Some Aquatic Fungi Imperfecti from Hawaii

c. J. ANASTASIOU1

FRESH-WATER hyphomycetes from tropical lo­cations have been reported by Ingold (1 956,1958 , 1959, 1960 ) , Dixon (1959) , Greathead(1961) , Hudson (1961), Hudson and Ingold( 1960 ) , and Nilsson ( 1962) . Reports from thePacific area include California (Ranzoni, 1953) ,and Japan (Tubaki, 1957, 1960; Suzuki andNimura, 1960a, b; and Nimura, 1960 ).

The Fungi Imperfecti reported in this paperwere collected from streams in the Na Pali KonaReserve on the island of Kauai, Hawaii, during .August 1961. Collections were taken from theKokee, Waineki, Elekiniki, Kauaikinana, andKawaikoi streams , and from roadside ditches.Ai: that time the streams were full and foamand scum were abundant.

Most of the species reported here were identi­fied from SPOf(:~s-collected in foam and scum.Colonies developing on rotting leaves, collectedfrom the same group of streams , confirmed theidentification of many of these fungi. The ex­tremely rich flora of Fungi Imperfecri includedthe following species :

Alatospora acum inata IngoldA ttguillospora crassa IngoldAnguill ospor« flageltifera IngoldA rti culospora tetracladia IngoldArti culospora ittflata IngoldCam pylospora chaetocladia RanzoniChaetospermum chaetosporum (Pat. ) A. L.

Smith and Ramsb.Clavariopsis aquatica De Wild.Lemonniera aquatica De Wild.Lunulospora curvula IngoldT etrachaetum elegans IngoldTricladium angulatum Ing oldT ricladium anomalenz IngoldTricladium gracile IngoldT ricladium splendens IngoldT riscelophorus monosporus IngoldVaricosporium elodeae Kegel

1 Department of Biology and Botany , and Faculty ofEducat ion , University of Briti sh Columbia, Vancouver ,B. C. Manuscript received February 19. 1963.

In addition to the above , vermiform sporessimilar to those of A nguillospora gigantea Ran­zoni, A . pseudolongissima Ranz oni, Flagello­spora curvula Ingold, and F. peni cilliodes Ingoldwere common in scum and foam. However,these could not be identified with any degreeof certainty since they did not develop on theleaf material observed . Monochaetia and Pesta­lotia spores were also very common in foam.

Several unidentified spore types were ob­served, but the most common one closely re­sembled spores of a possible species of Articu­lospora illustrated by Ingold (1958 :111 ) . Atleast 50 spores of this type were observed ontwo slides made from foam collected fromKokee Stream . Spore size, septation, and mannerof articulation are as described. by Ingold.

Leaves collected from the streams were platedout- in about ~ inch of distilled water. Afterabout 6 weeks, retraradiate spores developedabundantly above the water sur face. This fungusproduced aleuriospores consisting of an elongate,septate main axis .cont inuous with the aleurio­phore and with elongate secondary branchesarising from the lower part of the main axis.Superficially they resemble spores produced byspecies of T riscelophorus (Petersen, 1962 :131­134 ). However, on the basis of the type ofconidiophore, the morphology of the main axisof the spore, the manner in which the append­ages are produced, and the fact that there arealways a few spores produced which lack ap­pendages, I have decided to consider it a speciesof Dactylella.

Dactylella appendiculata sp. nov.

Fungus aquaticus; mycelium septatum , hy­alinum, ramosum ; cellulae 8-65 X 1.5-4 p.;aleur iophori 50- 400 X 1.5-4 p., seprati, hyalin i,simplices, summersi vel ex aqua ernergentes;aleuriospori, apicati , hyalin i, plerumque e quat­ruor bracchiis, singillatim producti ; axis princi­pali s 57- 108 ( x =84 ) X 9.3-14.5 p., ex 5-8cellulis; bracchia divergentia septata, orientia esecunda cellula axis principali s, 10-1 36 ( x =

202

Aquatic Fungi Imperfecti from Hawaii-ANASTASIOU 203

).

.

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":. a

.....~ ,

, J'

. ~ ......; ....

FIG. L Dactylel la appendiC1llata. a-h, Stages in the development of aleuriospores from curved spore pri­mordia. i, Mature aleuriospore which developed from a curved spore primordium. j, Mature aleuriosporewhich developed from a straight spore primordium. k,Resting cells from agar culture.

204

87) X 2-3.5 p." constricta in basi; cellulae incatenis ramosis dormientes, 5-23 p., diam.

Aquatic fungus; mycelium . septate, hyaline,branching; ceIls 8-65 X 1.5-4 p., ; aleuriophores50-400 X 1.5-4 p." septate, hyaline , unbranched;subm erged or emerging from the water; aleu­riospores apical, hyaline , produced singly, usuaIly4-armed, main axis 57-108 (x = 84 ) X 9.3­14.5 It , of 5-8 ceIls; divergent arms septate,arising from the second ceIl of the main axis,10-1 36 ( x = 87) X 2-3.5 p." constricted at thepoint of origin; resting ceIls in branching chains,5-23 p., diam .

