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Summary MyCeno (Mycology of the Cenozoic) 1.0 contains 4,209 records of fossil fungi from the Cenozoic era (66 million years ago to present), from around the world. This dataset consists of records of palynomorphs (spores, and other microscopic fossils), as well as fungal macrofossils. Every record in the dataset comes with information about the fossil's location, estimated age range, and geology. This includes latitude and longitude coordinates, names or descriptions of the fungal fossil found, the technique used for dating the fossil, a grade given for the level of dating uncertainty, as well as full citations for the primary source and any supporting literature for every record. Additionally, 90% of records have a recorded sediment type, 72% have geological formation/member/bed names, and 83% have a DOI or hyperlink to the primary source. 86% of records have a current valid scientific name attributed to the fossil, with name authors and synonyms listed. For these records, the higher classification (i.e. the closest higher taxonomic classification that the identified fungus belongs to, from family-level upwards) is also recorded, as well as whether or not the genus is extant.  Nearest living relatives have been identified for 20% of records. Fossil ages in the dataset concentrate around the Miocene, but cover different epochs across the Cenozoic.   Usage & Applications This dataset was designed to be easy to use. Each variable has its own column, and the table is uploaded as a comma-separated values (CSV) file so that it can be opened using various programmes (flexible for different user preferences). For example, it can be opened in Microsoft Excel, or can be viewed and manipulated using code such as in RStudio. This dataset will prove valuable to people interested in studying ancient fungal diversity, understanding the evolution of fungi, or reconstructing palaeoecology, palaeoenvironments or palaeoclimates. 

Hydrologic reconstructions from North America are largely unknown for the Middle Miocene. Examination of fungal palynomorph assemblages coupled with traditional plant-based palynology permits delineation of local, as opposed to regional, climate signals and provides a baseline for study of ancient fungas. Here, the Fungi in a Warmer World project presents paleoecology and paleoclimatology of 351 fungal morphotypes from 3 sites in the United States: the Clarkia Konservat-Lagerstätte site (Idaho), the Alum Bluff site (Florida), and the Bouie River site (Mississippi). Of these, 83 fungi are identified as extant taxa and 41 are newly reported from the Miocene. Combining new plant-based paleoclimatic reconstructions with funga-based paleoclimate reconstructions, we demonstrate cooling and hydrologic changes from the Miocene climate optimum to the Serravallian. In the southeastern United States, this is comparable to that reconstructed with pollen and paleobotany alone. In the northwestern United States, cooling is greater than indicated by other reconstructions and hydrology shifts seasonally, from no dry season to a dry summer season. Our results demonstrate the utility of fossil fungi as paleoecologic and paleoclimatic proxies and that warmer than modern geological time intervals do not match the “wet gets wetter, dry gets drier” paradigm. Instead, both plants and fungi show an invigorated hydrological cycle across mid-latitude North America.