Dimargaris verticillata
| Dimargaris verticillata | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Fungi |
| Division: | Kickxellomycota |
| Class: | Dimargaritomycetes |
| Order: | Dimargaritales |
| Family: | Dimargaritaceae |
| Genus: | Dimargaris |
| Species: | D. verticillata |
| Binomial name | |
| Dimargaris verticillata R.K. Benj., 1959 | |
Dimargaris verticillata is a species of fungus within Kickxellomycota.
Discovery and taxonomy
D. verticillata was first described in 1959 from strains taken from mouse and frog dung in Claremont, California.[1] It is named for its verticillately arranged sporophores.[1]
Description
When grown on yeast-starch agar, colonies of D. verticillata have been described as white, becoming cream-colored with age.[1] Vegetative hyphae appear colorless, and are septate and branched, measuring roughly 2-4 μm in diameter. Haustoria begin simply, and become branched with growth.[1]
Sporophores are erect and colorless, and become "irregularly verticillately branched" with time. Sporophores produce as many as 18 branches which contain 2 cells each and are between 35-100 μm in length; these branches bear white, fertile heads.[1] Sporophores reach heights of roughly 1-3 mm; this can be used to differentiate D. verticillata from its close relative, Dimargaris cristalligena, which bears larger sporophores.[1]
Ecology and distribution
Since first discovered, D. verticillata has been known to parasitize the fungus Cokeromyces recurvatus.[1] Later studies have shown that many other fungi may be susceptible to D. verticillata parasitism, such as Mucor spp., Mortierella alpina, and Rhizopus stolonifer.[2]
In addition to California, D. verticillata has also been reported in Middlesex, England.[3]
References
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Benjamin, R. K. (June 1959). "The Merosporangiferous Mucorales" (PDF). Aliso. 4 (2): 322–433. doi:10.5642/aliso.19590402.05.
- ↑ Mandelbrot, A. K.; Erb, K. (1972-09-01). "Host Spectrum of the Mycoparasite Dimargaris verticillata". Mycologia. 64 (5): 1124–1129. doi:10.1080/00275514.1972.12019356. ISSN 0027-5514. JSTOR 3758077.
- ↑ Kirk, P. M.; Kirk, J. P. (1984-05-01). "Dimargaris, a genus new to the British isles". Transactions of the British Mycological Society. 82 (3): 551–553. doi:10.1016/S0007-1536(84)80023-6. ISSN 0007-1536.