Agaricomycetes

The Agaricomycetes are a class of fungi within the phylum Basidiomycota. This diverse group includes approximately 30 families, 350 genera, and 10,000 species. Traditionally, these fungi were identified by the presence of gills and mushroom-shaped fruiting bodies. However, modern classification, based on genetic relationships, recognizes that not all Agaricomycetes possess gills, and their fruiting bodies can vary in shape.1

The oldest known fossilized Agaricomycetes mushroom dates back 125 to 113 million years ago. Notable families within this class include Agaricaceae, which contains common mushrooms and puffballs, and Amanitaceae, which includes highly poisonous species like the death cap. Other well-known members are the shiitake mushroom (family Marasmiaceae) and the oyster mushroom (family Pleurotaceae). Fungi, including Agaricomycetes, are distinct from plants, with cell walls often containing chitin and sharing evolutionary links with animals.12