Zoosporic Fungal Bodies in the Spores of the Devonian Fossil Vascular Plant, †<i>Horneophyton</i>

Illman, W. I.

doi:10.1080/00275514.1984.12023876

Cited by 18 publications

(13 citation statements)

References 6 publications

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“…Hyphae, the vegetative body of fungi, bear few distinctive morphological characters, and organisms as diverse as cyanobacteria, eukaryotic algal groups, or Oomycetes can be easily mistaken for them. The most convincing evidence for the presence of fungi is fungal fossils associated with plants, including arbuscular mycorrhizae (9, 10) and ascomycetous or chytrid parasites (11,12). The previously reported oldest fungal fossils originate nearly exclusively from a sinible.…”

Section: Glomalean Fungi From the Ordovicianmentioning

confidence: 97%

Glomalean Fungi from the Ordovician

Redecker

Kodner

Graham

2000

Science

989

552

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Fossilized fungal hyphae and spores from the Ordovician of Wisconsin (with an age of about 460 million years) strongly resemble modern arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (Glomales, Zygomycetes). These fossils indicate that Glomales-like fungi were present at a time when the land flora most likely only consisted of plants on the bryophytic level. Thus, these fungi may have played a crucial role in facilitating the colonization of land by plants, and the fossils support molecular estimates of fungal phylogeny that place the origin of the major groups of terrestrial fungi (Ascomycota, Basidiomycota, and Glomales) around 600 million years ago.

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Section: Glomalean Fungi From the Ordovicianmentioning

confidence: 97%

Glomalean Fungi from the Ordovician

Redecker

Kodner

Graham

2000

Science

989

552

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“…Chytrids are known from the Rhynie Chert and several chytrid morphotypes and life strategies have been identified, including epibiotic and endobiotic holocarpic and eucarpic forms associated with aquatic algae, land plants, and land plant and fungal spores [8–10, 14–20]. Among the latter are both monocentric and polycentric forms [6, 8].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…[4–8]), whilst interactions in freshwater involve fungi and algae [9, 10]; the latter also contain the earliest continental branchiopod crustaceans [11–13]. Fossil remains of Chytridiomycota (chytrids) and Blastocladiomycota (blastoclads) have been reported from both environments [8–10, 14–20]. These true Fungi are early diverging lineages in the fungal tree of life that reproduce with motile spores (zoospores).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Zoosporangia are thin-walled whereas resting sporangia are thick-walled structures that may germinate to produce a sporangium after a dormant period. Fossil remains of chytrids (Chytridiomycota and Blastocladiomycota) have been reported from both environments [8–10, 14–20]. Chytrids are true Fungi that are an early diverging lineage in the fungal tree of life [21, 22].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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A New Chytridiomycete Fungus Intermixed with Crustacean Resting Eggs in a 407-Million-Year-Old Continental Freshwater Environment

et al. 2016

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The 407-million-year-old Rhynie Chert (Scotland) contains the most intact fossilised remains of an early land-based ecosystem including plants, arthropods, fungi and other microorganisms. Although most studies have focused on the terrestrial component, fossilised freshwater environments provide critical insights into fungal-algal interactions and the earliest continental branchiopod crustaceans. Here we report interactions between an enigmatic organism and an exquisitely preserved fungus. The fungal reproductive structures are intermixed with exceptionally well-preserved globular spiny structures interpreted as branchiopod resting eggs. Confocal laser scanning microscopy enabled us to reconstruct the fungus and its possible mode of nutrition, the affinity of the resting eggs, and their spatial associations. The new fungus (Cultoraquaticus trewini gen. et sp. nov) is attributed to Chytridiomycota based on its size, consistent formation of papillae, and the presence of an internal rhizoidal system. It is the most pristine fossil Chytridiomycota known, especially in terms of rhizoidal development and closely resembles living species in the Rhizophydiales. The spiny resting eggs are attributed to the crustacean Lepidocaris rhyniensis, dating branchiopod adaptation to life in ephemeral pools to the Early Devonian. The new fungal interaction suggests that, as in modern freshwater environments, chytrids were important to the mobilisation of nutrients in early aquatic foodwebs.

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“…To date, the most convincing chytrid fossils come from the Early Devonian Rhynie chert ecosystem (Taylor et al 2004a, b), which is dated at approximately 410 Ma (Pragian) (Fig. The fossils occur both within the silica matrix (Kidston and Lang1921b) and associated with land plants (Illman 1984), charophytes (Taylor et al 1992a), degraded plant material (Boullard and Lemoigne 1971), and fungal spores (Hass et al 1994;Krings et al 2009a). The fossils occur both within the silica matrix (Kidston and Lang1921b) and associated with land plants (Illman 1984), charophytes (Taylor et al 1992a), degraded plant material (Boullard and Lemoigne 1971), and fungal spores (Hass et al 1994;Krings et al 2009a).…”

Section: A Chytridiomycotamentioning

confidence: 99%

Systematics and Evolution

McLaughlin¹,

Spatafora²

2015

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Zoosporic Fungal Bodies in the Spores of the Devonian Fossil Vascular Plant, †Horneophyton

Cited by 18 publications

References 6 publications

Glomalean Fungi from the Ordovician

Glomalean Fungi from the Ordovician

A New Chytridiomycete Fungus Intermixed with Crustacean Resting Eggs in a 407-Million-Year-Old Continental Freshwater Environment

Systematics and Evolution

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