Fungalpedia – Note 3199, Rhachomyces
Rhachomyces. Thaxt., Proc.
Citation when using this data: Jayawardena RS et al. 2023 – Fungalpedia.
Index Fungorum, Facesoffungi, MycoBank, GenBank
Classification: Laboulbeniaceae, Laboulbeniales, Laboulbeniomycetidae, Laboulbeniomycetes, Pezizomycotina, Ascomycota, Fungi
Notes: Rhachomyces is quite numerous: with six species described very recently, the number of accepted species in the genus is now 91 (Rossi and Christian 2020; Rossi and Leonardi 2020; Santamaria et al. 2020; Buyck et al. 2021). This genus is characterized by a series of superposed, usually short cells forming an axis that remembers a spinal column (hence the name, from Greek rachis = spine); these cells produce laterally both sterile appendages of various lengths and antheridial appendages, the latter ending with a single antheridium consisting of a simple phialide. In mature thalli the perithecia are usually found in an apical position and more frequently are single, but can be two or even more in a few species. The cells forming the outer wall of perithecia are arranged in four rows, each consisting of four unequal cells. Most of the species of Rhachomyces occur on ground beetles (Carabidae), but a few are associated with rove beetles (Staphylinidae) and two were found on small carrion beetles (Leiodida Cholevinae). A single sequence is available for species in this genus (Goldmann and Weir 2018).
Type species: Rhachomyces lasiophorus (Thaxt.) Thaxt., Proc. Amer. Acad. Arts & Sci. 30: 468 (1895) [1894]
Other accepted species: Species Fungorum – search Rhachomyces.
References
Rossi W, Leonardi M 2020 – New Laboulbeniales from China (Ascomycota). Cryptogam Mycol 41:1–7.
Entry by
Jayawardena Ruvishika Shehali, 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