Stichomyces conosomatis Thaxt.

Santamaria, Sergi & Pedersen, Jan, 2021, Laboulbeniomycetes (Fungi, Ascomycota) of Denmark, European Journal of Taxonomy 781, pp. 1-425 : 248-250

Stichomyces conosomatis Thaxt.

MB#200264

Fig. 55E–G

Proceedings of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences 37: 38 ( Thaxter 1901b, as conosomae). –

Type: “ USA, Massachusetts, Belmont/Waltham, Waverley neighborhood, October 1901, R. Thaxter, on Sepedophilus littoreus (L., 1758), slide FH 00313505 ”; FH. [lectotype designated by Haelewaters et al. 2015b: 471]

Stichomyces europaeus T.Majewski ( Majewski 1973a: 121) [MB#324091]

Diagnostic features

Cell II giving rise to one or two perithecia on opposite sides, usually from the same axial cell. Cell III giving rise to perithecia, to antheridial or to sterile branchlets. The appendage as a continuation of the receptacle forms a median axis in symmetrical thalli ( Fig. 55E ). [Detailed descriptions: Thaxter 1908; Santamaria 1989; Majewski 1994b]

Distribution and hosts

Exclusively associated with beetles of the genus Sepedophilus (= Conosoma Kraatz, 1857 ) (Col. Staphylinidae Tachyporinae ). Recently it has been recorded on Speonemadus Jeannel, 1922 (Col. Leiodidae ) from Portugal by Reboleira et al. (2017), a rare case of host shift (sensu Rossi 2011). This species occurs in Europe ( Spain, United Kingdom, France, Belgium, Italy, Poland, Greece), Northern Africa ( Algeria), Eastern Asia ( Japan) and North America ( USA) ( Majewski 2008). Also in Sweden ( Huggert 2010), the Netherlands ( Haelewaters & De Kesel 2010), Ecuador ( Bernardi et al. 2014), Panama ( Haelewaters et al. 2017), Portugal ( Reboleira et al. 2017), Bulgaria ( Rossi et al. 2019a), and Slovakia ( Rossi et al. 2019b).

Collections examined from Denmark

On Sepedophilus immaculatus (Stephens, 1832) (Col. Staphylinidae Tachyporinae ) DENMARK – Nordøstsjaelland (NEZ) • Indelukket ved Frederiksborg Slot ; 55°56.191′ N, 12°17.861′ E; UC30; 19 Mar. 2017; JP 673; JP det.; ZMUC C-F-123162 .

On S epedophilus nigripennis (Stephens, 1832) (Col. Staphylinidae Tachyporinae ) DENMARK – Fyn (F) • Ristinge ; 54°49.793′ N, 10°38.242′ E; PF07; 7 Jun. 1940; Christiani Dry0184; Christiani det.; ZMUC C-F-124249 .

On Sepedophilus pedicularius (Gravenhorst, 1802) (Col. Staphylinidae Tachyporinae ) DENMARK – Fyn (F) • Åløkke ; 55°20.398′ N, 10°43.115′ E; PG03; Sep. 1896; N.P. Jørgensen Dry0181; N.P. Jørgensen det.; ZMUC C-F-124246 . – Nordøstsjaelland (NEZ) • Hillerød ; 55°55.716′ N, 12°18.312′ E; UC30; 6 Apr. 1882; Schiødte Dry0182; Schiødte det.; ZMUC C-F-124247 • Løjesø ; 55°49.922′ N, 12°28.867′ E; UB49; 28 Mar. 1954; Johs. Petersen Dry0183; Johs. Petersen det.; ZMUC C-F-124248 . – Nordvestsjaelland (NWZ) • Sonnerup Skov ; 55°56.643′ N, 11°34.213′ E; PH60; 1 Apr. 2017; JP 249; JP det.; ZMUC C-F-122729 .

On Sepedophilus testaceus (Fabricius, 1793) (Col. Staphylinidae Tachyporinae ) DENMARK – Bornholm (B) • Raghammer Odde ; 55°1.193′ N, 14 55.777′ E; VA99; 13 Sep. 2016; JP 120; JP det.; ZMUC C-F-122597 . – Nordøstjylland (NEJ) • Bønderskoven i Tofte Skov ; 56°49.955′ N, 10°14.981′ E; NH79; 19 May 2013; JP 315; JP det.; ZMUC C-F-122794 . – Nordøstsjaelland (NEZ) • Bognaes Storskov ; 55°41.242′ N, 12°1.678′ E; UB17; 1 Aug. 2013; JP 364; JP det.; ZMUC C-F-122847 • Brøndby ; 55°39.245′ N, 12°24.778′ E; UB37; 10 May 2014; JP 150; JP det.; ZMUC C-F-122630 • Klinten ved Selsø ; 55°44.158′ N, 11°59.634′ E; PG88; 11 Mar. 2007; JP 519; JP det.; ZMUC C-F-123002 .

Remarks

First record from Denmark. This species is extremely variable in number of perithecia, length and branching of appendages, and pigmentation. It may represent a collective species; thus further studies are needed to distinguish probably undescribed taxa.

Figures

Fig. 55. A–B. Rossiomyces falcatus (T.Majewski) R.K.Benj. A. Mature thallus. B. Immature thallus showing labelled cells I, II, III, primary septum (a), trichogyne (tr), and spinous process from the original spore apex (sx). – C–D. Sphaleromyces lathrobii Thaxt. C. Mature thallus showing protrusion of cell III (arrow). D. Mature thallus from Spain showing labelled cells I, II and III. – E–G. Stichomyces conosomatis Thaxt. Mature thalli. Scale bars: 50 µm. Photographs from slides ZMUC C-F-122733 (A–B), ZMUC C-F-124186 (C), BCB-SS1543a (D), ZMUC C-F-122729 (E, G), ZMUC C-F-122630 (F).