People widely recognize canines not only as man’s best friend but also for having exceptional sniffers. Dog noses are so good that they’re often used to sniff out bombs, disaster survivors, and even truffles.
Now, two dogs — aided by their trainers, citizen scientists, and researchers at Michigan State University — are responsible for discovering two new-to-science species of truffles in North America, according to Mongabay.
Truffles are synonymous with fine dining (and French fries), but many people don’t know exactly where they come from or what they are. These tasty delicacies are fungi from the genus Tuber and come from deep within the Earth, where they live in a unique symbiotic relationship with tree roots. This important relationship between truffles and trees isn’t completely understood, but it may prove beneficial for forest management once more is understood about it.
Because truffles grow beneath the earth, they are incredibly easy to miss, which is where dogs and their extraordinary noses come in.
The two truffle dogs sniffed out new truffle species, Tuber cumberlandense and Tuber canirevelatum, in Tennessee. T. cumberlandense was named after the Cumberland Plateau in Tennessee, while T. canirevelatum was named after truffle-sniffing dogs (the name means “dog-found”).
A new study published in the journal Mycologia shared more information about these species. The study discovered that T. cumberlandense, found by truffle dog Luca, was harvested and sold under different names in the past.
However, it turns out T. cumberlandense is actually an undescribed and distinct native North American species. Now, Maker’s Mark whiskey is looking into how to cultivate this delicacy for its products.
T. canirevelatum, discovered by truffle dog Monza, is where things get interesting, though. Monza’s trainer, Lois Martin, realized the truffle they found didn’t smell or look like anything known to be native to North America, so she sent samples off to Michigan State.
Gregory Bonito, associate professor at the MSU College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, and his undergrad research student, Alassane Sow, received the samples. In an article released on MSU Today, Sow said: “Receiving these samples was very exciting. … We hope that by describing both of these species, there will be increased interest in cultivating North American truffles.”
Though nothing is known for sure, it’s believed that T. canirevelatum may be rare, as this is the only sample recorded.
These species aren’t the only native North American truffle species, as there are already many that are commercially viable. However, the diversity of native North American truffles still isn’t well-known, so the more species discovered by dogs like Monza and Luca, the more scientists will learn about these fungi, including how to protect them from habitat loss and wildfires.
As Mongabay reported, Bonito said, “We are finding new species all the time.” According to Popular Science, he also explained: “We suspect many native tuber species remain to be discovered and described. This task will be enhanced through the continued collaboration between mycologists — scientists who study fungi — the public, and trained truffle dogs.”
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