Fungalpedia – Note , 216 Varmasporites (Fossil Fungi)

 

Varmasporites Kalgutkar & Janson. 

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

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

Classification: Phragmosporae, Incertae sedis, Fossil Ascomycota, Fungi

The monotypic fossil genus Varmasporites was established by Kalgutkar & Jansonius (2000) to accommodate Fusiformisporites tonakkalensis Varma and R.S. Patil 1985, originally described from Miocene (23–5 mya) sediments of the Tonakkal area, Thiruvananthapuram District, Kerala, India. Varmasporites includes fusiform, four-celled, inaperturate fungal spores, with a pronounced constriction at the thick median septum, and with a distinct ribbed or striate sculpture parallel to the long axis. The two centrifugal septa may be less strongly developed. Fusiformisporites Rouse 1962 differs from this genus in that it is dicellate and lacks a strong median constriction. Kumarisporites Kalgutkar & Janson. 2000 is three-celled and its ribs extend continuously from one pole to the other. Only one species included in Index Fungorum (2024) under this genus. 

Homotypic synonym: Fusiformisporites tonakkalensis Varma & R.S. Patil 1985.

Type Species: Varmasporites tonakkalensis (Varma & R.S. Patil 1985) Kalgutkar & Janson. 2000.

 

 

Figure 1 – Varmasporites tonakkalensis. Scale bar = 10 μm. Redrawn from Varma & Patil, (1985).

 

References

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

Varma YNR, Patil RS. 1985 – Fungal remains from the Tertiary carbonaceous clays of Tonakkal area, Kerala. Geophytology 15(2), 151–158.

 

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 22 March 2024

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