Mixed arbuscular mycorrhizae from the Triassic of Antarctica

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Issue Date
1996-02-05Author
Phipps, Charlie J.
Taylor, Thomas N.
Publisher
Mycological Society of America
Type
Article
Article Version
Scholarly/refereed, publisher version
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Show full item recordAbstract
Arbuscular mycorrhizae are the most ubiquitous
of mycorrhizal fungi, that have formed mutualistic
relationships with virtually almost all major
groups of vascular plants. Five genera of arbuscular
endomycorrhizal fungi are currently delineated, but
fossil arbuscular mycorrhizae have been allied with
only two, Glomus and Sclerocystis. A Triassic arbuscular
mycorrhiza described inhabiting the roots of Antarcticycas
was originally allied with Glomus. It is now
known to be a mixed colony comprised of fungi attributable
to the suborders Glomineae and Gigasporineae
of the Glomales, described as two new species.
The fossil Gigasporinean mycorrhiza is characterized
by irregularly swollen intercellular and intracellular
hyphae that are coiled extensively within the cells.
Arbuscules have thick trunks and narrow branches.
In the Glominean form, hyphal diameter is more uniform,
with coiling rarely present. Arbuscules have thin
trunks and fine branches. Vesicles may be lateral or
terminal. Spores are not present; therefore, the probability
of more than one species of each suborder
being represented cannot be conclusively demonstrated.
This provides the first fossil representative of
the Gigasporineae and supports current rDNA estimates
of the age of the lineage. Moreover, it is the
first reported instance of a mixed colony of arbuscular
endomycorrhizae in the fossil record.
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Citation
Phipps, Charlie J. & Taylor, Thomas N. "Mixed arbuscular mycorrhizae from the Triassic of Antarctica." Mycologia. (1996) Vol. 88, Issue 5. pp. 707-714. http://www.dx.doi.org/10.2307/3760964.
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