Hesperomyces coccinelloides (Thaxt.) Thaxt.

Santamaria, Sergi & Pedersen, Jan, 2021, Laboulbeniomycetes (Fungi, Ascomycota) of Denmark, European Journal of Taxonomy 781, pp. 1-425 : 239-240

Hesperomyces coccinelloides (Thaxt.) Thaxt.

MB#261211

Fig. 53A–B

Memoirs of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences 16: 110 ( Thaxter 1931). – Basionym: Stigmatomyces coccinelloides Thaxt., Proceedings of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences 52: 704 ( Thaxter 1917) [MB#175707; as S. coccinellidae ]. –

Type: “ On the elytra of minute species of Coccinellidae : No. 2560 (Type) …, Grenada ( Brues )”; FH.

Diagnostic features

Thallus hyaline to pale yellowish. Primary appendage consisting of four superposed cells, where the 3 rd and 4 th bear one and two antheridia respectively. Perithecial tip with two broad lower lobes, two short and small upper lobes and two prominent lips surrounding the ostiole. [Detailed descriptions: Santamaria 2003; De Kesel 2011]

Distribution and hosts

Occurs on Col. Coccinellidae of the genus Scymnus Kugelann, 1794 and relatives like Diomus Mulsant, 1850 and Stethorus Weise, 1885 from Europe: Spain ( Santamaria 1995b), Belgium (De Kesel 2011), Poland ( Ceryngier 2013); America: Grenada (type), Jamaica ( Thaxter 1917), USA ( Seymour 1967), Panama, Trinidad & Tobago ( Thaxter 1931), Brazil ( Rossi & Bergonzo 2008), Ecuador ( Proaño Castro & Rossi 2008); and Asia: Philippines ( Thaxter 1931).

Collections examined from Denmark

On Stethorus pusillus (Herbst, 1797) (Col. Coccinellidae ) DENMARK – Lolland, Falster, Møn (LFM) • Sakskøbing, Tårsvej. ; 54°50.433′ N, 11°39.106′ E; PF78; 20 Jun.–19 Oct. 2019; P.N. Buhl 1578; JP det.; ZMUC C-F-124339 . – Nordøstsjaelland (NEZ) • Brønshøj Kirkegård ; 55°42.387′ N, 12°29.915′ E; UB47; 24 Jun. 2019; JP 1482; JP det.; ZMUC C-F-124067 • Hellerup ; 55°44.024′ N, 12°33.014′ E; UB47; 2–4 Aug. 2019; H. Enghoff 1486; H. Enghoff det.; ZMUC C-F-124071 • Nørrebro i København N .; 55°42.332′ N, 12°33.228′ E; UB47; 18 Jun. 2019; JP 1479; JP det.; ZMUC C-F-124064 • Rødovre ; 55°39.663′ N, 12°27.490′ E; UB37; 8 Jun. 2018; JP 1138; JP det.; ZMUC C-F-123662 .

Remarks

First record from Denmark. This species is probably more frequent in Europe that the scarce number of records seems to indicate.

Figures

Fig. 53. Hesperomyces spp. A–B. H. coccinelloides (Thaxt.) Thaxt. Mature thalli showing labelled cells I, II, III, primary septum (a), and a spinous process from the original spore apex (sx). – C–D. H. virescens Thaxt. Mature thalli. In D, “sx” corresponds to the spiny original spore apex. Scale bars: 50 µm. Photographs from slides ZMUC C-F-123662 (A–B), ZMUC C-F-124113 (C), ZMUC C-F-124109 (D).