| Abstract Detail
Recent Topics Posters Phipps, Carlie J. [1]. Entopeltacites from the Miocene of Clarkia, Idaho. The identification of fungi based on morphological characters has never been particularly easy because of the superficial similarities shared by so many taxa and the phenotypic plasticity many exhibit. There are, however, certain groups of fungi whose vegetative structures are distinctive enough to identify them on the basis of hyphal morphology, one of which is the Vizellaceae. The group, known since the Eocene from locations as disparate as Australia and Tennessee, is a small family containing approximately twenty extant and seven fossil species. A new representative of the genus Entopeltacites within the Vizellaceae is described from the Miocene Clarkia locality of Idaho, USA. These fungi are present only on leaves of Persea. Hyphae extend across the entire leaf surfaces in straight lines, branching at 30 to 60 degree angles, rarely close to 90, with overlap between adjacent colonies. The hyphae are 4 to 5 micrometers in diameter, and regularly alternate between dark segments that are 8 to 11 micrometers long and hyaline segments that are 20 to 26 micrometers long. Single-celled hyphopodia are present but infrequent. Reproductive structures are 30 to 80 micrometers in diameter and are ostiolate, but internal structures are not preserved. No spores are present. This fungus differs from the other known species of Entopeltacites in its combination of hyphal and reproductive features, particularly in the regularity of cell type alternation.
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1 - State University of New York Institute of Technology, Department of Math/Science, P.O. Box 3050, Utica, NY, 13504-3050
Keywords:
Clarkia
fossil fungi
Miocene
Vizellaceae
Entopeltacites.
Presentation Type: Recent Topics Poster
Session: 33-115
Location: Salon C, D & E - Gov Ballroom/Hilton
Date: Tuesday, August 16th, 2005
Time: 12:30 PM
Abstract ID:674 |
