Symplectromyces vulgaris (Thaxt.) Thaxt.

Santamaria, Sergi & Pedersen, Jan, 2021, Laboulbeniomycetes (Fungi, Ascomycota) of Denmark, European Journal of Taxonomy 781, pp. 1-425 : 75-79

Symplectromyces vulgaris (Thaxt.) Thaxt.

MB#236353

Fig. 14C–L

Memoirs of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences 13: 315 ( Thaxter 1908). – Basionym: Teratomyces vulgaris Thaxt., Proceedings of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences 35: 431 ( Thaxter 1900) [MB#140379]. –

Type: “ On Quedius fulgidus Fabr. , Kiel , Schleswig Holstein ( Germany), British Museum no. 354, R.Thaxter det. Harvard University Herbaria Barcode 00313732. Slide label no. 6581”; lectotype: FH [ 00313732 ], here designated (MycoBank: MBT10002234) ( Fig. 14G, I ).

Symplectromyces lapponicus Huldén ( Huldén 1983: 69) [MB#108579]

Symplectromyces rarus Huldén ( Huldén 1983: 69) [MB#108580]

Diagnostic features

See genus description. [Detailed descriptions: Benjamin 1968, 1983; Santamaria 1989; Majewski 1994b]

Distribution and hosts

Infects species of Quedius Stephens, 1829 (Col. Staphylinidae Staphylininae ). Records on Philonthus Stephens, 1829 require confirmation. Very common in Europe ( Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Hungary, Italy, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom, Russia, former Yugoslavia), America ( Canada, USA), and Asia ( India, Burma) ( Santamaria et al. 1991). Subsequently recorded from Czech Republic ( Rossi et al. 2010), Armenia, Bulgaria, and China ( Rossi et al. 2019a).

Collections examined from Denmark

On Quedius boopoides Munster, 1923 (Col. Staphylinidae Staphylininae )

DENMARK – Fyn (F) • Knudshoved Marina ; 55°17.781′ N, 10°50.542′ E; PG12; 18 Oct. 2017; JP 588; JP det.; ZMUC C-F-123075 , C-F-123076 , C-F-123077 .

On Quedius cinctus (Paykull, 1790) (Col. Staphylinidae Staphylininae )

DENMARK – Sydsjaelland (SZ) • Sorø, Kristiansminde ; 55°25.115′ N, 11°35.209′ E; PG64; 1–15 Aug. 2013; JP 526; JP det.; ZMUC C-F-123010 .

On Quedius fuliginosus (Gravenhorst, 1802) (Col. Staphylinidae Staphylininae )

DENMARK – Østjylland (EJ) • Dollerup Bakker ; 56°21.897′ N, 9°19.716′ E; NH24; 17 May 2013; H. Liljehult 161; JP det.; ZMUC C-F-122640 .

On Quedius longicornis Kraatz, 1857 (Col. Staphylinidae Staphylininae )

DENMARK – Nordvestjylland (NWJ) • Syd for Stårup ; 56°34.792′ N, 9°5.958′ E; NH07; 6 Feb. 2015; JP 374; JP det.; ZMUC C-F-122857 .

On Quedius maurorufus (Gravenhorst, 1806) (Col. Staphylinidae Staphylininae )

DENMARK – Østjylland (EJ) • Serup Skov ; 56°14.504′ N, 9°28.051′ E; NH23; 26 Mar. 2017; JP 244; JP det.; ZMUC C-F-122724 . – Nordøstsjaelland (NEZ) • Damhusengen ; 55°41.246′ N, 12°28.287′ E; UB49; 23 Apr. 2013; H. Liljehult 201; JP det.; ZMUC C-F-122680 . – Nordvestjylland (NWJ) • Nord for Landting ved Vinderup ; 56°30.049′ N, 8°45.384′ E; MH86; 19 Jan. 2015; JP 561; JP det.; ZMUC C-F-123047 . – Sydsjaelland (SZ) • Denderup Sø i Denderup Vaenge ; 55°15.075′ N, 11°57.366′ E; PG82; 5 May 2016; JP 498; JP det.; ZMUC C-F-122982 . – Vestjylland (WJ) • Velling ; 56°3.078′ N, 8°18.596′ E; MH51; 16 Dec. 2018; JP 1263; JP det.; ZMUC C-F-123791 .

On Quedius mesomelinus (Marsham, 1802) (Col. Staphylinidae Staphylininae )

DENMARK – Østjylland (EJ) • Kjellerup ; 56°17.614′ N, 9°26.106′ E; NH23; 18 Nov. 2017; JP 817; JP det.; ZMUC C-F-123311 . – Nordøstsjaelland (NEZ) • Islev ; 55°42.351′ N, 12°26.211′ E; UB37; 20 Oct. 2018; JP 1215; JP det.; ZMUC C-F-123742 • Sydsjaelland (SZ) • Gammel Kalvehave ; 54°59.745′ N, 12°8.232′ E; UA19; 24 Mar. 2018; JP 1014; JP det.; ZMUC C-F-123521 .

On Quedius persimilis Mulsant & Rey, 1876 (Col. Staphylinidae Staphylininae )

DENMARK – Lolland, Falster, Møn (LFM) • Ulvshale ; 55°2.301′ N, 12°16.244′ E; UB20; 25 Sep. 2016; JP 146; JP det.; ZMUC C-F-122625 .

On Quedius semiobscurus (Marsham, 1802) (Col. Staphylinidae Staphylininae )

DENMARK – Nordøstsjaelland (NEZ) • Nordøst for Bispebjerg Station ; 55°42.508′ N, 12°32.786′ E; UB47; 22 Aug. 2016; JP 118; JP det.; ZMUC C-F-122595 .

