Genus

Lulworthia

Species

fucicola

Author

K. Sutherl., Trans. Br. Mycol. Soc. 5: 259 (1916)

Class

Sordariomycetes

Order

Lulworthiales

Family

Lulworthiaceae, Subclass Lulworthiomycetidae

Synonymy:

Description

Lulworthia G.K. Sutherl. 1916

Type species:
Lulworthia fucicola G.K. Sutherl., Trans. Br. mycol. Soc. 5(2): 259 (1916) [1915]

Marine species:
Lulworthia atlantica E. Azevedo, Caeiro & Barata, Mycologia 109 (2): 292 (2017).

MycoBank: 813640

Sexual morph: Ascomata 100–450 × 35.5–470 μm (n = 33), solitary to gregarious, superficial or immersed, globose or subglobose to cylindrical, coriaceous, dark brown, ostiolate, with a long neck 23.5–945 × 11.5–35.5 μm (n = 33). Peridium 12.5–21.5 μm thick, two-layered, composed of an outer layer of cells of textura angularis and an inner layer of oblong cells. Asci 41.5–155 × 12.5–22.5 μm (n = 22), eight-spored, cylindrical, thin-walled, early deliquescing. Ascospores 150–270 × 2.5–5 μm (mean and SE = 212 ± 1.9 × 3.5 ± 0.04 μm, n = 236), parallel to each other, filamentous, curved, hyaline, tapering at each end with an end chamber 6–25 × 2.5–5 μm (mean and SE = 14.7 ± 0.4 × 3.5 ± 0.07 μm, n = 268) from which a hyaline, sticky and slimy mucilage is released through an apical pore. Asexual morph: Unknown.

Description based on Azevedo et al., Mycologia 109 (2): 292 (2017).

Key references:

Campbell J (2005) Neotypification of Lulworthia fucicola. Mycologia. 97: 549–551.

Jones EBG, Suetrong S, Sakayaroj J, Bahkali AH, Abdel-Wahab MA, Boekhout T, Pang KL (2015) Classification of marine Ascomycota, Basidiomycota, Blastocladiomycota and Chytridiomycota. Fungal Divers. 73:1-72.

Image:
Morphological characters of Lulworthia atlantica. A. Ascomata with long necks on wood bait. B. Subglobose ascoma with a long neck. C. Cylindrical ascoma with a papilla. D. Section of ascoma showing a two-layered peridium composed of an outer layer of cells of textura angularis and an inner layer of oblong cells. E. Cylindrical asci, unitunicate, thin-walled. F. Filamentous ascospores, hyaline, curved. G–H. Ascospore end chamber showing an apical pore. I–J. Colonies on corn meal agar incubated at normal and low oxygen conditions, respectively. K. Two globose immature ascomata on corn meal agar. L. Chains of globose to subglobose chlamydospores with thick walls on corn meal agar. Bars: A = 200 μm, B = 100 μm, C–F = 50 μm, G–H = 15 μm, K–L = 20 μ.
Image reproduced from: Azevedo et al., Mycologia 109 (2): 292 (2017).

Type & Location:

Other Specimens:

Substratum:

Fagus sylvatica bait submerged in the sea

Habitat:

Distribution:

Portugal

Pertinent Literature:

Azevedo et al. 2017, Mycologia 109 (2): 292.

Comments:

Currently only two species are assigned to the genus Lulworthia sensu stricto: L. fucicola (type species) and L. atlantica (Jones et al. 2015) (marinefungi.org). Eleven other species are assigned to Lulworthia sensu lato until these taxa are recollected sequenced and epitypified. Lulworthia atlantica differs from L. fucicola in ascospores measurements: 150–270 × 2.5–5 μm, with conical end chambers 6–25 μm long. 70-100 (-126) x 4-5 µm, respectively. No type material of L. fucicola was deposited so Campbell (2005) neotypified the genus with material collected in Chile. The genus is in need of revision, with new collections, isolation and sequencing data.

Images

Fig 1