Devonian fungi: interactions with the green alga Palaeonitella

Abstract

This paper describes three new taxa of fossil aquatic fungi preserved in 400-million-yr-old Lower Devonian Rhynie Chert. All of the fungal morphotypes are attached to cells of the green alga Palaeonitella cranii. Milleromyces rhyniensis is characterized by a holocarpic, epibiotic zoosporangium with an elongate discharge tube that penetrates the host cell wall. In Lyonomyces pyriformis the globose-pyriform thallus is embedded in the surface coating of the cell wall. Krispiromyces is extramatrical, holocarpic, and characterized by a short beak-like discharge papilla. Although not all life history stages are represented, the discovery of these Lower Devonian forms greatly expands our knowledge of the biology and diversity of aquatic fungi in an ancient freshwater ecosystem. -from Authors