Authors: Vlasenko, Anastasia & Vlasenko, Vyacheslav
Journal: Karstenia, Volume 58 (2020), Issue 1, pages 10-15.
Doi: https://doi.org/10.29203/ka.2020.485
Full text: PDF
Key words: Stemonitidales, epiphytic myxomycetes, moist chamber culture, SEM, new records
Abstract: The Corticolous Myxomycetes comprise a group of slime-moulds that grow primarily on the bark of living trees. This work presents the first records of Comatricha anomala in Asia with data on its localities, habitat, and distribution. Comatricha species commonly inhabit bark folds of living trees, occasionally other substrates. Of the approximately 36 species in the genus, 13 have been recorded in Asia. Comatricha anomala was previously known only from Europe, North America and Cuba. Comatricha anomala were isolated using the moist-chamber method, which is a highly efficient means to identify hidden diversity of myxomycetes. Sporocarps of C. anomala were found in Petri dishes while examining a bark obtained from living Pinus sylvestris from the Novosibirsk Region. C. anomala differs from other species of Comatricha in its unique spore ornamentation. Scanning electron microscopy necessary to characterize the ornamentation of the surface of the spores in the Comatricha genus. The work includes a revised description of C. anomala with a scanning electron micrograph study of the spore ornamentation.