Fungalpedia – Note 252, Ramasricellites (Fossil Fungi)

 

Ramasricellites Kalgutkar & Janson. 

Citation when using this entry: Saxena RK & Hyde KD. 2024 (in prep) – Fungalpedia, Fossil Fungi. 

Index Fungorum, Facesoffungi, MycoBank, GenBank, Fig. 1 

Classification: Fossil Ascomycota, Incertae sedis.

The monotypic fossil genus Ramasricellites was instituted by Kalgutkar & Jansonius (2000) to accommodate Multicellaesporites differentialis, originally described by Ramanujam & Srisailam (1980) from the Warkalli Beds (Miocene, 23–5 mya) of Palayangadi and Cheruvattur, Kannur District, Kerala, India. This genus includes inaperturate, tetracellate, ellipsoidal (25–35 × 7–8.5 μm) fungal spores, with central two cells broader (6.8 × 8.5 μm), thicker walled and more pigmented than the terminal cells. Terminal two cells thin-walled to hyaline (1.7 μm thick) with rounded ends (9 × 5.1 μm), tapering. Transverse septa (or septal bases) thick and dark, band-like (up to 2.5 μm thick) and evenly spaced. Surface psilate uniformly. The sharp differentiation between the dark, broad central cells, and the narrower, elongated hyaline terminal cells, as well as the lack of constriction at the median septum, differentiate this form from species in multicellites. The generic name is a composite of the beginnings of the surnames of C.G.K. Ramanujam, and K. Srisailam (the authors of the type species) of the Department of Botany, Osmania University, Hyderabad, India.

Basionym: Multicellaesporites differentialis Ramanujam & Srisailam 1980.

Type Species: Ramasricellites differentialis (Ramanujam & Srisailam) Kalgutkar & Janson. 2000.

 

Figure 1 – Ramasricellites differentialis. Scale bar = 10 μm. Redrawn from Ramanujam & Srisailam (1980).

 

References

Kalgutkar RM, Jansonius J. 2000 – Synopsis of fungal spores, mycelia and fructifications. AASP Contribution Series 39, 1–423. 

Ramanujam CGK, Srisailam K. 1980 – Fossil fungal spores from the Neogene Beds around Cannanore in Kerala state. Botanique 9, 119–138.

 

Entry by

Ramesh K. Saxena, Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeosciences, Lucknow, India

 

(Edited by Kevin D. Hyde, Samaneh Chaharmiri-Dokhaharani, & Achala R. Rathnayaka)

 

Published online 20 May 2024

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