On Quedius truncicola Fairmaire & Laboulbène, 1856 (Col. Staphylinidae Staphylininae )

DENMARK – Nordøstsjaelland (NEZ) • Dyrehaven ; 55°47.347′ N, 12°33.957′ E; UB47; 15 Jun. 2017; H. Liljehult 441; JP det.; ZMUC C-F-122926 • Gribskov, Faendriksvang ; 56°1.005′ N, 12°21.245′ E; UC30; 2 Jul. 2017; J. Heilmann-Clausen et al. 1234; A.K. Hansen det.; ZMUC C-F-123761 .

On Quedius umbrinus Erichson, 1839 (Col. Staphylinidae Staphylininae )

DENMARK – Østjylland (EJ) • Grejsdal syd for Hornstrup ; 55°44.791′ N, 9°33.051′ E; NG37; 8 Mar. 2014; JP 750; JP det.; ZMUC C-F-123244 • Klostermølle ; 56°2.432′ N, 9°41.629′ E; NH41; 20 May 2013; JP 369; JP det.; ZMUC C-F-122852 • ibid.; 14 Feb. 2019; JP 1350; JP det.; ZMUC C-F-123889 . – Lolland, Falster, Møn (LFM) • Vest for Bandholm ; 54°50.303′ N, 11°28.050′ E; PF57; 3 Jan. 2019; JP 1337; JP det.; ZMUC C-F-123876 . – Nordøstsjaelland (NEZ) • Indelukket ved Frederiksborg Slot ; 55°56.191′ N, 12°17.861′ E; UC30; 3 Apr. 2015; H. Liljehult 25; JP det.; ZMUC C-F-122498 • ibid.; 19 Mar. 2017; JP 676; JP det.; ZMUC C-F-123165 . – Sydsjaelland (SZ) • Krobaek i Sjolte Skov ; 55°10.772′ N, 12°0.863′ E; UB11; 17 Feb. 2019; JP 1383; JP det.; ZMUC C-F-123925 .

On Quedius xanthopus Erichson, 1839 (Col. Staphylinidae Staphylininae )

DENMARK – Lolland, Falster, Møn (LFM) • Nyord ; 55°2.885′ N, 12°12.380′ E; UB20; 27 Apr. 2013; JP 843; JP det.; ZMUC C-F-123338 . – Nordøstsjaelland (NEZ) • Dyrehaven ; 55°47.347′ N, 12°33.957′ E; UB47; 24 Feb. 2014; H. Liljehult 200; JP det.; ZMUC C-F-122679 .

Other material examined

Lectotype of Symplectromyces vulgaris (here designated)

“ Symplectromyces vulgaris , slide from FH, #6581, barcode 00313732, type, on Quedius fulgidus Fabr. , from Schleswig-Holstein ( Germany), ex British Museum coll. no. 354”; lectotype: FH [00313732], here designated (MycoBank: MBT10002234). [slide includes eight mature thalli and three broken portions in very poor condition ( Fig. 14G, I )]

Remarks

First record from Denmark. The species was described as Teratomyces vulgaris from no less than seven localities without mentioning a type ( Thaxter 1900). Here, we designate a lectotype from the single slide received from FH (see above under other material examined) which is labelled as the type (although never explicitly published as such). According to Botanical Databases from Harvard University Herbaria (https://huh.harvard.edu/) this is the only slide labelled as Symplectromyces or Teratomyces vulgaris kept in that herbarium. This slide includes thalli in poor condition, full of crystals that completely cover and hide parts of them; we reproduce here two photographs from the lectotype for its documentary interest ( Fig. 14G, I ).

Symplectromyces vulgaris may be thought as a very variable species, following Majewski (1994b) who considered it in a broad sense. Majewski synonymized S. lapponicus and S. rarus with S. vulgaris because characteristics such as the length of cell VI and the number or length of secondary appendages have been regarded of little importance. We have had the opportunity to study abundant material of this species from the Danish samples as well as many others that we have from Canada (unpublished). It is difficult to separate species among the mess of morphs we have, but we are almost convinced that this would be possible and S. vulgaris should be regarded as a species complex. Further studies, with the help of more modern tools, probably will lead us to this conclusion. The study of a type slide from FH does not help us for splitting the species. From a conservative point of view, currently, we prefer to follow Majewski’s thoughts.

We want to highlight the thalli found on Quedius boopoides (ZMUC C-F-123075) that have very outstanding characteristics that would well deserve their segregation as a new species ( Fig. 14H, J ). As a more notorious feature, the darkening and constriction of the base of cell VI warrants mention ( Fig. 14H , arrow).

Figures

Fig. 14. A–B. Idiomyces peyritschii Thaxt. Mature thalli. – C–L. Symplectromyces vulgaris (Thaxt.) Thaxt. C. Mature thallus from Quedius umbrinus with labelled cells IIa, IIb, and III. D. Mature thallus from Quedius xanthopus. E. Mature thallus from Quedius mesomelinus. F–G. Details of appendages with seriated antheridia (G, in poor condition is from lectotype). H–J. Thalli from Quedius boopoides, with detail of dark cell VI in H (arrow). I. Mature thallus from lectotype slide. K. Ascospore. L. Very young thallus showing ascospore original spinous apex, the sx (arrow). Scale bars: A–B, G–H, J, L = 50 µm; C–E, I = 100 µm; F, K = 25 µm. Photographs from slides ZMUC C-F-122507 (A–B), ZMUC C-F-122498 (C), ZMUC C-F-122679 (D, K), ZMUC C-F-123742 (E–F), FH6581 (lectotype) (G, I), ZMUC C-F-123075 (H, J), ZMUC C-F-123521 (L).