Fungalpedia – Note 256, Lirasporis (Fossil Fungi)

 

Lirasporis R. Potonié & S.C.D Sah.

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

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

Classification: Fossil Fungi, Incertae sedis

The monotypic fossil genus Lirasporis was instituted by Potonié & Sah (1960) from the Late Miocene-Pliocene (10.4–2.6 mya) sediments of Kannur District, Kerala, India. Fungal bodies included in this genus have oval and somewhat smooth outline, except for the longitudinal ends, which are always nearly notched. The longitudinal ends are broadly rounded or somewhat tapering, sometimes showing irregular protuberances that form a jumbled mass. There are 20–30 narrow, parallel ribs following the longer axis, showing spaced grana between them. Jain & Kar (1979) emended the generic diagnosis to include oval elliptical with equal or unequal, broad, and generally notched ends. The mycelia are long, septate, ± parallel to one another, extending from one end to the other. The wall is generally laevigate, sometimes granulose. Sizes vary from 69 × 103 μm to 116 × 134 μm.

Type Species: Lirasporis intergranifer R. Potonié & S.C.D. Sah 1960.

Figure 1 – Lirasporis intergranifer. Scale bar = 10 μm. Redrawn from Potonié & Sah, (1960).

 

References

Jain KP, Kar RK. 1979 – Palynology of Neogene sediments around Quilon and Varkala, Kerala coast, South India–I. Fungal remains. Palaeobotanist 26, 105–118. 

Potonié R, Sah SCD. 1960 – Sporae dispersae of the lignites from Cannanore beach of the Malabar Coast of India. Palaeobotanist 7(2), 121–135.

 

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 21 May 2024

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