Basidiobolaceae

Overview

The Basidiobolaceae has classically been the second family recognized in the Entomophthorales (see the ordinal discussion for references). Only a single genus has been included here. Basidiobolus is unique in the order for several reasons: (1) a subsporangial vesicle is formed, (2) sporangiolar dehiscence is the result of rupture of the subsporangial vesicle, (3) the sporangiola, and in some species some vegetative cells, can appear multispored because of internal protoplast production, (4) accessory cells are formed on the gametangia, (5) all cells are uninucleate, and (6) the relatively large nucleus has a nucleolus, but no heterochromatin. These characters are discussed in some detail by Benjamin (1979), Humber (1981), and Ben-Ze’ev and Kenneth (1982).

Basidiobolaceae Claussen, 1924 (In Engler and Gilg, Syll. Pflanzenfam. 9 & 10 ed., p. 45).

With the characteristics of the order.

Type genus: Basidiobolus Eidam.

A single Genus

BASIDIOBOLUS Eidam, 1886 (Beitr. Biol. Pflanzen 4: 194); 5 spp. (Thaxter, 1888—ILLUS.; Benjamin, 1962—ILLUS.; Drechsler, 1947—ILLUS., 1955—ILLUS., 1956—ILLUS., 1964—ILLUS.; Srinivasan and Thirumalacher, 1967—illus.; Coremans-Pelseneer, 1974—revision; King, 1979; Ben-Ze’ev and Kenneth, 1982).
?= Ichthyosporidium Caullery & Mesnil, 1905 (Compt.-Rend. Hebd. SÃ©ances Soc. Biol. 1905: 640).
?= Ichthyophonus Plehn & Mulsow, 1911 (Zentbl. Bakteriol. 1 Abt., Originale 59: 68).

Updated Jan 31, 2009