Deciphering interfungal relationships in the 410-million-yr-old Rhynie chert: Morphology and development of vesicle-colonizing microfungi

Harper, Carla J.; Krings, Michael; Dotzler, Nora; Taylor, Edith L.; Taylor, Thomas N.

doi:10.1016/j.geobios.2016.11.003

Cited by 17 publications

(12 citation statements)

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“…cyanobacteria, algae) in the Rhynie chert that remains generally understudied [18]. Moreover, all fungi are carbon-heterotrophic, and thus required to exploit dead organic matter and/or interact with other ecosystem constituents to obtain carbon, suggesting that the fungal interactions recorded to date from the Rhynie chert also represent only a small portion of the actual diversity [90]. The fossils of P. tayloriana detailed above, together with other, recently described minute life forms such as the cyanobacterium Rhyniosarcina devonica [13] and the alga Hagenococcus aggregatus [18], demonstrate that there is still tremendous unreported biodiversity in the Rhynie chert, and that it remains worthwhile to analyse the chert in search for new organisms.…”

Section: Summary Discussion and Conclusionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The overall morphology of T. annulifer resembles the extant genera Macrochytrium (Chytridiomycota) and Blastocladiella (Blastocladiomycota). However, the rhizoids are septate or pseudoseptate, a feature not known in extant [86][87][88], hyphae enveloping and subsequently penetrating glomeromycotinan vesicles [89] and small fungal propagules developing in glomeromycotinan vesicles (figure 2j ) [90]. Moreover, several examples of monocentric and polycentric chytrid-like organisms have been described as colonizers of fungal hyphae and spores (figure 1a -e).…”

Section: (I) Fungi -Land Plantsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Fungi and fungal interactions in the Rhynie chert: a review of the evidence, with the description ofPerexiflasca taylorianagen. et sp. nov.^†

Krings

Harper

Taylor

2017

Phil. Trans. R. Soc. B

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The Lower Devonian Rhynie chert is one of the most important rock deposits yielding comprehensive information on early continental plant, animal and microbial life. Fungi are especially abundant among the microbial remains, and include representatives of all major fungal lineages except Basidiomycota. This paper surveys the evidence assembled to date of fungal hyphae, mycelial cords and reproductive units (e.g. spores, sporangia, sporocarps), and presents examples of fungal associations and interactions with land plants, other fungi, algae, cyanobacteria and animals from the Rhynie chert. Moreover, a small, chytrid-like organism that occurs singly, in chain-like, linear arrangements, planar assemblages and three-dimensional aggregates of less than 10 to [Formula: see text] individuals in degrading land plant tissue in the Rhynie chert is formally described, and the name proposed for the organism. probably colonized senescent or atrophied plant parts and participated in the process of biological degradation. The fungal fossils described to date from the Rhynie chert constitute the largest body of structurally preserved evidence of fungi and fungal interactions from any rock deposit, and strongly suggest that fungi played important roles in the functioning of the Early Devonian Rhynie ecosystem.This article is part of a discussion meeting issue 'The Rhynie cherts: our earliest terrestrial ecosystem revisited'.

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Section: Summary Discussion and Conclusionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: (I) Fungi -Land Plantsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Fungi and fungal interactions in the Rhynie chert: a review of the evidence, with the description ofPerexiflasca taylorianagen. et sp. nov.^†

Krings

Harper

Taylor

2017

Phil. Trans. R. Soc. B

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“…Rhynie chert evidence of interfungal associations ranges from fungal mycelia and reproductive units in the lumen of other fungal reproductive units (Kidston and Lang 1921;Krings et al 2009aKrings et al , 2010aKrings et al , 2015Krings et al , 2016, to fungal hyphae enveloping and subsequently penetrating fungal vesicles (Krings and Taylor 2014b), to fungal reproductive units developing in glomeromycotan vesicles (Fig. 3.4a) (Harper et al 2017b). Moreover, numerous monocentric and polycentric chytrid-like organisms have been described as intruders of fungal hyphae and spores.…”

Section: Rhynie Chert Interfungal Interactionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Evolution and Fossil Record of Parasitism

