Fungalpedia – Note 3186, Paleoslimacomyces

 

Paleoslimacomyces Kalgutkar & Sigler, Mycological Research 99: 521 (1995).

Citation when using this data: Jian Ma et al. 2024 – Fungalpedia.

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

Notes: The fossil genus, Paleoslimacomyces, was established by Kalgutkar and Sigler (1995), with P. canadensis as the type species. Paleoslimacomyces is similar to Helicoma, Pseudocercospora, Slimacomyces and Trochophora by having helicoid, curved to hemi-circinate, and septate conidia (Olive 1948; Kendrick 1958; Goos 1986; Zhao et al. 2007). Additionally, the conidial morphology of Paleoslimacomyces differs from that of other fossil helicosporous genera due to its distinctively curved to partially circinate filaments (Kalgutkar and Sigler 1995; Saxena et al. 2021). Paleoslimacomyces includes three species: Paleoslimacomyces canadensis, P. minutus (≡ Involutisporonites minutus), and P. wilcoxii (≡ I. wilcoxii) (Elsik 1968; Mustard et al. 1994; Kalgutkar and Sigler 1995; Rouse and Mustard 1997; Kalgutkar and Jansonius 2000).

Type species: Paleoslimacomyces canadensis Kalgutkar & Sigler, Mycological Research 99: 521 (1995).

Other accepted species: Species Fungorum – search Paleoslimacomyces. 

Figure 1 – a Colligerites kutchensis, Bar = 8 μm. b Elsikisporonites tubulatus, Bar = 12 μm. c Helicominites salvinites, Bar = 10 μm. d Helicoonites goosii, Bar = 10 μm. e Helicosporiates pirozynskii, Bar = 8 μm. f Involutisporonites foraminus, Bar = 10 μm. g Palaeocirrenalia elegans, Bar = 8 μm. h Paleoslimacomyces canadensis, Bar = 5 μm. i Retihelicosporonites elsikii, Bar = 20 μm. (redrawn from Saxena et al. (2021)).

 

References

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

Goos R. 1986– A review of the anamorph genus Helicoma. Mycologia 78(5):744–761.

Kalgutkar R, Sigler L. 1995 – Some fossil fungal form-taxa from the Maastrichtian and Palaeogene ages. Mycological Research 99(5):513–522.

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

Kendrick WB. 1958 – Helicoma monospora sp. nov. from pine litter. Transactions of the British Mycological Society 41(4):446–448.

Mustard PS, Rouse GE, Monger J. 1994 – Stratigraphy and evolution of Tertiary Georgia Basin and subjacent Upper Cretaceous sedimentary rocks, southwestern British Columbia and northwestern Washington State. Geology and geological hazards of the Vancouver region, southwestern British Columbia 481:97–169.

Olive LS. 1948 – Taxonomic notes on Louisiana fungi—I. Mycologia 40(1):6–20.

Rouse G, Mustard P. 1997 – Nomenclatural note and corrections. Palynology 21(1):207–208.

Saxena R, Wijayawardene N, Dai D, Hyde KD, Kirk P. 2021 – Diversity in fossil fungal spores. Mycosphere 12(1):670–874.

Zhao G, Liu X, Wu W. 2007 – Helicosporous hyphomycetes from China. Fungal Diversity 26:313–524.

 

Entry by

Jian Ma, School of Food and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Guizhou Institute of Technology, Guiyang 550003, P.R. China, Center of Excellence in Fungal Research, Mae Fah Luang University, Chiang Rai 57100, Thailand, School of Science, Mae Fah Luang University, Chiang Rai, 57100, Thailand.

 

Published online 18 September 2026