Haloguignardia

Fungalpedia – Note 2201, Haloguignardia

Haloguignardia. Cribb & J.W. Cribb.

Citation when using this data: Dayarathne MC et al. 2025 – Fungalpedia, Ascomycota.

Index Fungorum, Facesoffungi, MycoBank, GenBank

Classification: Lulworthiaceae, Lulworthiales, Lulworthiomycetidae, Sordariomycetes, Pezizomycotina, Ascomycota, Fungi

Parasitic forming galls on marine algae (Phaeophyta). Sexual morph: Ascomata perithecial, subglobose or ellipsoidal, immersed in gall tissue, ostiolate, short papillate, coriaceous, hyaline, periphysate. Paraphyses absent. Asci 8-spored ellipsoidal, clavate or cylindrical, unitunicate, thin-walled early deliquescing. Ascospores ellipsoidal to fusiform, aseptate, hyaline, conical end, chambered or with a mucilaginous appendage. Asexual morph: Spermogonia on separate algal galls, ostiolate, periphysate, short papillate, spermatia ellipsoidal, aseptate, hyaline.

Notes – Haloguignardia was introduced by Cribb and Cribb (1956), from marine algae with members of the genus collected exclusively from the marine environment (Cribb & Cribb 1956, Alongi et al. 1999). The genus resembles Guignardia but differs in forming distinct galls on marine brown algae of the order Fucales, by the early deliquescent asci, and by the unique spore apices which are hyaline, acute, and deciduous or non-deciduous, and into each of which there projects a small peg-like projection from the main body of the spore (Cribb & Cribb 1956, Alongi et al. 1999). Two species previously referred to the genus, Guignardia irritans and G. tumefaciens, were transferred to Haloguignardia by Cribb and Cribb (1956). This genus comprises six species namely, H. cystoseirae, H. decidua, H. irritans, H. longispora, H. oceanica and H. tumefaciens. Inderbitzin et al. (2004) showed that the genera Spathulospora and Haloguignardia had affinities within the Lulworthiales.

Sequence data are only available for H. irritans. Haloguignardia species need to be recollected, isolated and sequenced to better understand their phylogenetic relationships. Currently, only an 18S sequence is available for this species which grouped within the clade of Paralulworthia. Therefore, a wider range of genes may resolve its taxonomical placement.

Ultrastructural studies of the apical chambers/appendages are required to compare with those of Lulworthia species to better understand the release of mucilage from the appendages and their function (Jones 1994, Yusoff et al. 1995). Kohlmeyer and Kohlmeyer (1979) illustrated the ascospore of Haloguignardia oceanica with a pointed end chamber, which was subsequently lost, but it is not clear if this deliquesces or mucilage is released from the end chamber.

Type species: Haloguignardia decidua Cribb & J.W. Cribb

Other accepted species: Species Fungorum – search Haloguignardia.

References

Alongi G, Catra M, Cormaci M. 1999 – First record of Haloguignardia cystoseira (Ascomycota) parasitic on Cystoseira elegans (Fucophyceae) from the Mediterranean Sea. Botanica Marina 44, 33–35.

Cribb AB, Cribb JW. 1956 – Marine Fungi from Queensland-II. University of Queensland Papers, Department of Botany 3, 97–105.

Inderbitzin P, Lim SR, Volkmann-Kohlmeyer B, Kohlmeyer J et al. 2004 – The phylogenetic position of Spathulospora based on DNA sequences from dried herbarium material. Mycol Res 108, 737–748.

Jones EBG. 1994 – Fungal adhesion. Mycol Res 98, 961–981.

Kohlmeyer J, Kohlmeyer E. 1979 – Marine mycology: the higher fungi. Academic Press, New York.

Yusoff M, Jones EBG, Moss ST. 1995 – Ascospore ultrastructure in the marine genera Lulworthia Sutherland and Lindra Wilson. Cryptogamie Botany 5, 307–315.

Entry by

Monika Dayarathne, Center of Excellence in Fungal Research, Mae Fah Luang University, Chiang Rai 57100, Thailand.

Published online 26 March 2026