Monoicomyces athetae Thaxt.

Santamaria, Sergi & Pedersen, Jan, 2021, Laboulbeniomycetes (Fungi, Ascomycota) of Denmark, European Journal of Taxonomy 781, pp. 1-425 : 328-329

Monoicomyces athetae Thaxt.

MB#257664

Fig. 80A–B

Memoirs of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences 16: 36 ( Thaxter 1931). –

Type: “ On the inferior tip of the abdomen of Atheta cinnamoptera Thomp. No. 2193, New Forest , Brockenhurst, England (Muir)”; FH.

Diagnostic features

Primary appendage unbranched, not exceeding in length the perithecial apices. Cell III inflated, with lower portion blackened. Secondary appendages absent, or rudimentary and then at most one for each antheridium ( Fig. 80A , arrow). Stalk cell of perithecium narrowing and darkening near the base ( Fig. 80B , *). Perithecium strongly asymmetric in side view, “ham shaped”; the tip with two rounded protuberances at one side ( Fig. 80B , *). [Detailed description: Majewski 1994b]

Distribution and hosts

This species is known from the United Kingdom, Germany, Poland, Czech Republic, Norway ( Majewski 2008), and Sweden ( Huggert 2010). Occurs on species of the genera Atheta , Evanystes Gistel, 1856 (as Sipalia Mulsant & Rey, 1853 ), and Megaloscapa Seidlitz, 1889 (Col. Staphylinidae Aleocharinae ).

Collections examined from Denmark

On Atheta picipes (Thomson, 1856) (Col. Staphylinidae Aleocharinae ) DENMARK – Nordøstsjaelland (NEZ) • Indelukket ved Frederiksborg Slot ; 55°56.191′ N, 12°17.861′ E; UC30; 19 Mar. 2017; JP 678; JP det.; ZMUC C-F-123167 .

Remarks

First record from Denmark. Only two thalli were found on the tip of the host abdomen. This species is uncommon and difficult to detect because it grows partially concealed among the apical abdominal sternites of their hosts.

Figures

Fig. 80. Monoicomyces spp. A–B. M. athetae Thaxt. Ascospores released from perithecia can be seen. A. Mature thallus showing a rudimentary secondary appendage (arrow). B. Mature thallus showing stalk cell of perithecium narrowing and darkening near the base (*) and rounded protuberance on one side of the perithecial tip (arrow). – C. M. bolitocharae T.Majewski. Mature thallus. Scale bars: 50 µm. Photographs from slides ZMUC C-F-123167 (A–B), ZMUC C-F-123746 (C).