2021

Topics in Geobiology

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Fungal parasites are important drivers in ecosystem dynamics today that can have far-reaching effects on the performance and community structure of other organisms. Knowledge of the fossil record and evolution of fungal parasitism is therefore a key component of our understanding of the complexity and functioning of ancient ecosystems. However, the fossil record of fungi as parasites remains exceedingly incomplete for several reasons. This chapter provides selected fossil examples of (putative) fungal parasites in association with land plants, algae, other fungi, and animals, and elucidates the inherent problems that often render interpretation of even the most exquisite fungal fossils difficult. Of all the potential levels of fungal interaction, parasitism is perhaps the most difficult to demonstrate in the fossil record. Different lines of evidence obtained from both the host and fungus are required to safely discriminate parasitic fungi from saprotrophs and even mutualists when examined in fossils.

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“…2017a; Harper et al . 2017; Krings & Harper 2018a) and testate amoebae (Strullu‐Derrien et al . 2019).…”

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confidence: 99%

The overlooked aquatic green algal component of early terrestrial environments: Triskelia scotlandica gen. et sp. nov. from the Rhynie cherts

Strullu‐Derrien

Hérissé

Góral

et al. 2020

Papers in Palaeontology

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As a large majority of modern green algae are freshwater rather than marine, it can be hypothesized that algae were an important component of early terrestrial environments. However, this component remains overlooked as algal affinities are difficult to decipher, due to the lack of distinctive characters observable in standard light microscopy. Herein, we use a new approach to studying microfossils from the Devonian (407 Ma) Rhynie cherts, renowned as one of the earliest exceptionally preserved terrestrial ecosystem. Using data from confocal laser scanning microscopy, the microfossils were reconstructed in 3D allowing us to gather information on morphological and physiological traits. We document Triskelia scotlandica gen. et sp. nov., which is the resting stage of a new species of microalgae. Numerous individuals were discovered preserved inside the remains of a flooded plant aerial axis. They are shown to be spheroidal to ellipsoidal walled cells, with a pseudo-reticulate surface ornamentation and occasional large openings probably resulting from the germination process. We draw comparison with fossil and modern microorganisms demonstrating morphological convergences in wall ornament and physiological traits, especially with zygospores of modern Chlorophyta. Our description of Triskelia leads us to critically evaluate the Rhynie chert fossils Cymatiosphaera and Pterospermella. We conclude that it is unlikely that the Rhynie cherts contained prasinophycean algae of these types. We suggest that our microfossils are Chlorophyta (green algae) incertae sedis that were highly adapted to the special ecological conditions encountered in a geothermal wetland.

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Deciphering interfungal relationships in the 410-million-yr-old Rhynie chert: Morphology and development of vesicle-colonizing microfungi

Cited by 17 publications

References 95 publications

Fungi and fungal interactions in the Rhynie chert: a review of the evidence, with the description ofPerexiflasca taylorianagen. et sp. nov.^†

Fungi and fungal interactions in the Rhynie chert: a review of the evidence, with the description ofPerexiflasca taylorianagen. et sp. nov.^†

The Evolution and Fossil Record of Parasitism

The overlooked aquatic green algal component of early terrestrial environments: Triskelia scotlandica gen. et sp. nov. from the Rhynie cherts

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Deciphering interfungal relationships in the 410-million-yr-old Rhynie chert: Morphology and development of vesicle-colonizing microfungi

Cited by 17 publications

References 95 publications

Fungi and fungal interactions in the Rhynie chert: a review of the evidence, with the description ofPerexiflasca taylorianagen. et sp. nov.†

Fungi and fungal interactions in the Rhynie chert: a review of the evidence, with the description ofPerexiflasca taylorianagen. et sp. nov.†

The Evolution and Fossil Record of Parasitism

The overlooked aquatic green algal component of early terrestrial environments: Triskelia scotlandica gen. et sp. nov. from the Rhynie cherts

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Product

Resources

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Fungi and fungal interactions in the Rhynie chert: a review of the evidence, with the description ofPerexiflasca taylorianagen. et sp. nov.^†

Fungi and fungal interactions in the Rhynie chert: a review of the evidence, with the description ofPerexiflasca taylorianagen. et sp. nov.^†