The new lichenized fungus genus, which was detected in the region by Prof. Dr. Mehmet Gökhan Halıcı, a faculty member at the Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, who attended the first Turkish team conducting scientific researches in Antarctica, has been named after Piri Reis, who illustrated the continent on his map about 300 years before its discovery.
The lichenized fungus genus has been registered given the name of "Leptogium Pirireisii" by Prof. Dr. Mehmet Gökhan Halici and a PhD student, Merve Kahraman Yigit in TUBITAK 1001 project, numbered 118Z587 and coordinated by Prof. Dr. Mehmet Gökhan Halici, aiming to determine the lichen biodiversity of James Ross Island in Antarctica.
Ahmed Muhiddin Piri, known as Piri Reis, whose famous map, published in 1513, includes Antarctica and Falkland Islands around Antarctica, served as an admiral, a cartographer, geographer and navigator in the Ottoman Empire.
Our Rector, Prof. Dr. Mustafa Çalış congratulated Prof. Dr. Mehmet Gökhan Halıcı and Merve Kahraman Yiğit and told that they are proud of this naming. He also wished them success.
