and other insects to help disperse the spores. Although there is great diversity in body structure shape among the various genera, all species in the Phallaceae begin their development as oval or round structures known as "eggs". The appearance of Phallaceae is often sudden, as gleba can erupt from the underground egg and burst open within an hour. According to a 2008 estimate, the family contains 21 genera and 77 species.
The Mauritius night heron is an extinct night heron species from Mauritius. It is only known by seven subfossil bone remains consisted of cranium, pelvis, coracoid, ulna, radius, and tarsometatarsus found in Mare aux Songes. Only the coracoid and the tarsometatarsus are left today. It was scientifically described in 1893 by Edward Newton and Hans Gadow from the University of Cambridge. Newton and Gadow measured the tarsometatarsus with 81 to 87 mm. It became presumedly extinct shortly after it was first mentioned by François Leguat in 1693 who described them as a "great flight of bitterns".
The Mauritian tomb bat is a species of sac-winged bat in the family Emballonuridae that is found in central and southern Africa and Madagascar. It was discovered in 1818 by Étienne Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, and is characterized by an all-white ventral surface, grizzled dorsal coloration, and conical face. It has exceptionally good eyesight, a trait which is common in old world bats and enables it to find roosting locations. It has adapted itself to a wide range of habitats including subarid scrub to semi-tropical savanna and can be found throughout much of Africa south of the Sahara, including many of the surrounding islands. They often seek out refuge in cool dry areas. Mauritian tomb bats help control pest populations, including insects that carry human diseases. These bats tend to be nocturnal hunters and their normal prey consists of moths, butterflies, and termites. Not prone to large-scale roosting, T. mauritianus is most often spotted on the sides of buildings or on the trunks of trees in groups of around five individuals. They breed on average once or twice a year and rear usually one pup, though twins are occasionally reported. They usually deposit their hungry offspring in areas where they can feed voraciously, most often in berry bushes. This species is listed as least concern on the IUCN Red List due their wide distribution and stable population.
Gyraulus mauritianus is a species of small, mostly air-breathing, freshwater snail, aquatic pulmonate gastropod mollusk in the family Planorbidae, the ram's horn snails. This species is endemic to Mauritius.
Clathrus is a genus of fungi of the family Phallaceae, the stinkhorn fungi. Mature fruit bodies are covered with olive-brown slimy gleba, containing spores, that attract flies. These fungi are saprobic and are common in mulch.
Clathrus archeri, commonly known as octopus stinkhorn or devil's fingers, is a fungus which has a global distribution. This species was first described in 1980 in a collection from Tasmania. The young fungus erupts from a suberumpent egg by forming into four to seven elongated slender arms initially erect and attached at the top. The arms then unfold to reveal a pinkish-red interior covered with a dark-olive spore-containing gleba. In maturity it smells like putrid flesh.
Clathrus ruber is a species of fungus in the family Phallaceae, and the type species of the genus Clathrus. It is commonly known as the latticed stinkhorn, the basket stinkhorn, or the red cage, alluding to the striking fruit bodies that are shaped somewhat like a round or oval hollow sphere with interlaced or latticed branches. The species was illustrated in the scientific literature during the 16th century, but was not officially described until 1729.
Pseudocolus is a genus of fungi in the stinkhorn family. The fruit bodies have three or four simple arms that are initially joined at the tip, but often break apart. The tips of the arms are covered with a slimy, foul-smelling gleba, which attracts insects that help disperse the spores. The genus contains three species: the type Pseudocolus fusiformis, P. garciae, similar in appearance to the type but with a pinkish to red, rather than orange color, and P. grandis, found in India.
Clathrus columnatus, commonly known as the column stinkhorn, is a saprobic species of basidiomycete fungus in the family Phallaceae. Similar to other stinkhorn fungi, the fruiting body, known as the receptaculum, starts out as a subterranean "egg" form. As the fungus develops, the receptaculum expands and erupts out of the protective volva, ultimately developing into mature structures characterized by two to five long vertical orange or red spongy columns, joined at the apex. The fully grown receptaculum reaches heights of 8 cm tall. The inside surfaces of the columns are covered with a fetid olive-brown spore-containing slime, which attracts flies and other insects that help disseminate the spores.
Epitonium clathrus, also known as the common wentletrap, is a species of small predatory sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Epitoniidae, the wentletraps.
Clathrina clathrus is a species of calcareous sponge belonging to the family Clathrinidae.
Ascandra contorta is a species of calcareous sponge belonging to the family Clathrinidae.
Tectus mauritianus, common name the Mauritius top shell, is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Turbinidae, the turban snails.
Clathrus chrysomycelinus is a species of fungus in the stinkhorn family. It is found in South America and reported from New Zealand, although the equivalence of the species is yet to be determined.
Clathrus crispus is a species of fungus in the stinkhorn family. Reported as new to science in 1820, it is found in the Americas.
Clathrus cristatus is a species of fungus in the stinkhorn family. Found in Brazil, it was described as new to science in 2010.
Clathrus kusanoi is a species of fungus in the stinkhorn family. It is known only from Japan.
Clathrus transvaalensis is a species of fungus in the stinkhorn family. It is found in South Africa. It was described as new to science in 1990 by mycologists Albert Eicker and Derek Reid. The fruit body forms a hollow, pale yellow to pinkish lattice structure.
Clathrus treubii is a species of fungus in the stinkhorn family. It is found in Indonesia and Malaysia.
Clathrus xiningensis is a species of fungus in the stinkhorn family. Found in China, it was described as new to science in 1994.
