Ellisomyces
ELLISOMYCES Benny & R. K. Benjamin, 1975 (Aliso 8:330); 1 sp. (Benny and Benjamin, 1975).
Ellisomyces produces sporangiophores that arise directly from the substrate and form bi- or trifurcate apical branches that terminate in a columellate, persistent-walled, globose, multispored sporangium. Zygospores have an undulate zygosporangial wall and opposed, more or less equal suspensors (Benny and Benjamin, 1975).
Type species: E. anomalus
Species of Ellisomyces:
E. anomalus (Hesseltine & Anderson) Benny & R.K. Benjamin, 1975 (Aliso 8:330).
Ellisomyces anomalus was originally described as a species of Thamnidium (Hesseltine and Anderson, 1956). Benny and Benjamin (1975) described the genus Ellisomyces. Most cultures of E. anomalus have been isolated from dung. This fungus can be confused with Piptocephalis when first observed growing on dung. Beakes and Campos-Takaki (1984) and Beakes et al. (1984a, 1984b) studied the ultrastructure and physiology of E. anomalus.
Bibliography
Benny, G.L., and R. K. Benjamin. 1975. Observations on Thamnidiaceae (Mucorales). New taxa, new combinations, and notes on selected species. Aliso 8:301-351.
Beakes, G.W., and G.M. Campos-Takaki. 1984. Sporangiole ultrastructure in Ellisomyces anomalus (Mucorales, Thamnidiaceae). Trans. Brit. Mycol. Soc. 83:607-613.
Beakes, G.W., G.M. Campos-Takaki, and M. Takaki. 1984a. The effect of glucose concentration and light on thallopspore ultrastructure in Ellisomyces anomalus (Thamnidiaceae, Mucorales). Can. J. Bot. 62:2677-2687.
Beakes, G.W., G.M. Campos-Takaki, M. Takaki. and S.M.C. Dietrich. 1984b. Cultural, physiological and structural aspects of thallospore formation and germination in Ellisomyces anomalus (Thamnidiaceae). Trans. Brit. Mycol. Soc. 83:593-605.
Hesseltine, C.W., and P. Anderson. 1956. The genus Thamnidium and a study of the formation of its zygospores. Am. J. Bot. 43:696-703.
Updated Mar 14, 2005
