Spiropes deightonii M.B. Ellis, Mycol. Pap. 114: 18, 1968

Bermudez-Cova, Miguel A., Hofmann, Tina A., Yorou, Nourou S. & Piepenbring, Meike, 2024, Systematic revision of species of Atractilina and Spiropes hyperparasitic on Meliolales (Ascomycota) in the tropics, MycoKeys 103, pp. 167-213 : 167

Spiropes deightonii M.B. Ellis, Mycol. Pap. 114: 18, 1968

Fig. 9

Description.

Colonies effuse, olive to olivaceous-brown, velvety or hairy. Hyphae superficial, branched, septate, 0.5-2 µm wide, pale olive to olivaceous-brown, smooth. Conidiophores arising singly or in groups terminally or laterally from the hyphae, erect or ascending, straight or flexous, septate, up to 400 µm long, 2-4 µm thick along most of their length, swollen towards the apex, 5-8 µm thick, brown, reticulate as seen by SEM, with scattered cylindrical scars. Conidia solitary, straight or slightly curved, obovate to clavate, truncate at their base, 3-septate, (10-)12-14(-15) × (5-)6-8 µm, 1.5-2 µm wide at the base, the cells at each end of a conidium subhyaline or pale brown, intermediate cells brown, ornamented. As seen by SEM, the ornamentation of the spores is distinctly reticulated, with thin to thick networks that can form ridges.

Specimen examined.

On Meliola borneensis on Uvaria chamae , Sierra Leone, 1951, F.C. Deighton, (IMI 48956a, type of S. deightonii ).

Illustrations.

This species was illustrated by Ellis (1968).

Known hosts and distribution.

On colonies of Meliola borneensis on living leaves of Uvaria chamae ( Annonaceae ) in Sierra Leone ( Ellis 1968).

Notes.

Spiropes deightonii and Spiropes intricatus are the only known species of the genus that present conidiophores that swell in the areas where conidia are formed (Figs 9 , 14 ; Ellis (1968)). Spiropes intricatus differs from S. deightonii by the presence of larger conidia (16-23 µm long) that are more oblong-ellipsoid ( Ellis 1968), rather than obovate or clavate. S. deightonii is only known from the type specimen.

Figures

Figure 9. Spiropes deightonii (IMI 48956 a) a conidiophores b conidia, as seen by LM (two upper spores; the thickness of the wall is indicated only in the drawing on the left-hand side) and by SEM (bottom spore) c, d as seen by SEM c conidiophore d conidia. Scale bars: 5 μm (a, b); 8 μm (c); 5 μm (d).

Figure 14. Spiropes intricatus (IMI 106645 b-c) a conidiophores, growing on a hypha of Irenopsis sp., shown in optical section b conidia shown in optical section (the thickness of the wall is indicated only in the drawings on the upper row) and as seen by SEM (second row right) c, d as seen by SEM c conidiophore with scars d conidium. Scale bars: 5 μm (a); 3 μm (b); 7 μm (c); 8 μm (c).