Endocochlus
ENDOCOCHLUS Drechsler, 1935 (Mycologia 27:14), 4 species (Drechsler, 1935).
Endoparasites of amoebae. Thallus coiled, usually 3 or more times wider than the asexual hyphae; haustoria not formed. Fertile hyphae not extensive, simple or branched, unispored merosporangia formed on the protrate or erect, arial portions of the fertile hyphae. Merosporangia long-ellipsoid to fusiform, with a simple, apical appendage. Zygospores with a cupulate zygosporangial wall; suspensors hyphoid, apposed.
Type species: E. asteroides
Species of Endocochlus:
E. asteroides Drechsler, 1935 (Mycologia 27:15) (Drechsler, 1935).
E. binaris Drechsler, 1949 (Mycologia 41:245) (Drechsler, 1949).
E. brachysporus Drechsler, 1936 (Mycologia 28:367) (Drechsler, 1936).
E. gigas Drechsler, 1936 (Mycologia 28:371) (Drechsler, 1936; Jones, 1959).
Drechsler (1935) stated that the type species of Endocochlus, E. asteroides, is the most common endoparasite. Other taxa appeared in culture one or two (E. brachysporus) or four weeks (E. binaris) after inoculation with leaf mold (Drechsler, 1936, 1949). Endococlus gigas (Drechsler, 1936) was isolated from the same collection of leaf mold as E. brachysporus.
Endocochlus spp. produce a coiled thallus and erect or prostrate fertile hyphae bearing unispored merosporangia with an apical appendage. Zygospores have a collapsed zygosporangial wall (Drechsler, 1935, 1936, 1949).
Bibliography
Drechsler, C. 1935. Some conidial Phycomycetes destructive to terricolous amoebae. Mycologia 27:6-40.
Drechsler, C. 1936. New conidial Phycomycetes destructive to terricolous amoebae. Mycologia 28:363-389.
Drechsler, C. 1949. An Endocochlus having binary helicoid thalli of left-handed rotation. Mycologia 41:229-251.
Jones, F.R. 1959. Some Zoopagales from Kenya. Transactions of the British Mycological Society 42:75-89.
Updated Nov 05, 2007
