Doveri F.
Vol. 10 (2) – 22 April 2018
doi: 10.25664/art-0231
Open Access
Abstract: A sample of vicuña dung from a Chilean coastal desert was submitted to the attention of the author, who at first sight noticed the presence of different pyrenomycetes. Several hairy cleistothecia particularly caught his attention and were subjected to a morphological study that proved them to belong to a new species of Chaetomidium. After mentioning the main features of Sordariales and Chaetomiaceae, the author describes in detail the macro-and microscopic characters of the new species Chaetomidium vicugnae and compares it with all the other Chaetomidium spp. with a cephalothecoid peridium. The extensive discussion focuses on the characterization and relationships of the genus Chaetomidium and Chaetomidium vicugnae within the complex family Chaetomiaceae. All collections of the related species are recorded and dung is regarded as the preferential substrate. Keys are provided to sexual morph genera of Chaetomiaceae and to Chaetomidium species with a cephalothecoid peridium
My studies on coprophilous ascomycetes (Doveri, 2004, 2011) allowed me to meet with several representatives of Sordariales Chadef. ex D. Hawksw. & O.E. Erikss., an order identifiable with the so called “pyrenomycetes” s.str., i.e. fungi with an ascohymenial ontogeny resulting in dark, membranous to coriaceous […]