Fungalpedia – Note 330, Monoporisporites (Fossil Fungi)

 

Monoporisporites Hammen.

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

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

Classification: Fungi Incertae sedis, Amerosporae.

The monotypic fossil genus Monoporisporites was described by Van der Hammen (1954) from the Maastrichtian (72–66 mya) sediments of the Magdalena Valley, Eastern Cordillera, Colombia, South America. This genus includes fungal spores with small round pores. The generic diagnosis was amended by Elsik (1968), Sheffy & Dilcher (1971), and Kalgutkar & Jansonius (2000) and the following diagnosis is formulated: Spherical to subspherical, oval or elongate-elliptical, single celled, nonseptate, monohilate (or Monoporate) fungal or algal spores. The spore wall is psilate, finely punctate, or variously ornamented.

Clarke (1965) provided the following restated (not emended) diagnosis: “Fungal spores unicellular (amerosporous), spherical to subspherical, hilate or monoporate, cell wall psilate to finely punctate.” The emended diagnosis by Sheffy and Dilcher (1971) provided a combination of two previously published descriptions, that is, the restated description by Clarke (1965) and the emended description by Elsik (1968). Moreover, this genus was expanded to include punctate species; Monoporisporites globosus R.T. Clarke 1965, M. buerglii Hammen 1954 and M. minutus Hammen 1954. Kalgutkar & Jansonius (2000) included spherical and elongated spores in the genus because both shapes may be produced by the same genus or species of modern fungi. Polyporisporites Hammen, Psiammopomopiospora Sal.-Cheb. & Locq. and Reticulatisporonites Elsik are later taxonomic synonyms of Monoporisporites Hammen (Kalgutkar & Jansonius 2000). 

Synonyms: 1. Ornatisporites M.G. Parsons & G. Norris 1999; 2. Polyporisporites Hammen 1954; 3. Psiammopomopiospora Sal.-Cheb. & Locq. 1980; 4. Psiamspora Sal.-Cheb. & Locq. 1980; 5. Reticulatisporonites Elsik 1968.

Type species: Monoporisporites minutus Hammen 1954 (designated by Van der Hammen 1955) (Basionym: Monoporisporites minutus A Hammen 1954; left, top row of figures (lectotype selected by Jansonius & Hills 1976).

 

 

Figure 1 – Monoporisporites minutus. Scale bar = 8 μm. Redrawn from van der Hammen (1954).

 

References

Clarke RT. 1965 – Fungal spores from Vermejo Formation coal beds (Upper Cretaceous) of Central Colorado. Mountain Geologist 2, 85–93. 

Elsik WC. 1968 – Palynology of a Palaeocene Rockdale lignite, Milam County, Texas. 1. Morphology and taxonomy. Pollen et Spores 10(2), 263–314. 

Jansonius J, Hills LV. 1976 – Genera file of fossil spores. Special Publication, Dept. Geology, Univ. Calgary, Canada, 1–3287. 

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

Parsons MG, Norris G. 1999 – Paleogene fungi from the Caribou Hills, Mackenzie Delta, northern Canada. Palaeontographica Abt. B 250, 77–167. 

Sheffy MV, Dilcher DL. 1971 – Morphology and taxonomy of fungal spores. Palaeontographica Abt. B 133(1-3), 34–51. 

Van der Hammen T. 1954 – El desarrollo de la flora Colombiana en los periodos geologicos–1. Maestrichtiano hasta Terciaro mas inferior (Una investigacion Palinologica de la formacion de Guaduas y equivalentes). Boletin Geologico (Bogota) 2(1), 49–106.

Van der Hammen T. 1955 – Principios para la nomenclatura palinológica sistemetica. Boletin Geologico (Bogota) 2, 3–24.

 

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 27 August 2024

Back to Glossary Index Page