avicenniae

Didymella Sacc., Michelia 2 (6): 57 (1880)

Type species: Didymella exigua (Niessl) Sacc., Michelia 2 (6): 57 (1880)

Marine example of the genus:

Didymella avicenniae S.D. Patil & Borse, 1985. Trans. Mycol. Soc. Japan., 26: 271.

Saprobic on mangrove wood, Sexual morph. Ascomata: 275-350 mm high, 250-275 mm wide, immersed, subglobose, black. Peridium: composed of irregular and thick-walled cells, 15-20 mm thick. Pseudoparaphyses: forming an indistinct network in immature ascomata, absent in mature ascomata. Asci: 140-190 x 28-32 mm, 8-spored, bitunicate, ellipsoidal to clavate. Ascospores: 25-32 x 10-15 mm, ellipsoidal to ovoid, 1-septate, hyaline, rounded at the tip, constricted at the septum, narrowing to the base, surrounded by a gelatinous sheath, which slowly swells in water and eventually dissolves. Asexual morph: Not determined (Description based on Patil & Borse (1985)).

Key references:

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 Diversity 73: 1-72.

Liu JK, Hyde KD, Jeewon R, Phillips AJL, et al. (2017) Ranking higher taxa using divergence times: a case study in Dothideomycetes. Fungal Diversity 84 (3): 75-99.

Maria GL, Sridhar KR (2002) Richness and diversity of filamentous fungi on woody litter of mangroves along the west coast of India. Current science 83: 1573-1580.

Maria GL, Sridhar KR (2003) Diversity of filamentous fungi on woody litter of five mangrove plant species from the southwest coast of India. Fungal Diversity 14: 109-126.

Patil SD, Borse BD (1985) Marine fungi from Maharashtra (India) – 1V. Some Loculomycetes. Trans. Mycol. Soc. Japan 26(3): 271.

Ravikumar DR, Vittal BPR (1996) Fungal diversity on decomposing biomass of mangrove plant Rhizophora in pichavaran estuary; east coast of India. Indian J. Mar. Sci. 25: 142-144.

Key to marine Didymella species:

1. On mangrove wood, ascospores 25-32 x 10-15 µm with a sheath.....................................................................................D. avicenniae

1. On algae......................................................................................................................................................................................2

2. Ascospores narrower than 4 µm, 8-16 x 2-4 µm, parasite on Rhodymenia...............................................................................D. magnei

2. Ascospores wider than 4 µm...........................................................................................................................................................3

3. Ascospores 16-23 x 6-8 µm, on brown seaweeds, with sheath..............................................................................................D. fucicola

3. Ascospores 14-22 x 4-6 µm, parasitic on the red alga Gloiopeltis, no sheath....................................................................D. gloiopeltidis