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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Beltsville, Maryland (BARC) » Beltsville Agricultural Research Center » Sustainable Perennial Crops Laboratory » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #360113
Research Project: Develop Pest Management Technologies and Strategies to Control the Coffee Berry Borer

Location: Sustainable Perennial Crops Laboratory

Title: A mid-Cretaceous trichomycete, Priscadvena corymbiatus gen. et sp. nov., in Burmese amber

Author
item POINAR, GEORGE - Oregon State University
item Vega, Fernando

Submitted to: Fungal Biology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/19/2019
Publication Date: 5/1/2019
Citation: Poinar, G., Vega, F.E. 2019. A mid-Cretaceous trichomycete, Priscadvena corymbiatus gen. et sp. nov., in Burmese amber. Fungal Biology. 123:393-396.

Interpretive Summary: A new fungal species in the Class Trichomycetes is described from a click beetle (Coleoptera: Elateridae) in mid-Cretaceous Burmese amber. The specimen contains a combination of features unknown in extant Trichomycetes, such as branched, septate, spiny, aerial thalli with the entire thallus functioning as a multi-spore sporangium with numerous small unicellular spores. The new morphological and behavior features of the fossil add to the diversity of the Trichomycetes.

Technical Abstract: A trichomycete, Priscadvena corymbiatus gen. et sp. nov., is described from thalli and sporangia emerging from the oral cavity of a click beetle (Elateridae: Coleoptera) in mid-Cretaceous Burmese amber. Aside from the previously unreported click beetle host, the fossil contains a combination of features unknown in extant Trichomycetes, such as branched, septate, spiny, aerial thalli with the entire thallus functioning as a multi-spore sporangium with numerous small unicellular spores. This is the first record of a trichomycete producing aerial thalli and sporangia from the oral cavity of an insect. Based on the above, Priscadvena corymbiatus gen. et sp. nov. is placed in a new family, Priscadvenaceae fam. nov., and new Order, Priscadvenales ord. nov. The new morphological and behavior features of the fossil add to the diversity of the Trichomycetes.