Laboulbenia elephantina W. Rossi, J.A. Torres et Bernardi, 2015

Rossi, Walter, Torres, Juan A. & Bernardi, Matteo, 2015, New Laboulbeniales parasitic on weevils from the Amazon rainforest, Phytotaxa 231 (2), pp. 187-192 : 188-190

Laboulbenia elephantina W. Rossi, J.A. Torres et Bernardi sp. nov. Fig. 1A

MycoBank MB 814453

Etymology: —From Latin elephas = elephant, because of the appendages remembering (with some imagination) the proboscis and the tusks of an elephant.

Original description: —Basal of the receptacle and appendages hyaline; perithecial venter smoky brown, contrasting with the rest of the fungus that is tinged with pale gray. Basal and suprabasal cells long and slender, the former distinctly shorter than the latter. Cells III and IV subequal, slightly longer than broad. Cell V triangular, very small. Insertion cell free from the perithecium, distinctly narrower than the upper margin of cells IV and V. Outer appendage long, falcate, consisting of elongated cells almost equal in length but gradually narrower from below upwards. Inner appendage consisting of a small basal cell which gives rise to two horizontally divergent branchlets distally curved or even hooked. Perithecial venter regularly ovoid, abruptly distinguished by well marked hunches from the strongly tapering tip and unequal lips, the inner of which is distinctly larger, taller, and subtended by a well defined blackish area. Length from foot to the perithecial apex 165–255 μm. Perithecium 23–40 × 63–75 μm. Longest appendage 180 μm. Ascospores about 40 μm.

Type: — ECUADOR. Orellana: P. N. Yasuní, Estación de Biodiversidad Tiputini, 220–250 m, by fogging in tropical rain forest, 01 February 2001, Terry Erwin & al., all over the body of a male specimen of Udeus sp. ( Curculioninae , Eugnomini ), (holotype FI3875! isotypes QCNE3875b! & FI3875c!). A total of 78 mature and 32 immature thalli were examined.

Comments: —Although the species of Laboulbenia with a simple outer appendage and a bifurcate inner appendage are quite a few, none of the described species can be confused with L. elephantina , mostly because of the shape and arrangement of these appendages. As to the species parasitic on weevils bearing appendages with a similar structure, L. elephantina differs from all of them for the perithecium pear-shaped and free for less than half of its length (in L. curculionidicola and L. dichroma the perithecium is entirely free from the receptacle, while in L. inconspicua the perithecium is oblong and joined to the perithecium for less than half of its length).

Figures

FIGURE 1.A. Laboulbenia elephantina (from the type slide). B. Laboulbenia dichroma (from the type slide). C. Laboulbenia microcarpa (from the type slide). D. Laboulbenia inopinata from Macrocopturus sp. (from the paratype FI3864). Bars = 50 μm.