HOLOTYPE: Hawaii. On leaves in water fromKokee stream, Na Pali Kona Reserve , Kauai,August 30, 1961, Anastasiou H47. Transfers ofthis holotype have been deposited at ATCC,CMI, CBS, and DAOM.

Dactylella appendiculata is characterized bythe production of aleuriospores developing oneto four determinate, lateral arms from the secondceIl of the main axis (Fig. 19-i, Fig. 2c-f) .These arms are formed consecutively from theapical portion of the second cell. In other speciesof Dactylella (Drechsler;..l937 :489 , 493, 501)germ tubes usuaIly arise from the apical portionof this ceIl. In D. appendiculata the arms aredistinctly constricted at the base but a waIl doesnot appear to be laid down at this point. How­ever, septation occurs distaIly in the arms. Themain axis of the aleuriospore develops into aform ( Fig. 1j, Fig. 2c) characteristic of manyspecies of Dactylella if the spore primordium isinitiaIly straight. If the spore primordium iscurved, the main axis appears as in Fig. Ii andFig. Zd-]: Fig. 1a-i and Fig. 2a are stages inthe development of spores of the second andpredominant type. Fig. 2b is a stage in the de­velopment of a spore of the first type.

In the original collection conidiophores wereproduced from submerged hyphae and emergedto about 200 p., above the water surface. Atmaturation, the spores dropped to form a densemass floating on the surface tension membrane.Sporulation did not occur in pure culture onagar. However, when a portion of the colonyon agar is submerged in water, very weak sporu ­lation occurs after 3 to 5 weeks' incubation atroom temperature. Increased sporulation, thoughstill sparse, occurs when a rotting leaf is sterilizedwith the water before inoculation.

PACIFIC SCIENCE, Vol. XVIII, April 1964

Since this species resembles certain preda­ceous species of Dactylella, it was cultured inwater containing nematodes and rotifers. Nopredaceous apparatus was formed , whether ornot these organi sms were present. No improve­ment in sporulation occurred after addition ofnematodes, but when water containing rotifersand other microorganisms was added sporeswere abundantly produced on the surface ofleaves in the culture. Almost all spores developedon short aleuriophores (up to 150 p., ) and werecompletely submerged at maturity. AIl of thesedeveloped from curved spore primordia. Someof the spores produced above the surface of thewater developed from straight spore primordia.

Germination of aleuriospores occurred mainlyby germ tubes from the apical and basal ceIlsof the main axis as weIl as from any ceIl of thedivergent arms. Germ tubes arising from themain axis are only slightly constricted at theirpoint of origin, where a distincr septum wasusuaIly observed. Germination from the diver­gent arms is normaIly by branching rather thanelongation of the arms.

The colony on MeYe agar ( Benjamin, 1959 :322) was slimy and duIl white in color, withvery little aerial mycelium . In age, branchedchains of yeastlike resting ceIls were produced(Fig. 1k; Fig. 2g ). Similar resting ceIls devel­oped in the water of the original isolate andsubsequent transfers.

The relationship between Dactylella appen­diculata and other species of Dactylella is com­parable to that between Camp ylospora chaeto­cladia and Tripospermum. In spore morphology,C. chaetocladia differs from Tripospermum bythe production of filiform appendages at the

. apex of the arms. Some justification for placingC. chaetocladia in a separate genus is to befound in differences in conidiophores and sporecolor (Ingold and Cox, 1957 :320; Hughes, 1951:22). Such differences between D. appendi culataand Dactylella do not exist. In my opinion dif­ferences in habitat and modification of germtubes to form spore branches do not constitutesufficient reason for placing this organism in agenus which does not show its true relationship.

Acknowledgments: The research in this proj­ect was supported in part by a grant from theResearch Committee of the Faculty of GraduateStudies at the Uni versity of British Columbia.

Aquatic Fungi Imperfecti from Hawaii-ANASTASIOU

FIG. 2. Dactylella apper.diculata. a-d: Stages in the development of aleuriospores from curvedspore primordia. b, Two -celled stage in the development of an aleuriospore from a straight sporeprimordium. c. Mature aleuriospore from a straight spore primordium. e, t, Mature spores fromcurved spore primordia. g, Resting cells from water culture. X556.

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Use of the facilities at the Rancho Santa AnaBotanic Garden, Claremont, California, and ofthe Department of Biology and Botany, theUniversity of British Columbia, is gratefullyacknowledged. I would also like to thank Ta­dayuki Kato of the University of Hawaii, whosefamiliarity with the island of Kauai led me tothe streams which were sampled. Thanks alsogo to Dr. M. F. McGregor for translating thedescription into Latin and to Drs. R. J. Bandoniand W. B. Schofield for their comments on themanuscript.

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PACIFIC SCIENCE, Vol. XVIII, April 1964

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