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Fossil fungi with suggested affinities to the Endogonaceae from the Middle Triassic of Antarctica
Krings, Michael Taylor, Thomas N. Dotzler, Nora Persichini, Gianna
Krings, Michael
Taylor, Thomas N.
Dotzler, Nora
Persichini, Gianna
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Abstract
Documented fossil evidence of zygomycetous fungi is rare. A conspicuous fungal fossil, Jimwhitea circumtecta gen. et sp. nov., occurs in permineralized peat from the Middle Triassic of Antarctica. The fossil is interpreted as a mantled zygosporangium that buds from a macrogametangium subtended by a sac-like macrosuspensor. The macrogametangium is united at its tip with a microgametangium which is subtended by a micro-suspensor. This configuration is strikingly similar to the zygosporangium-gametangia complexes seen in certain modern Endogonaceae. Co-occurring with J. circumtecta are isolated propagules closely resembling the zygosporangium of J. circumtecta and a portion of a sporocarp containing zygosporangia embedded in a gleba. Several of the sporangia are borne on ovoid or elongate structures, which we interpret as gametangia. These fossils offer an exceptionally detailed view of the morphology and reproductive biology of early Mesozoic zygomycetes.
Description
This is the publisher's version, also available from http://www.mycologia.org/content/104/4/835.
Date
2012-07-01
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The Mycological Society of America
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Keywords
Endogone, Fremouw formation, Gametangium, Hyphal mantle, Jimwhitea circumtecta, Permineralized peat, Sporocarp, Zygosporangium
Citation
Michael Krings, Thomas N. Taylor, Nora Dotzler, and Gianna Persichini. "Fossil fungi with suggested affinities to the Endogonaceae from the Middle Triassic of Antarctica." Mycologia, 104(4), 2012, pp. 835–844. http://www.dx.doi.org/10.3852/11-384.