#prototaxites

Some pretty big natural history news. Large structures previously thought to be fungi may be a complete new order of life that we didn't know existed, and may have went extinct with these lifeforms 375 million years ago.

"Life in the Silurian Age: On the bottom are seen, proceeding from left to right, Corals (Stenopora and Beatricea) and a Gasteropod; Orthoceras; Coral (Patria); Crinoids, Lingulæ, and Cystideans; a Trilobite and Cyrtolites. In the water is a large Pterygotus, and under it a Trinucleus. Furthere on, are Cephalopods, a Heteropod, and Fishes. At the surface, Phyllograptus, Graptolithus, and Bellerophon. On the Land, Lepidodendron, Psilophyton, and Prototaxites."

From The Story of the Earth and Man by J. W. Dawson, 1873

A well known genus, called Prototaxites which lived during the Devonian has long since been considered a fungus, as it is definitely not a plant or an animal has recently been observed to be distinct from all known forms of fungi as well! Meaning it must either occupy an entirely new, 4th kingdom outside of animal, plant and fungus OR some very unique hitherto unprecedented form of life within those categories. Either way, huge news! Here is the article below: