Types of Elephant Ear Mushrooms
The elephant ear mushroom is found in both aquatic and land environments. Typically, it is given this name due to its large, flap-like appearance. In Latin, the aquatic varieties are called Rhodactis Mussoides and Amplexidiscus fenestrafer. The land variety is simply called an elephant ear mushroom and is considered a false morel. Land varieties are considered poisonous for human consumption. Does this Spark an idea?
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Rhodactis Mussoides
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The Rhodactis mussoides is green or brown in color with a wavy and leathery texture that looks like an elephant’s ear, hence the name. They have multiple mouths and short tentacles arranged throughout their under bodies, and longer tentacles that are rounded and full of toxins much like other species of mushroom coral.
In the wild, they are found predominantly in the Central Indo-Pacific Ocean. Due to their potential to reach up to 15 inches (40 cm), the elephant ear mushroom is suited for a larger aquarium. In your home tank, they are very easy to care for. They prefer low lighting and low water velocity in order to thrive.
Amplexidiscus Fenestrafer
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Amplexidiscus fenestrafer is also known as the true elephant ear mushroom or giant cup mushroom, and was discovered by Dunn and Hamner in 1980. Like the Rhodactis mussoides, it is a carnivore that immobilizes its fish prey with stinging cells on the edges of its surface. Curiously, they like to eat at night when the lights are out. This variety typically grows to be 8 to 10 inches (20 to 25 cm) and is brown, ivory or greenish-gray in color. The true elephant ear mushroom is easy to care for in a large home aquarium, and does well in moderate light and light to moderate water movement.
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False Morel
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On land, the elephant ear mushroom is a false morel, which is considered poisonous in the United States. They have wrinkled and irregular caps that may be black, gray, white, brown or reddish in color. Their toxicity is due to the levels of monomethyl hydrazine (MMH) that is contained in the mushroom. Consumption of MMH can cause illness, such as vomiting, diarrhea, severe headaches or even death in some cases. Some mushroom enthusiasts claim that elephant ear mushrooms are in fact edible due to lower levels of MMH in some geographic regions, although it isn't a good idea to eat them.
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